ROLE: King of the Gods
Brought day and night and changed the seasons
Brought storms and anger was shown through thunderbolts
SYMBOL: Eagle, Shield, Thunderbolt, Oak Tree
PARENTS: Cronus and Rhea
Jupiter was a sky god who was associated with thunder and lightning, storms and rainfall; he punished men for their deeds through the use of three thunderbolts. The first thunderbolt was fired as a warning. The second was a warning that could do harm but he had to get the permission of the twelve other gods to do this. The third thunderbolt destroyed but could only be fired, according to Pliny the Elder in Natural History, with the consent of the di superiores et involuti, the hidden gods of the "higher sphere".
As Rome grew, the power of Jupiter also grew. Whilst still a fairly rustic community, Jupiter was known as Jupiter Elicius meaning Jupiter "Who Brings Forth" - he was associated with farming. He grew from Jupiter Imperator, meaning Jupiter "Supreme Commander", to Jupiter Invictus, meaning Jupiter "Unconquered", to even Jupiter Optimus Maximus which is translated as Jupiter "Best and Greatest". Senators declared war under his aegis and triumphant generals would donate a portion of the booty and a gold crown to Jupiter.
Brought day and night and changed the seasons
Brought storms and anger was shown through thunderbolts
SYMBOL: Eagle, Shield, Thunderbolt, Oak Tree
PARENTS: Cronus and Rhea
Jupiter was a sky god who was associated with thunder and lightning, storms and rainfall; he punished men for their deeds through the use of three thunderbolts. The first thunderbolt was fired as a warning. The second was a warning that could do harm but he had to get the permission of the twelve other gods to do this. The third thunderbolt destroyed but could only be fired, according to Pliny the Elder in Natural History, with the consent of the di superiores et involuti, the hidden gods of the "higher sphere".
As Rome grew, the power of Jupiter also grew. Whilst still a fairly rustic community, Jupiter was known as Jupiter Elicius meaning Jupiter "Who Brings Forth" - he was associated with farming. He grew from Jupiter Imperator, meaning Jupiter "Supreme Commander", to Jupiter Invictus, meaning Jupiter "Unconquered", to even Jupiter Optimus Maximus which is translated as Jupiter "Best and Greatest". Senators declared war under his aegis and triumphant generals would donate a portion of the booty and a gold crown to Jupiter.