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Roman Goddesses - D
Dea
Dia
A Roman goddess of growth, identified with Ceres. Her priests were the
Fratres Arvales who honored her in the feast of the Ambarvalia, held on
the first to the third of May, and the seventeeth of May. During these
days, the priests blessed the fields and made offerings to the powers
of the underworld.
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Dea
Hammia
(Virgo Caelestis) She was worshipped by Syrian archers at the Roman camp
at Caervorran, Northumberland. |
Dea
Tacita
The 'silent goddess'. A Roman goddess of dead. (See also Larenta.)
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Decima
Roman goddess of childbirth. Together with Nona and Morta she forms the
Parcae (the Roman goddesses of Fate).
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Devera
Devera is the Roman goddess that rules the brooms used to purify ritual
sites.
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Deverra
The Roman goddess who protects women in labor, and patroness of midwives.
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Dia
Her name shows that she was one of Italy's original goddesses, but there
is little information about her today.
Diana
The Queen of Heaven, Patroness of childbirth, nursing and healing. She
is Mother of Animals, Lady of Wild Creatures and Goddess of wild woodlands,
forests and of the hunt.
As the ancient Roman goddess of the moon, Diana's sanctuary could be found
on the shore of Lake Nemi, Italy, in the midst of a grove. Shrines to
the moon were usually found in forests and near water. A sacred flame,
representing the power of the moon to fertilize, was kept burning there.
In later times, when she merged with Artemis, she became a three-fold
goddess: virgin (waxing moon), mother/nurturer/protector (full moon) and
crone (waning moon). She protected women, children and animals and came
to the aid of women and animals during birthing with healing herbs from
the woods. She was the patroness of childbirth, nursing and healing.
Diana Of Ephesus is Goddess of the Amazons. Ancient worship focused on
the nature goddesses Isis-Ishtar-Inanna and called Her Queen of Heaven.
By Roman times she is called Diana; yet at Ephesus in Anatolia her worship
was most profound under the names Mother of Animals, Many-Breasted Artemis.
Columnar and wearing a unique ritual garment adorned with animals, her
crown and staring gaze incorporate Astarte, while Her moon disc and horned
beasts evoke Diana. Her temple, which was built by Amazons (undoubtedly
matrilineal priestesses), was one of the wonders of the ancient world
and a goal of devout pilgrimage. The columns of her temple were incorporated
into Constantinople's Church of St. Sophia. In AD 380 her shrine was rededicated
to Mary, whose old age and death was placed at Ephesus by Church legend.
Note the similarity of posture, palms bestowing blessing, with countless
images of Mary.
Diana is the Woman Who Runs with Wolves. Her aspect as huntress stems
from Neolithic times when her priestesses sacrificed any invaders to their
shores. Goddess of the wild beasts and glens, her crescent bow symbolized
the moon. In this form she was venerated by the Gauls well into the 7th
century CE. Torch-bearing processions were also held in her honor here.
Later she was given a temple in the working-class area on the Aventine
Hill where she was mainly worshipped by the lower class (plebeians) and
the slaves, of whom she was the patroness. Slaves could also ask for asylum
in her temple. Her priest lived in Aricia, and if a man was able to kill
him with a bough broken from a tree in this forest, he would become priest
himself (Frazer, The Golden Bough).
She was often depicted as a huntress accompanied by a deer; with a wolfhound
or with a basket. Oak groves were sacred to Her. Her festival coincided
with the idus (13th) of August. Diana was originally a goddess of fertility
and, just as Bona Dea, she was worshipped mainly by women as the giver
of fertility and easy births. Under Greek influence she was equated with
Artemis and assumed many of her aspects. Her name is possibly derived
from 'diviana' ("the shining one"). Diana was also the goddess
of the Latin commonwealth. |
Dirae
Literally "the terrible"; a Latin name for the Furies. The name
was mainly used in poetry.
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Disciplina
Disciplina is the Roman goddess of discipline.
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Discordia
The personified Roman goddess of strife and discord. She belonged to the
retinue of Mars and Bellona. She is the Greek Eris.
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Domiduca
The Roman goddess who escorts the child safely back home.
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Duellona
A Roman Goddess.
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