"Flora (mythology) In Roman mythology, Flora () is a Sabine-derived goddess of flowers and of the season of spring – a symbol for nature and flowers (especially the may-flower). While she was otherwise a relatively minor figure in Roman mythology, being one among several fertility goddesses, her association with the spring gave her particular importance at the coming of springtime, as did her role as goddess of youth. Her Greek counterpart is Chloris. Her name is derived from the Latin word ""flos"" which means ""flower"". In modern English, ""Flora"" also means the plants of a particular region or period. Her"
"A goddess of flowers, vegetation, and fertility, she received sacrifices ""(piacula)"" in the sacred grove of the Arval Brothers, an archaic priesthood. Her altar at Rome was said to have been established by the Sabine king Titus Tatius during the semi-legendary Regal period. ""Flusalis"" (linguistically equivalent to ""Floralia"") was a month on the Sabine calendar, and Varro counted Flora among the Sabine deities. The Temple of Flora was built in Rome upon consultation with the Sibylline Books shortly after a drought that occurred around 241–238 BCE. The temple was located near the Circus Maximus on the lower slope of the"
"known as ""Venus"". Venus' signs were for the most part the same as Aphrodite's. They include roses, which were offered in Venus' Porta Collina rites, and above all, myrtle (Latin ""murtos""), which was cultivated for its white, sweetly scented flowers, aromatic, evergreen leaves and its various medical-magical properties. Venus' statues, and her worshipers, wore myrtle crowns at her festivals. Before its adoption into Venus' cults, myrtle was used in the purification rites of Cloacina, the Etruscan-Roman goddess of Rome's main sewer; later, Cloacina's association with Venus' sacred plant made her Venus Cloacina. Likewise, Roman folk-etymology transformed the ancient, obscure goddess"
"Antheia Antheia () was one of the Charites, or Graces, of Greek mythology and was the goddess of flowers and flowery wreaths. She was depicted in Athenian vase painting as one of the attendants of Aphrodite. Her name Antheia is derived from the Ancient Greek word ἄνθος means ""flower"" or ""blossom"". Her symbols are gold colored items. She was known to the Romans as Anthea. Her center of worship was on the island of Crete. The name Antheia was also given to Hera and connected to the Horae, under which she had a temple at Argos. It was also an"
"Pomona (mythology) Pomona (; ) was a goddess of fruitful abundance in ancient Roman religion and myth. Her name comes from the Latin word ""pomum"", ""fruit,"" specifically orchard fruit. Pomona was said to be a wood nymph. In the myth narrated by Ovid, she scorned the love of the woodland gods Silvanus and Picus, but married Vertumnus after he tricked her, disguised as an old woman. She and Vertumnus shared a festival held on August 13. Her priest was called the ""flamen Pomonalis"". The pruning knife was her attribute. There is a grove that is sacred to her called the"
"the Archaic period onward. In Latin literature, to be ""in the roses and violets"" meant experiencing carefree pleasure. Floral wreaths and garlands ""mark the wearers as celebrants and likely serve as an expression of the beauty and brevity of life itself."" Roses and violets were the most popular flowers at Rome for wreaths, which were sometimes given as gifts. Flowers were associated with or offered to some deities, particularly the goddesses Aphrodite (Roman Venus), Persephone (Proserpina), and Chloris (Flora). Roses and fragrances are a special attribute of Aphrodite, and also of Dionysus, particularly in Imperial-era poetry as a wine god"
"Rome. Her festival, the ""Floralia"", was held between April 28 and May 3 and symbolized the renewal of the cycle of life, drinking, and flowers. Her Greek equivalent is Chloris, a nymph. The nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate nature, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young nubile maidens who love to dance and sing. They are believed to dwell in mountains and groves, by springs and rivers, and also in trees and in valleys and cool grottoes. Although they would never die of old age or illness and could give birth to fully immortal children if"
"Floralia The Floralia was a festival in ancient Roman religious practice in honor of the goddess Flora, held April 27 during the Republican era, or April 28 in the Julian calendar. The festival included ""Ludi Florae"", the ""Games of Flora"" which lasted for six days under the empire. The festival had a licentious, pleasure-seeking atmosphere. In contrast to many festivals which had a patrician character, the games of Flora were plebeian in nature. Flora is one of the most ancient goddesses of Roman religion and was one of fifteen deities to have her own state-supported high priest, the ""flamen Florialis""."
