The Roman Gods

Question 1

Olympians

Answer 1

12

Question 2

Where did they live

Answer 2

Mount Olympus

North Greece

Question 3

Gods were

Answer 3

Immortal

Ageless

Question 4

Jupiter

Answer 4

• Fatherly figure-> patriarchal head
• Healthy middle age
• ‘Father of the gods and king of men’
• Iov pater -> Etruscan
• Jove
• sky and weather god, travellers
• thunderbolt, sceptre (politics), throne
• Zeus

Question 5

Apollo

Answer 5

• Ever in youthful manhood- beautiful, short curly hair
• god of music, the arts, education, health and disease, prophecy, archery and the sun
• carried a lyre and a quiver full of arrows
• Phoebus (epithet- shining)
• ludi Apollinares -> 8/9 days in the middle of July

Question 6

Jupiter and Juno

Answer 6

Siblings

Married

Question 7

epithet

Answer 7

An adjective to describe the specific section of life looked after

Question 8

Jupiter Pluvius

Answer 8

Rain giver

Question 9

Jupiter Optimus Maximus

Answer 9

The Best and Greatest - sovereign power

Question 10

Jupiter Lapis

Answer 10

God of oaths

Question 11

Regina

Answer 11

Juno - queen of the gods

Question 12

Lucina

Answer 12

Juno - goddess of childbirth

Question 13

Moneta

Answer 13

Juno the advisor - protector of the roman mint

Question 14

Pronuba

Answer 14

Juno - patron of marriage

Question 15

Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus

Answer 15

At the start of every year, the new consuls went there to perform a sacrifice

The senate always held the first meeting of the year there

Question 16

The Capitoline Triad

Answer 16

Jupiter, Juno, Minerva

Question 17

Neptune

Answer 17

• based on Etruscan sea god Nethuns
• Poseidon
• brother of Jupiter
• god of the sea, god of earthquakes
• trident, dolphin
• closely associated with horses & bulls (races)

Question 18

Vulcan

Answer 18

• Hephaestus
• god of fire and metal-working, artisans
• turn rock into bronze weapons or fine jewellery
• Romans relied production of iron
• lived under Mt Etna
• married to Venus
• Vulcanalia -> 23rd August
• anvil and hammer

Question 19

Mars

Answer 19

• father of Romulus
• all descendants
• second only in importance to Jove
• god of agriculture (Maris)- responsible for the defence and protection of Catt me, field and farmers
• Ares- war
• Campus Martius -> training ground for soldiers
• armour

Question 20

Mercury

Answer 20

• Hermes
• winged sandals, winged helmet
• carried caduceus (herald’s staff entwined with 2 snakes)
• god of travellers, god of traders and commercial profits
• escorted the souls of the dead down to the Underworld

Question 21

Juno

Answer 21

• oversaw both marriage and childbirth
• 1st March- Matronalia
• peacock

Question 22

Ceres

Answer 22

• goddess of the crops and harvest
• 496BC- Demeter adopted from Sibylline books to drive away famine. Temple of Acentine Hill
• Cerealia - between 12th and 19th of April (associated with plebeian classes)
• flower, fruit and grain

Question 23

Venus

Answer 23

• fertility and procreation, love and beauty
• Aphrodite
• mother of Aeneas
• Mother of Cupid by mars
• sea shell

Question 24

Minerva

Answer 24

• Menvra (goddess of wisdom, war, art, schools and commerce)
• Athena
• born from the head of Jupiter
• goddess of wisdom, goddess of war, weaving and handicrafts, school and children
• owl, aegis (goatskin shield imprinted with the image of a gorgon’s head)
• important to artisans and women working in the household

Question 25

Diana

Answer 25

* hunting, the moon (Phoebe) * Artemis * twin brother Apollo * hunting dress, deer, quiver of arrows * worshipped BT poor and spaces

Question 26

Vesta

Answer 26

* goddess of the hearth * protector of the state * Vestalia - between 7th and 15th June * originally one of the 12 Olympians, gave up her space for Bacchus in order to tend the sacred fire on Mt Olympus

Question 27

Dionysus

Answer 27

* god of wine and theatre, revelry * Bacchus * Liber (early roman god of fertility, wine and growth) * Bacchanalia -> mystery cult * thyrsus, vines, ivy, animal skins

Question 28

Janus

Answer 28

* specifically Roman * god of gates and doorways, beginnings and endings * protector of a house * two heads looking in opposite directions * January

Question 29

Pluto

Answer 29

* ruler of the Underworld, god of the dead * Dis Pater * pomegranate

Question 30

Emperors could be deified

Answer 30

After their death Genius (guardian spirit) could be worshipped while living

Question 31

First emperor to be deified

Answer 31

Julius Caesar - 42BCE | divus Iulius

Question 32

Augustales

Answer 32

college (21) of priests who served the cult of the emperor Normal drawn from the ranks of freedmen (barred from holding any other political or religious posts)