The ancient Roman religion is considered one of the most ethnic and it defines the practice of them using across the state of Italy. Additionally, the practices of the religious rules brought the Romans in close relation with the gods and goddesses. While we are now accounting for the goddesses of ancient Rome, the Romans believed that they got them enough brightness in their lives.
Additionally, some of the goddesses were highly powerful and known to perform supernatural elements. They played a prominent role in the Roman religion and the lives of Romans. The powers they sustained are simply mesmerizing and can bounty your mind with the traditions of ancient mythology.
So, who were the ten most powerful ancient Roman goddesses? Let’s check out.
10. Salacia, Goddess of Salt Water
Salacia was a powerful goddess in ancient Roman mythology. She is known for being the goddess of saltwater and guarding the sea. The ancient Roman mythology reveals that the goddess Salacia was residing in depths of oceans. In terms of appearances, Salacia has a net on her hair and can be seen dressed in queenly robes. Further, she is also considered as the goddess of springs.
Additionally, the god Neptune wanted to marry Salacia due to which he had to send a dolphin for a fair nymph. This was due to the initial rejection of the goddess Salacia to get married to the god Neptune. However, Salacia agreed to the deal for getting married to Neptune.
9. Fortuna, Goddess of Fortune
Fortuna is considered one of the all-time most powerful ancient Roman goddesses. She was considered the goddess of fortune and luck in the Roman religion. Additionally, her counterpart in Greek was the goddess Tyche.
The goddess Fortuna had played a prominent role for Romans by improvising everyday social life and getting them luck. According to the ancient cult, Fortuna protected the grain supplies as well. Further, she was the daughter of god Jupiter. The goddess was bountiful enough as that of her father.
The first temple dedicated to Fortuna was credited to Etruscan Servius Tullius. The temple stood outside the city near the bank of the Tiber. In honor of the goddess Fortune, Romans celebrated a festival annually called “Fors Fortuna”. Furthermore, the festival was celebrated on June 24. However, June 11 was assigned as a sacred day of Fortuna.
8. Diana, Goddess of the Hunt and Moon
Diana is one of the mightiest goddesses in the history of the Roman religion. She was the goddess of the hunt, the moon, the countryside. Additionally, Diana represented herself with a bow and quiver, deer, hunting, and a crescent moon as her primary symbols. The name “Diana” is derived from Latin, which means “godly”.
In the tradition of Apuleius, Diana was renowned as a single “great goddess”. Further, in modern worships, the first documented worship was by Wicca. The posted version of the practice of Neopagan witchcraft was started by Gerald Gardner. Furthermore, Gerald Gardener and the group were the first set of people to worship Aradia (Daughter of Diana) in 1949.
The powers of Diana impressed the Romans, and in turn, they built a temple for her in Aventine Hill. The temple was built by king Servius Tullius. Finally, Diana was as well considered as a “frame god”. As per the theories proposed by Georges Dumezil, the goddess Diana was a subset of celestial gods in ancient Roman history.
7. Venus, Goddess of Love, Beauty and Lust
Venus is yet another powerful goddess of all time. She was known as the goddess of beauty, sex, fertility, love, lust, and victory. Additionally, she can be seen in nude paintings as a symbol of desire, love, and prosperity.
The symbols for the goddess Venus were the same as that of Aphrodite. They include rose, sweetly scented flowers, aromatic, evergreen leaves, and importantly myrtle.
Romans believed that the items she carried as a symbol had medicinal and magical powers. Venus intensified the world so much that her images were found in domestic murals, mosaics, and household shrines.
In honor of the goddess Venus, the first temple was built in 295 BC near the Aventine Hill. Further, Veneralia was a famous festival celebrated in remembrance of Venus on April 1.
6. Flora, Goddess of Flowers and Spring
Flora is a powerful Roman goddess who was famously known as a symbol of nature and flowers. She was the goddess of flowers and spring. Additionally, in the Roman tradition, the Sabine King- Titus Tatius introduced the goddess Flora’s cult to Rome.
Further, in honor of Flora, the Romans built a temple near the Circus Maximus. Furthermore, they celebrated a festival called “the Floralia” right since 238 BC.