"Aphrodite Aphrodite is an ancient Greek goddess associated with love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation. She is identified with the planet Venus, which is named after the Roman goddess , with whom Aphrodite was extensively syncretized. Aphrodite's major symbols include myrtles, roses, doves, sparrows, and swans. The cult of Aphrodite was largely derived from that of the Phoenician goddess Astarte, a cognate of the East Semitic goddess Ishtar, whose cult was based on the Sumerian cult of Inanna. Aphrodite's main cult centers were Cythera, Cyprus, Corinth, and Athens. Her main festival was the Aphrodisia, which was celebrated annually in midsummer. In"
"bunches of flowers or fruit. She was typically depicted reclining. Her male complement was a sky god such as Caelus (Uranus) or a form of Jupiter. A male counterpart Tellumo or Tellurus is mentioned, though rarely. Her Greek counterpart is Gaia, and among the Etruscans she was Cel. Michael Lipka has argued that the ""Terra Mater"" who appears during the reign of Augustus is a direct transferral of the Greek ""Ge Mater"" into Roman religious practice, while Tellus, whose temple was within Rome's sacred boundary (""pomerium""), represents the original earth goddess cultivated by the state priests. The word ""tellus, telluris"""
"accommodate the blooming season. For month allegories in mosaics, May is often represented with floral wreaths, the fillets or ribbons worn for sacrifice, and wine amphorae. May (Latin ""Maius"") began in the middle of the ""Ludi Florae"", a series of games in honor of the goddess Flora that opened April 28 of the Julian calendar and concluded May 3. Flora was a goddess of flowers and blooming, and her festivities were enjoyed with a notable degree of sexual liberty. In the 2nd century AD, Philostratus connects rose garlands with Flora's festival. A Greek epigram from the ""Palatine Anthology"" has May"
"she was abducted by the god Hades. It has been suggested that the 'agallis' mentioned was a dwarf iris, as described by leaf and root shape,) and identified as Iris attica. Iris (plant) Iris is a genus of 260–300 species of flowering plants with showy flowers. It takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, which is also the name for the Greek goddess of the rainbow, Iris. Some authors state that the name refers to the wide variety of flower colors found among the many species. As well as being the scientific name, ""iris"" is also widely"
"Venus (mythology) Venus (, Classical Latin: ) is the Roman goddess, whose functions encompassed love, beauty, desire, sex, fertility, prosperity and victory. In Roman mythology, she was the mother of the Roman people through her son, Aeneas, who survived the fall of Troy and fled to Italy. Julius Caesar claimed her as his ancestor. Venus was central to many religious festivals, and was revered in Roman religion under numerous cult titles. The Romans adapted the myths and iconography of her Greek counterpart Aphrodite for Roman art and Latin literature. In the later classical tradition of the West, Venus became one"
"Aphrodite of the Gardens Aphrodite of the Gardens () is an epithet of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. The epithet describes her patronage over vegetation and garden fertility. According to Pausanias, there was a sanctuary of Aphrodite at the Acropolis of Athens. It was said to have held a cult statue of Aphrodite by Alcamenes and a herm of Aphrodite near the temple. It is unsure whether the statue of Aphrodite and the herm of Aphrodite were the same sculpture or two separate sculptures. The herm of Aphrodite may be linked to the later mythological character, Hermaphroditos. There are numerous references"
"and the underworld (see The Arts, below). The decorative use of narcissi dates as far back as ancient Egyptian tombs, and frescoes at Pompeii. They are mentioned in the King James Version of the Bible as the Rose of Sharon and make frequent appearances in classical literature. The narcissus appears in two Graeco-Roman myths, that of the youth Narcissus who was turned into the flower of that name, and of the Goddess Persephone snatched into the Underworld by the god Hades while picking the flowers. The narcissus is considered sacred to both Hades and Persephone, and to grow along the"
"and prescribes a sacrifice to Silvanus on five occasions in the year, among them the Rosalia. Although Silvanus is typically regarded as a deity of the woods and the wild, Vergil describes him as bearing flowering fennel and lilies. In other inscriptions, three donors to Silvanus had adopted the cultic name ""Anthus"" (Greek ""anthos"", ""flower"") and a fourth, of less certain reading, may have the Latin name ""Florus"", the masculine form of Flora. Since trees are the form of plant life most often emblematic of Silvanus, his connection with flowers is obscure. His female counterparts the Silvanae, primarily found in"
"far before it was introduced to Rome via Carthage, and it figures in multiple myths and artworks. In Ancient Greek mythology, the pomegranate was known as the ""fruit of the dead"" and believed to have sprung from the blood of Adonis. The myth of Persephone, the goddess of the underworld, prominently features the pomegranate. In one version of the myth, Persephone was kidnapped by Hades and taken off to live in the underworld as his wife. Her mother, Demeter (goddess of the harvest), went into mourning for her lost daughter; thus all green things ceased to grow. Zeus, the highest-ranking"
"Juno (mythology) Juno (; , ) was an ancient Roman goddess, the protector and special counselor of the state. A daughter of Saturn, she is the wife of Jupiter and the mother of Mars, Vulcan, Bellona and Juventas. She is the Roman equivalent of Hera, queen of the gods in Greek mythology; like Hera, her sacred animal was the peacock. Her Etruscan counterpart was Uni, and she was said to also watch over the women of Rome. As the patron goddess of Rome and the Roman Empire, Juno was called (""Queen"") and was a member of the Capitoline Triad (""Juno"
"Sânziană Sânziană is the Romanian name for gentle fairies who play an important part in local folklore, also used to designate the ""Galium verum"" or ""Cruciata laevipes"" flowers. Under the plural form Sânziene, the word designates an annual festival in the fairies' honor. Etymologically, the name comes from the Latin ""Sancta Diana"", the Roman goddess of the hunt and moon, also celebrated in Roman Dacia (ancient Romania). Diana was known to be the virgin goddess and looked after virgins and women. She was one of the three maiden goddesses, Diana, Minerva and Vesta, who swore never to marry. People in"
"""Aphrodite"", and the common Roman derivation from ""aperio"" may be the correct one. In the latter years of Nero's reign, the Senate briefly renamed April ""Neronius"" in his honor. The farmers' almanacs ""(menologia rustica)"" concur that Venus—in Roman religion a goddess of gardens— was the tutelary deity of April, and that sheep were to be purified ""(oves lustrantur)"". In his agricultural treatise, Varro enumerates duties such as weeding crops, breaking ground, cutting willows, fencing meadows, and planting and pruning olives. The second half of April brought a series of festivals pertaining to farm life: Of these, the Fordicidia and Robigalia"
"Ceres (mythology) In ancient Roman religion, Ceres (; ) was a goddess of agriculture, grain crops, fertility and motherly relationships. She was originally the central deity in Rome's so-called plebeian or Aventine Triad, then was paired with her daughter Proserpina in what Romans described as ""the Greek rites of Ceres"". Her seven-day April festival of Cerealia included the popular ""Ludi Ceriales"" (Ceres' games). She was also honoured in the May ""lustratio"" of the fields at the Ambarvalia festival, at harvest-time, and during Roman marriages and funeral rites. Ceres is the only one of Rome's many agricultural deities to be listed"
"are likely to have been of greatest antiquity. William Warde Fowler, whose early 20th-century work on Roman festivals remains a standard reference, asserted that the Fordicidia was ""beyond doubt one of the oldest sacrificial rites in Roman religion."" The latter part of April was consumed by games ""(ludi)"" in honor of Ceres, the grain goddess thought to have power over growth and the life cycle. The end of the month brought the beginning of the games of Flora, goddess of blooming plants and listed by Varro as one of the twelve principal agricultural deities. The Romans did not number days"
"Physcon and his wives Cleopatra II and Cleopatra III dedicated a temple to Aphrodite Hathor at Philae. Statuettes of Aphrodite for personal devotion became common in Egypt starting in the early Ptolemaic times and extending until long after Egypt became a Roman province. The ancient Romans identified Aphrodite with their goddess Venus, who was originally a goddess of agricultural fertility, vegetation, and springtime. According to the Roman historian Livy, Aphrodite and Venus were officially identified in the third century BC when the cult of ""Venus Erycina"" was introduced to Rome from the Greek sanctuary of Aphrodite on Mount Eryx in"
"titled ""Ayashi no Ceres"". A statue of Ceres stands at the top of the dome of the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City, Missouri. Ceres (mythology) In ancient Roman religion, Ceres (; ) was a goddess of agriculture, grain crops, fertility and motherly relationships. She was originally the central deity in Rome's so-called plebeian or Aventine Triad, then was paired with her daughter Proserpina in what Romans described as ""the Greek rites of Ceres"". Her seven-day April festival of Cerealia included the popular ""Ludi Ceriales"" (Ceres' games). She was also honoured in the May ""lustratio"" of the fields at the"
"Fiorina Fiorina is a surname (in Italian it is also a given name), and may refer to: This name comes from the Latin root ""Flōs"", meaning “flower, blossom, (figuratively) innocence, virginity”. This name is linked to ""Flōrĕo / Flōrens"" (bloom, be in flower (figuratively) flourish, shine, prosper, be overjoyed). The term “flora”, was used since the 13th century, in the sense of ""virginity”. Flōra in Roman mythology was the goddess of flowers, gardens and spring and the guardian of the flora, an equivalent of the Greek Chlori. While she was otherwise a relatively minor figure in Roman mythology, being one"
"is a protected plant. They make a frequent appearance in classical literature. The narcissus has also frequently appeared in literature and the visual arts, and forms part of two important Graeco-Roman myths, that of the youth Narcissus () who was turned into the flower of that name, and of the Goddess Kore, or Persephone (; ) daughter of the goddess Demeter (), snatched into the Underworld by the god Hades () while picking narcissi. Hence, the narcissus is listed as having been sacred to both Hades and Persephone, and to grow along the banks of the river Styx (""Στύξ"") in"
"Roman coinage is Juturna, but her iconography is largely unknown. A later altar relief from the Temple of Castor and Pollux in the Roman Forum may depict her. A Roman festival was held in her honor on January 11, when she was given sacrifices and honored by the ""fontani"" (the men who maintained the fountains and aqueducts of Rome). Juturna In the myth and religion of ancient Rome, Juturna was a goddess of fountains, wells and springs, and the mother of Fontus by Janus. Jupiter turned her into a water nymph – a Naiad – and gave her a sacred"
"are: Diana (mythology) Diana (Classical Latin: ) is a Roman goddess of the hunt, the moon, and nature, associated with wild animals and woodland. She is equated with the Greek goddess Artemis, and absorbed much of Artemis' mythology early in Roman history, including a birth on the island of Delos to parents Jupiter and Latona, and a twin brother, Apollo, though she had an independent origin in Italy. Diana was known as the virgin goddess of childbirth and women. She was one of the three maiden goddesses, along with Minerva and Vesta, who swore never to marry. Oak groves and"
"flowers pertain to the Greek Mythology of the origin of the anemone flower featuring Adonis and Aphrodite. The goddess Aphrodite kept the mortal man Adonis as a lover; when Adonis was gored by a wild boar, Aphrodite's tears at his death mixed with his blood and gave rise to the Anemone flower. In other versions, the boar was sent by other jealous Greek gods to murder Adonis. These origin stories reflect the Classical dual meanings of the arrival of spring breezes and the death of a loved one. In the Victorian language of flowers, the anemone represented a forsaken love"
"(""Abundance, Resources""), and Carna, the goddess of the Bean Kalends on June 1. Roses were distributed to the Arval Brothers, an archaic priesthood of Rome, after their banquets for the May festival of Dea Dia. Although the month opened with the revelry of Flora, in mid-May the Romans observed the three-day Lemuria for propitiating the wandering dead. The season of roses thus coincided with traditional Roman festivals pertaining to blooming and dying. The demand for flowers and perfumes for festal and funerary purposes made floriculture an important economic activity, especially for the rich estates of Roman Africa. One Roman tomb"
"""""Byblis"""" originates from a goddess from Greek mythology, of whom Ovid wrote in his ""Metamorphoses"" (IX, l. 454-664). Byblis, niece of Apollo, fell deeply in love with her twin brother Caunus. At his rejection of her advances, she let forth an endless stream of glistening tears, eventually literally transforming into a spring. The droplets lining the leaves of the ""Byblis"" are said to resemble those tears. The English vernacular name - ""rainbow plants"" - also denotes the mucilaginous droplets which, under the right lighting conditions and viewing angle, sparkle in a rainbow of colors. Much of the content of this"
"Lympha The Lympha (plural ""Lymphae"") is an ancient Roman deity of fresh water. She is one of twelve agricultural deities listed by Varro as ""leaders"" (""duces"") of Roman farmers, because ""without water all agriculture is dry and poor."" The Lymphae are often connected to Fons, meaning ""Source"" or ""Font,"" a god of fountains and wellheads. Lympha represents a ""functional focus"" of fresh water, according to Michael Lipka's conceptual approach to Roman deity, or more generally moisture. Vitruvius preserves some of her associations in the section of his work ""On Architecture"" in which he describes how the design of a temple"
"the crops and the blessing of the harvest come from below the earth. Persephone (also known as Kore) was the daughter of Demeter, the goddess of the harvest, and Zeus. Persephone was abducted by Hades, who desired a wife. When Persephone was gathering flowers, she was entranced by a narcissus flower planted by Gaia (to lure her to the underworld as a favor to Hades), and when she picked it the earth suddenly opened up. Hades, appearing in a golden chariot, seduced and carried Persephone into the underworld. When Demeter found out that Zeus had given Hades permission to abduct"