An Alphabet of Roman Goddesses Quiz

Answer: Aurora

My siblings are Luna, the moon, and Sol, the sun. My children are the Anemoi, the four directions of wind. I asked Zeus to make Tithonus, my lover, immortal. Zeus did it, but I forget to ask for immortal youth as well! Tithonus grew so old and wrinkly that I eventually turned him into a grasshopper.

Answer: Bellona

The famous artist, Rembrandt, painted me as a warrior queen. My feast day is the third of June. My Greek counterpart is the goddess Enyo. The poisonous plant belladonna is used in my rituals, and it was probably named for me, or vice versa.

Answer: Ceres

The word 'cereal' comes from my name, because I'm also the goddess of grain. My festival (the Cerealia) is on the 12th of April, and finishes on the 19th. Another piece of work featuring me is the New Jersey flag. I'm the woman on the right.

Answer: Discordia

There is a modern religion named after me (Discordism) that began in the 1950s. My Greek equivalent is Eris, who has a dwarf planet named after her.

Answer: Egeria

I am also connected with the goddess Diana and childbirth (separately). My name means 'black poplar'. Near a busy Roman gate (the Porta Cappena), I had my own sacred grove where people could worship me.

Answer: Feronia

The slaves believed that sitting on one of the rocks in my holy grove would soon make them free. If they were released, they always went to give thanks in my temple. But in 211 BC, my grove and temple were destroyed by Hannibal's army, who took all the gold and silver they could carry.

Answer: Gratiae

We are also mentioned in Homer's writings, and (more recently) there are three trees in a Californian state park named 'The Graces'.

Answer: Hippona

The variant is Epona, but you would have known the answer if I had given it to you! I am quite widespread; not only did the Romans worship me, but also the Celts, Germans and a few Syrians! My feast day is December the 18th.

Answer: Iris

In the 'Iliad' by Homer, I am often mentioned as a divine messenger. An iris can today mean a type of flower, part of your eye, a colour or an opera, among other things!

Answer: Juturna

I helped my brother Turnus in battle against Aeneas by handing him his weapons, but I took him away before he could be killed. I have one child named Fontus by Janus (who is my husband).

Answer: Libitina

When someone died, it was common for a coin to be brought to my temple. I'm very rarely in pictures, so I'm quite unknown. Undertakers were known as 'libitinarii' in honor of me.

Answer: Mana Genita

I am also the leader of the Manes, who are the spirits of deceased loved ones. The Manes were the cause of the first gladiator games, as they required blood sacrifices. Another form of my name is Geneta Mana.

Answer: Nemesis

Today, my name means 'arch enemy'. I had my own festival, the Nemeseia. I appeared on several Roman coins. I was also known as Rhamnusia, as I was the goddess of Rhamnous (a place in Greece) as well.

Answer: Pomona

There is a statue of me near the Plaza Hotel in New York City. Professor Sprout in the "Harry Potter" series has Pomona for a first name, and I am also mentioned in the "Chronicles of Narnia".

Answer: Quiritis

I am often associated with another motherhood goddess, Juno. Later on Juno was sometimes worshipped under the name Juno Quiritis. There was a Roman marriage tradition that the bride's hair was parted or cut with a spear. This is probably to do with my connection to Juno, as Juno was also the goddess of marriage.

Answer: Robigo

My male counterpart is Robigus, and my festival is called the Robigalia. I am named after the reddish-brown wheat rust. There is a Christian festival, called the feast of Rogation, which involves blessing the parish and the fields. The feast of Rogation also happens on the 25th of April, and probably took the place of my festival.

Answer: Salacia

The god Neptune wanted to marry me, but I was in great awe of him, and ran away to hide in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Neptune sent a dolphin to find me and bring him back to me. I then agreed to marry him. He was so overjoyed at this news that he sent the dolphin up to the heavens, and the dolphin is now a constellation, Delphinus.

Answer: Terra Mater

My name means 'mother earth'. I have four children, each one representing the seasons. My festival is on April the 15th, and it involves the sacrifice of pregnant cows! Many science fiction authors have used my name to refer to the Earth.

Answer: Vesta

I have my own festival (the Vestalia) that lasted from the 7th of June to the 15th. The Greek version of me is Hestia. The priestesses of my temple were called Vestales. Their main job was to keep the fire in my temple burning.

Answer: Trivia

I am the equivalent of the Greek goddess Hecate. I am a friend of Ceres, and helped her find her daughter. I am mentioned in both Ovid and Virgil's work.