Roman Goddesses

 

Agatha
Saint Agatha was a third-century Italian martyr who now presides over matters of health and protects homes from fire damage. Many nurses and healers turn to her for assistance in their work. While this saint was a historical persona (not simply a rewritten goddess figure), she certainly embodies the healthy guardian energies of the goddess.
Themes: Health; Well-Being; Protection
Symbols: Any Health-related Items

Anna Parenna
Anna Parenna symbolizes the entire year's cycle. Even her name translates as "enduring year." Legend tells us that Anna was once a real woman who showed benevolence to refugees from he Roman aristocracy by giving them food until peace was reestablished. It is this gentle spirit with which Anna comes into our lives, offering the spiritual harmony engendered by random acts of kindness.
Themes: Cycles; Peace; Kindness; Grounding; Longevity
Symbols: Circular Items (Rings, Wheels, Wreathes); Wine

Autumnus
This is the Roman personification of the autumn season. While in the actual gender of this being is often left to the imagination, the strong connection with the harvest, wines, and fruits imitates a powerful earth goddess, blossoming with her seasonal array.
Themes: Harvest; Abundance; Thankfulness; Balance; Wisdom; Foresight; Autumn
Symbols: Fall Leaves; Harvested Items

Befana
Befana is the Italian crone goddess. Call on her for wisdom and guidance through the year. ; Because she has lived a long life, her astute insight will serve you well. January fifth is Bafana Fair, her festival day in Italy, celebrated with horns, noise makers, songs, and music. These loud sounds drive out evil and mark the passage of winter's darkness out of the region.
Themes: Overcoming Evil; Wisdom
Symbols: Broom; Horns; Hag Poppets

Bellona
She who kindles the fire of the sun and the fire in the bellies of warriors, Bellona is both a mother and a battle goddess, being the female equivalent of Mars with a distinct diplomatic twist. Those who call upon Bellona receive strategy, tactfulness, and a keen sense of how to handle explosive situations effectively.
Themes: Protection; Victory; Communication; Strength
Symbols: Swords (or Athame); Spear

Bona Dea
Her name literally means "good goddess." Traditionally, Bona Dea is a women's goddess who received offerings of wine in exchange for prophetic insights during her observances.

The Carmanea
Similar to the Muses. Antevorta knew the past; Postvorta knew the future; Egeria foretold the fate of new babies; Carmenta knew prophecies in general and gave the alphabet.

Ceres
Corn Goddess; Eternal Mother; The Sorrowing Mother; "Grain Mother." Connected with Gaea and Isis. She instituted the Elusinian Mysteries. Demeter, Ceres, Kore and Kore-Persephone are aspects of one goddess. Her festival, the Cerealis, was celebrated April 19. Goddess of: Crops, Initiation, Civilization, Lawgiver, Protectress of Women, Motherhood, Marriage

Diana
Goddess of the wildwood, lady of beasts; Moon goddess. Goddess of mountains, woods, women, childbirth . Her title "Queen of Heaven" was the Roman name for the Triple Goddess; as the Roman Triple Goddess, her aspects were the Lunar Virgin, Mother of Creatures and the Huntress or Destroyer. Her festivals were May 26-31 and August 13-15. Her animals were the dog and stag.

Fauna
Consort of Faunus. Also called Bona Dea and closely related to Maia. She was a fertility goddess honored with a mysterious festival at the beginning of December. This festival was forbidden to men and ended in an orgy.

Fortuna/Fors/Fors Fortuna
She was the goddess of Fate in all its unknown qualities. She ruled oracles, fate chance; protectress of woman married only once. Sometimes she was pictured with wings.
Symbols: Wheel; Sphere; Ship's Rudder and Prow; Cornucopia.

Hecate
The Crone; snake goddess; queen of the Underworld or world of spirits; Moon goddess; Lady of the Wild Hunt; goddess of witchcraft. A three-faced image represented her triple aspects; she was then called Triformis. Patroness of dark magick, priestesses, charms and spells, vengeance, expiation, riches, enchantments, victory, wisdom, purification, prosperity, ends, destruction, choices.

Juno
Sister consort of Jupiter; most important primitive goddess. Moon goddess; Queen of Heaven; "Lady Earth" goddess; "She who warns" Great Mother; protectress of women in general. Geese and peacock were sacred to her. Sometimes she held a scepter, thunderbolt, patera, veil, or spear and shield. Her festivals were the Matronalia at Kalends of March, June 1-2, and July 7-8. Protectress of marriage, the home, and childbirth. Light, women's fertility, the Moon, renewal, purification, the sky, death, pain, punishment.
Note:The name Juno comes from the Sabine-Etruscan Uni, or yoni. The Romans said that each woman held a piece of the Goddess' spirit within her; this was called her juno, or soul.

Luna
The second aspect of the Moon; the Moon as lover and bride. Enchantments, love spells.

Maia
Goddess of fertility; Month of May named after her.

Minerva
Virgin warrior goddess. Maiden Goddess; goddess of women's rights and freedom. She was especially worshiped by guilds of artisans, artists, and professional men, flute players, schools, doctors. She was honored with Mars during five days at the spring equinox. She wore a helmet and breastplate and carried a spear. Sacred bird was the owl. Patroness of craftsmen, especially smiths, weavers, and spinners. Protection, writing, music, the sciences, sculptors, potters, architects, wisdom, arts and skills, renewal, prudence, wise counsel, peace, embroidery, horses and oxen, snakes, pillars, trees, medicine, war, schools.

Ops
A harvest helper, her festival was the Opalia on December 19. She was invoked by sitting down and touching the Earth with one hand. Goddess of the harvest, wealth, success.

Proserpina/Libitina
Grain Maiden; goddess of corn, the seasons, and the Underworld; consort of Pluto. Sacred to her were the bat and the pomegranate. Goddess of rest, the winter, the survivor, overcoming obstacles.

Tellus Mater
An ancient Earth goddess; shown as a woman with children, fruit, flowers, and a swan. Fertility, marriage, children, fruitfulness of the soil.

Venus
Moon goddess; patroness of vegetation and flowers. She was strong, proud, and loving. she was called virginal, meaning that she remained independent; her priestesses were not physical virgins. She was definitely a goddess of sexual activity, not necessarily having anything to do with marriage. Her temples housed sacred prostitutes and were such popular centers that they were among the first casualties of Christian fanaticism. Her sacred birds were the heron and dove. She had a place in the Floralia (April 28-May 3) and in the Vinalia Rustica on August 9. Another festival was June 24. Goddess of love, beauty, and the joy of physical love, fertility, continued creation, renewal, herbal magick.

Vesta
"The shining one" "one of Light." Her priestesses were the Vestal Virgins who kept the sacred fire of Rome always burning. six Vestals of good family background served her for thirty years, coming into her service when they were between seven and ten years old. Her priestesses offered no blood sacrifices. If a Vestal chanced to meet a condemned man, he was set free. Hearth and fire goddess; goddess of domestic and ceremonial fires. Her festival was Vestalia on June 7.