Minerva - Roman patron goddess
Her origin is obscure - was it the Sabine city of Orvinium, where a sanctuary to Minerva is said to have once stood, or Falerii, the ancient capital of the Faliscans in Latium?
Evidence of her worship also comes from Etruria, an ancient landscape in central Italy, where Minerva was known to throw lightning bolts around, especially in spring.
In all likelihood, it was Faliscan artisans who brought the cult with them to Rome; their city was located 7 km west of the Tiber River, and 55 km north of Rome, and has long since ceased to exist, with Civita Castellana standing in its place today.
- Height of the seated Minerva: about 14 cm
- real alabaster plaster patinated
Minerva - a goddess with a wide range of tasks
Throwing lightning was not her only discipline. Even by Roman standards, she was a busy deity and probably fully occupied with her wide range of activities.
She was also the goddess of wisdom and guardian of knowledge. Courageous and persevering she is said to have been, because she was depicted with shield, helmet and armor, because her use as a goddess of tactical warfare was also in demand during warlike conflicts of her people.
She was the patron goddess of craftsmen, weavers, flute players, doctors, shipbuilders, poets, teachers and students, and one wonders how she managed to do all that, besides - or perhaps because - she was virginal and mercilessly punished anyone who even remotely entertained the thought of wanting to change that.
Her symbols were owl, snake and olive tree. Her most famous image, made of Lusensian marble, stood in an ancient Roman temple.
Minerva - heyday
In the imperial period of Rome, was her heyday. The goddess Minerva rose to the deities of the state. Together with Jupiter and Juno she formed the Triad and was worshipped in the Capitolium. Now Rome was also under her protection.
Pompey consecrated a sanctuary to her, Cicero worshipped her and donated an image for the Capitolium, Domitian believed to be particularly close to Minerva and held a magnificent annual festival in her honor on his Albanum. The Quinquatrus took place every year between March 19 and 23 - craftsmen of every guild, artists, physicians and common people took part in the festivities.
A preserved altar to the goddess Minerva dates back to Augustus; east of Rome, one of her 6th-century temples was excavated; here, in addition to several life-size terracotta figures, a fearsome image of Minerva was found, depicting her with multi-headed serpents and monsters.
A small replica commemorates the patron goddess Minerva
This lovely replica of the patron goddess Minerva is 14 inches tall and made from a 2nd century AD model. Fine, ground alabaster plaster is the material that gives the figure its soft, gentle shimmer.
It takes us back to a time long past and brings antiquity out of oblivion.
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