Ancient Greek and Roman Gods

As the Roman Empire expanded, it assimilated elements of the cultures it conquered. In religion this process has been called interpretatio Romana, or the Roman understanding. When Roman and Greek culture mixed after the Romans conquered ancient Greece in the 3rd century bc, ancient Roman gods and goddesses became associated with those of the Greek civilization. The table lists some of the main gods and goddesses and the roles they played in both Greek and Roman mythology.

Greek Name

Roman Name

Role in Mythology

Aphrodite	Venus	Goddess of beauty and sexual desire (Roman mythology: Goddess of gardens and fields)
Apollo	Apollo	God of prophecy, medicine, and archery (late Greek/Roman mythology: God of the sun)
Ares	Mars	God of War
Artemis	Diana	Goddess of the hunt (late Greek/Roman mythology: Goddess of moon)
Asclepius	Aesculapius	God of medicine
Athena	Minerva	Goddess of arts and crafts, and war; Helper of heroes (late Greek/Roman mythology: Goddess of wisdom)
Cronus	Saturn	God of the sky; Ruler of the Titans (Roman mythology: God of agriculture)
Demeter	Ceres	Goddess of grain
Dionysus	Bacchus	God of wine and vegetation
Eros	Cupid	God of love
Gaea	Terra	Mother Earth
Hephaestus	Vulcan	God of fire; Blacksmith of the gods
Hera	Juno	Goddess of marriage and childbirth; Protector of married women; Queen of the gods
Hermes	Mercury	Messenger of the gods; Protector of travelers, thieves, and merchants
Hestia	Vesta	Guardian of the home
Hypnos	Somnus	God of sleep
Hades	Pluto	God of the underworld; Lord of the dead
Poseidon	Neptune	God of the sea and earthquakes
Rhea	Ops	Wife of Cronus/Saturn; Mother Goddess
Uranus	Uranus	God of the sky; Father of the Titans
Zeus	Jupiter	Ruler of the gods