She was the daughter of Saturn and Ops, and therefore the sister of Jupiter. She is commonly depicted sitting on a throne surrounded by peacocks, wearing a gold diadem and scepter.

Its equivalent in Greece is Hera.

Minerva

Goddess of wisdom and the first-born daughter of Jupiter, she was invoked by priests and philosophers. It was represented with a helmet, a pike, and a shield, but also with animals such as the owl, a dragon, or a beetle.

Its Greek equivalent is Athena.

Vulcan

Roman god of fire and son of Jupiter. It was invoked by artisans and kiln and metal workers. He was the creator of the weapons of gods and heroes. He was depicted as an old man, strong, lame, and unappealing in appearance.

Its equivalent in Greece is Hephaestus.

Diana

Goddess of the moon and daughter of Latona and Jupiter. She was a chaste goddess, associated with wild animals, hunting, and fertility. It was depicted with great beauty, along with a deer and a silver bow and arrows.

Its Greek equivalent is Artemis.

Phoebus

God of beauty, plastic arts, and music. He was the son of Jupiter and the twin brother of Diana. He was depicted as a strong, young man and sometimes with a lyre.

God of beauty, plastic arts, and music. He was the son of Jupiter and the twin brother of Diana. He was depicted as a strong, young man and sometimes with a lyre.

Venus

She was the daughter of Uranus and the wife of Vulcan. She was the goddess of love and beauty. It was invoked to find love or to regain it when it was lost. She was represented by a dove, a sword, and a seashell.

Its Greek equivalent is Aphrodite.

Ceres

Goddess of agriculture, wheat, and fertility, she was the daughter of Saturn and Ops. It was also associated with the passing of the seasons of the year. She was represented seated, with torches or with a snake.

Its Greek equivalent is Demeter.

Neptune

God of the seas and oceans. Firstborn of Saturn and Ops and brother of Jupiter. It was invoked by fishermen and sailors to have good fishing and calm the waters. He was represented with a trident and with a chariot.

Its Greek equivalent is Poseidon.

Mars

God of war, virile power, spring, and life in the fields. He was the son of Jupiter and Juno, and the husband of Venus. He was invoked by warriors and fighters to obtain victory, and he was represented with armor, a sword, a shield, and a helmet. Its Greek equivalent is Ares.

Mercury

God of commerce and messenger of the gods, he was the son of Jupiter and the nymph Maya. It was invoked by merchants to make good profits. He was represented with winged sandals, a bag, and the caduceus, a kind of scepter with two snakes.

Its Greek equivalent is Hermes.

Vesta

Chaste goddess of the hearth, and of the domestic fire, daughter of Saturn and Ops. Its Greek equivalent is Hestia, although it is believed to be a deity prior to Greek influence.

Vesta was rarely personified, as she was invoked and symbolized through fire.

Origin of the Roman gods

The exact origin of the Roman gods dates back to the primitive peoples who went to the region of Rome, in principle with few gods, although always polytheistic.

These had a series of gods to improve crops or for rain, and they were invoked in special circumstances. While the growth and development of the empire took place, there was deep contact with other cultures, mainly with Greek culture, and from this began the adaptation of other gods.

These gods were integrated as their own figures and had Roman names and some distinctive characteristics, but they fulfilled similar functions to their Greek counterparts.

The image that we currently know of the Roman gods was adopted in the time of the Etruscans, in the 6th century BC. C., when it began to represent the other gods with form and Roman costumes.

Equivalence between Roman and Greek gods

• See more information on Greek gods.
• The following table shows an equivalence between Greek and Roman gods: