Roman and Greek Pantheons

The Greek and Roman pantheons are a minor indication of one another. When looking at the gods of these two social groups, there is a clear portrayal of cultural rules, as well as vital customs with important implications. The main gods contained within these societies had a substantial effect on the Western culture as a whole, and more importantly how they were thought of and related to in the minds of people inside both the Greek and Roman worlds.

The source of the Roman pantheon and the groundwork for their mythology began with the faceless gods that contributed to the support to the community, while at the same time dwelling in all living things. The early Romans were not very concerned with the specific characters of the gods, but were more focused on whaThe source of the Roman pantheon and the groundwork for their mythology began with the faceless gods that contributed to the support of the community, while at the same time dwelling in all living things. The early Romans were not very concerned with the specific characters of the gods, but were more focused on what each of them were responsible for.“God’s presided over every aspect of life and death, including the phases of the agricultural year and the Romans also integrated their worship to these gods into both their public and private life.”(Bierlein 24) These gods and goddesses also came about from numerous religious influences, many of which had their start in Greek and Etruscan tribes. The various names given from the roots of these cultures lasted many years throughout Rome, and were eventually adopted to the extent that they upheld their names from other societies each of them were responsible for. It was through the syncretization of numerous Greek gods that established the Roman pantheon.

The Roman pantheon really began to emerge when they established their main gods, along with their key roles. Some of the gods which include but are not limited to were known as Jupiter the ruler of the gods, Apollo god of prophecy and the sun, Mars god of war, Minerva goddess of wisdom, Saturn god of agriculture, Venus goddess of gardens and fields, Pluto god of the underworld, and Neptune who was the god of the sea and earthquakes. The Romans envisioned their gods as more of powers than as people and they also thought that all their religious practices were preserved under the “pax deorum” or “peace of the gods”, which guaranteed the publics’ prosperity wealth and well- being.

In comparison to the Roman pantheon, the Greeks also had their primary gods. These gods are most commonly mentioned in their mythology, which were stories that explained the origins of the world, as well as details and adventures of the gods. In contrast to the Roman gods, the Greeks focused more on their unique personalities and genealogy with an example of this being that gods were associated with the various aspects of life. This was also a similar characteristic of the Roman pantheon, and likewise, the Greek gods also had a major influence over the culture and many other areas of life. Several people from these ancient times derived influence from Greek mythology and have discovered its contemporary significance.

In contrast with the Romans, the Greeks also instituted their major gods and goddesses, most commonly referred to as the twelve Olympians. These consisted of: Zeus the supreme ruler of all gods, Poseidon the god of the sea, Hades the god of the underworld, Hera queen of the gods and goddess of marriage and fertility, Demter the god of the harvest, Hermes the messenger god, Athena the goddess of war and wisdom, Dionysus the god of wine, Aphrodite the goddess of beauty, Hephaestus the god crafts, Ares the god of war, Apollo the god of music and prophecy, and Artemis who was the god of the hunt. These twelve gods and goddesses were also common in the Roman pantheon with the primary difference being a change in names, however, despite this, the Romans too had gods who attained these roles.

As detailed above, it is clear that both the Roman and Greek pantheons were so important that they were at the center of everyday life. They regarded it as part of their history, and used them to describe natural phenomena, variations in culture, and traditions in their culture. "For long periods of time the ideas of numerous gods and goddesses took on the prestige of elite knowledge that had a significant mark on history."(Laing, 60) Both of the pantheons had a role in each other, and had a constant, overlapping relationship that helped with their establishment.

Bierlein, J.F.: Myths: Random House Publishing Group: United States: 1994.

Laing, Jennifer: The Greek and Roman Gods: David and Charles Publishers: United States: 1982.