As per the ancient Roman mythology, the Floralia festival renewed the cycle of life, drinking, and flowering. Flora’s counterpart in Greek is Chloris. She was as well accompanied by Hercules and was married to the wind god, Zephyr.
5. Bellona, Goddess of War, Conquest and Peace
Bellona is considered one of the greatest goddesses in the history of ancient Roman mythology. Further, Bellona was the goddess of war, conquest, and peace. She was famously recognized wearing a military helmet on her head and a sword or a spear on her hands.
The name Bellona was derived from Latin which meant “war” or “warfare”. In honor of the goddess Bellona, the Romans raised her an initial temple in 296 BCE. Bellona’s temple was situated in the Roman Campus Martius area and had extraterritorial status.
Finally, with a remembrance of the instances, Romans celebrated the festival in this temple. Bellona was the daughter of god Jupiter and goddess Juno.
4. Minerva, Goddess of Wisdom and War
Minerva is a sturdy ancient Roman goddess who is considered the goddess of wisdom and war. The name Minerva was derived from Italic, which means “intelligent” and “understanding”. While talking about the war, she was not as violent as Mars.
The goddess Minerva was known to perform defensive wars only. Additionally, she was also considered a virgin goddess of music, medicine, poetry, commerce, and crafts.
Minerva bagged the equating position of the Greek goddess Athena right from the start of the second century BC. Her physical appearance emphasized of herself carrying a spear and wearing armor on the body.
Further, she was well-built physically and was known to resemble a perfect athlete. Minerva was prominently worshipped across the states of Rome. Moreover, Romans built a temple called “Temple of Minerva”, and “Delubrum Minervae” with intense remembrance and honor. The Delubrum Minervae was founded around 50 BC and the location is now occupied by the church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva.
3. Ceres, Goddess of the Earth
Ceres is accounted for as a powerful ancient Roman goddess. She was known for emphasizing her powers and deity of grain crops, agriculture, fertility, and motherly relationships.
Additionally, Goddess Ceres is the only god to be listed among the Dil Consentes out of many agricultural deities in Roman religion. Further, she stands to be a counterpart of the Greek goddess Demeter. In remembrance of Ceres, Romans celebrated a festival in mid to late April, Cerealia.
Furthermore, Ceres’s name was depicted regarding grain and bread in the entire Roman era. Her temple was kept out of the city as part of a sacrificial moto of Roman people. The goddess Ceres’s temple stood on the seven hills of ancient Rome. People of Rome were worshipping on Aventine Hill.
2. Vesta, Virgin Goddess of the Hearth, Home, and Family
Vesta is yet another mighty goddess from the Roman religion. She was considered a virgin goddess of the hearth, home, and family. Additionally, Vesta was considered a prominent guardian for Romans.
In honor of the goddess Vesta, the Roman people built a temple famously recognized in Rome as “the Aedes” or “the temple of Vesta”. The temple is featured with Vesta’s holy fire where the Romans believe that the fire, guards them in all aspects. Goddess Vesta becomes the most prestigious and honored gods in the Roman pantheon.
Not all were permitted inside her temple. The priestesses of Vestals were the only people part of the entry. Further, with intense honor and remembrance, Romans celebrate Vestalia, a famous festival celebrated annually in Rome. Vesta was with so much power that the outside people of Rome heard too. Her cult is attested at Lavinium, Bovillae, and Tibur.
1. Juno, Queen of Goddesses
Juno is considered the most powerful ancient Roman goddess. While talking about her powers, Juno was the protector and counselor of the state. Additionally, the mighty power is accounted as the queen of the Goddess as per the Roman mythology.
Juno is the daughter of Saturn and the wife of Jupiter. Further, Romans considered her as a perfect guide for finance. A famous festival was held every year in honor of Juno Lucina called the Matronalia. This festival was celebrated on the first of March.
Furthermore, there were other festivals celebrated too in June, July, and October. The goddess was considered a premium facilitator of making the marriage a success. Due to this reason, Juno was accounted for as the patroness of marriage. Romans believe that a good time for marriage was in the month of June.