Gods & goddesses

The pantheon of gods

Gods of the ancient world. Whether they protect against misfortune, commemorate love, nature or fertility, bring good luck or simply adorn themselves, Roman gods have an impact!

Roman Gods | Greek Gods

A large selection of Roman busts, deities, Roman gods, statuettes of the ancient pantheon and reliefs can be found on the Roman Shop pages under the category Busts and Reliefs. Be enchanted by the stories and myths surrounding the ancient rulers! Go on a voyage of discovery into the world of Roman mythology with Kybele, Fortuna or Venus.

Detailed god statuettes | finest alabaster plaster

Most of the statues are cast in real patinated alabaster plaster and modelled on ancient finds. For example, the ornamental and very delicate goddess Juno, who stands in honour of birth and marriage - a lovely wedding gift, or symbolically bringing joy to the birth of a child! Juno was also the wife of Jupiter, the highest of the Roman gods. That's why she was the patron saint of the ancient capital, Rome. The month of June is also named after Juno! So she is also a lovely symbol of summer! The original for this beautifully crafted representation of the goddess Juno dates back to the 2nd century AD and was found in 1878 in Leudersdorf, in the district of Daun, in a villa rustica (Roman estate). If you want to compare the 20cm high statuette with the original, you can see it in the Rheinisches Landesmuseum in Trier!

But there is much more to discover and learn about the Roman gods of antiquity on these Roman Gods shop pages - go on!

Roman Gods - Pantheon

The religion of the Romans was based on that of the Greeks and Etruscans. In the 5th century BC, the Roman peasant religion began to develop into a complex religion. It is therefore not surprising that many of the Greek gods are found in the Roman pantheon. Some of the Greek names were translated into Latin. As a result, many of these gods are now known by two names.

Origins of the Roman Gods

The origin of religion lies in the belief in nature. Therefore, many gods are directly associated with the four elements: sun, water, air and earth. Natural disasters such as earthquakes, storms, floods and droughts were believed to be caused by angry gods. As people were exposed to these four elements in their daily lives, they tried to make the gods merciful. To this end, temples were built to pay homage to them. These temples were decorated with statues and numerous reliefs depicting scenes from the lives of the gods. Animal sacrifices and offerings were also made to ensure that the gods were well disposed towards the people.

The Dei Consentes - the important twelve

Among the most important gods were the twelve men and women - the Dei Consentes. A common temple was built for them in the Roman Forum, the Porticus Deorum Consentium. But the number twelve is also found in modern times. For example, the twelve months, some of whose names still recall their Roman or Greek patrons. As this circle of gods was made up of men and women, there were naturally many descendants. Moreover, if we are to believe the legends, the gods were also quite active on earth, so that numerous demigods, descendants of the liaison between humans and gods, joined the gods. These were also worshipped in temples, home altars and in everyday life. Today these twelve gods are called the Dei Ingentes. Their descendants are the Dei Novensiles.

Temples as worldly and spiritual centres

Different cults developed for the numerous gods, which were performed in temples. The secular and the religious were closely linked. The temples were used not only to pay homage to the gods, but also to receive foreign guests and to store the state treasure. The aim of the many cults was to please the gods. Sacrifices were offered to the gods in the hope of receiving something in return, such as good harvests or good fortune in the family. In addition to state worship, the Roman Empire also had its own private religion, practised in the circle of the familia. The familia included not only immediate family members, but also slaves, employees and distant relatives.

Private religion in the Roman Empire

Private religion involved the worship of household gods, the Lares and the Penates. The Lares were the tutelary gods of the house, while the Penates were the gods of the storerooms, responsible for ensuring that they were never empty. The master of the house had his own guardian spirit, the Genius. The spirits of the dead were called Manes. They also had to be worshipped regularly, lest a good spirit become an evil one. Special protection was also needed from the Lemurs, the spirits of dead criminals. In addition, there were many other gods and guardian spirits, each of whom was responsible for a particular aspect of life, such as marriage, business success or sleep. It is not surprising, then, that at many Roman archaeological sites, miniature statues and reliefs depicting the respective gods have been found, which can be used to deduce the occupations of the inhabitants.

Roman Gods - All the gods are here!

Here you will find a large collection of artefacts of ancient Greek and Roman gods. Almost all the gods are represented: Aphrodite-Venus, Athena-Minerva, Zeus-Jupiter, Poseidon-Neptune, Hermes-Mercury, Hera-Juno, Dionysus-Bacchus, Apollo, Artemis-Diana, Eros-Amor, Asclepius-Ascepios, Nike-Victoria, Hypnos-Somnus, Ares-Mars, Pan, to name just a few of the most famous. Most of the Greek and Roman gods and goddesses have very similar attributes but different names in Greek and Roman mythology. It is interesting to note that the Romans had about 24 gods (the most important ones) that they worshipped, and half of the "older gods" they borrowed from the Greeks - but, as already mentioned, with a different name!