Roman mythology

Made by Margita Akmačić 3.a.

Roman mythology is the body of myths of ancient Rome as represented in the literature and
visual arts of the Romans. She mostly took over myths and legends from the ancient Greeks and
Etruscans, while changing the names of the gods. The main gods are Jupiter, Neptune and
Pluto. The gods of the Greeks and Romans were anthropomorphic, exhibiting many human
qualities such as love, hate, and jealousy, and because of this, the people of Rome and Greece
were able to see themselves in these tales and understand their relationship to the rest of the
world as well their connection to the gods.
The ancient Romans had a rich mythology and, while much of it was derived from their
neighbors, the Greeks, it still defined the rich history of the Roman people as they eventually
grew into an empire. Well known is the story of the she-wolf and her saving the brothers
Romulus and Remus and, in this same way, many other Roman myths have become a part of
our culture in the present day. To the Greeks and the Romans, myths explained who they were
as a people and gave them a sense of national pride, an understanding of valor and honor, and
insight into their destiny. Roman writers such as Ovid and Virgil extended the mythological
heritage of the ancient Mediterranean to gives us such long-lasting and iconic figures as
Aeneas, Vesta, Janus, and the twin founders of Rome itself, Romulus and Remus. One of a wide
variety of genres of Roman folklore, Roman mythology may also refer to the modern study of
these representations, and to the subject matter as represented in the literature and art of
other cultures in any period. Roman mythology also draws directly on Greek mythology
primarily during the Hellenistic period of Greek influence and through the Roman conquest of
Greece. Roman mythology, like that of the Greeks, contained a number of gods and goddesses,
and because of the early influence of Greece on the Italian peninsula and the ever-present
contact with Greek culture, the Romans adopted not only their stories but also many of their
gods, renaming a number of them. Greek and Roman mythologies are therefore often classified
together in the modern era as Greco-Roman mythology. From the Renaissance to the 18th
century Roman myths were an inspiration particularly for European painting. The Roman
tradition is rich in historical myths, or legends, concerning the foundation and rise of the city.
These narratives focus on humans, with occasional intervention from deities but a pervasive
sense of divinely ordered destiny. In Rome's earliest period, history and myth have a mutual
and complementary relationship. Major sources for Roman myth include the Aeneid of Virgil
and the first few books of Livy's history as well as Dionysius's Roman Antiquities. Scenes from
Roman myth also appear in Roman wall painting, coins, and sculpture, particularly reliefs. The
characteristic myths of Rome are often political or moral, that is, they deal with the
development of Roman government in accordance with divine law. The gods represented
distinctly the practical needs of daily life, and Ancient Romans scrupulously accorded them the
appropriate rites and offerings. Early Roman divinities included a host of "specialist gods"
whose names were invoked in the carrying out of various specific activities. Prominent in early
times were the gods Mars and Quirinus, who were often identified with each other. Mars was a
god of war (he was honored in March and October). Janus and Vesta guarded the door and
hearth, the Lares protected the field and house, Pales the pasture, Saturn the sowing, Ceres the
growth of the grain, Pomona the fruit, and Consus and Ops the harvest. Jupiter, the ruler of the
gods, was honored for the aid his rains might give to the farms and vineyards. In his more
encompassing character he was considered, through his weapon of lightning, the director of
human activity. The Romans distinguished two classes of gods, ,,the di indigetes'' and ,,the di
novensides or novensiles'': ,,the indigetes'' were the original gods of the Roman state, their
names and nature indicated by the titles of the earliest priests and by the fixed festivals of the
calendar, with 30 such gods honored by special festivals. ,,The novensides'' were later divinities
whose cults were introduced to the city in the historical period, usually at a known date and in
response to a specific crisis or felt need. Rome was able to adopt much that defined Greece:
art, philosophy, literature, and drama. Mythology, however, had to be adapted to reflect a
Roman set of values. Whereas much of Greek mythology was transmitted through their poetry
and drama, the Roman myths were written in prose, providing a sense of history and a
foundation of all that was Roman: their rituals and institutions. In Roman mythology the
difference between history and myth was almost indistinguishable: Rome was a city of destiny
and the myths told that story. We can still recognize traces of the Roman gods and goddesses in
the artifacts that remain from the ancient civilization and the art that pays homage to them.

Roman myths any other culture's, at the end of the day were concerned with the relationship
between the gods and humans, differing in this regard from fairytales and folktales. For all
people, in many ways, myths made life bearable by providing security. They dealt with
important issues: the creation of the world, the nature of good and evil, and even the afterlife.
Today we appreciate the stories and mythology built around these deities as insights into what
life was like over 2,700 years ago for the ancient Romans.
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