Roman god of agriculture concerned with the sowing of the seeds. He is regarded as the father of Jupiter, Ceres, Juno and many others.
His wife is the goddess Ops.
A Sabine goddess, Ops ("plenty") was a fertility deity and earth-goddess in Roman mythology. Her husband was Saturn.
Originally on August 10, a festival took place in her honor. On December 9, the Opalia was celebrated. On August 25, the Opiconsivia was held.
Alternative name: Opis. The singular nominative (Ops) is not used, and only the form Opis is attested in Latin authors. According to Festus (203:19): "Ops is said to be the wife of Saturn. By her they designated the earth, because the earth distributes all goods to the human gender" (Opis dicta est coniux Saturni per quam uolerunt terram significare, quia omnes opes humano generi terra tribuit).
The Latin word ops means "riches, goods, abundance, gifts, munificence, plenty". This word is also related to opus, meaning "work" and, particularly "working the earth, ploughing, sowing". This activity was of old deemed sacred, and was often attended by religious rituals intended to obtain the good will of the chthonian deities such as Ops and Consus, etc.. The word ops is related to the Sanskrit ápnas ("goods, property").
Ops was the goddess of plenty among the Latins (Romans). She was the spouse of Saturn, the bountiful monarch of the Golden Age.
Just as Saturn was identified to Kronos, his Greek counterpart, Ops was identified to Rhea, the wife of Kronos (or Kronus, in the Latin spelling).
The cult of Ops was (mythically) instituted by King Titus Tatius, the Sabine monarch. And Ops soon became the patroness of riches, abundance, and prosperity both personal and national.Invariably associated with Consus, Ops was feasted with him in the Opalia and the Opiconsivia [qqv].
These festivals were also called Consualia, in honor of Consus, her companion. Ops had a famous temple in the Capitolium. In her statues and coins, Ops is figured sitting down, as chthonian deities normally are, and generally holds a scepter or a corn spike as her main attributes.
Ops as Livia
Jupiter supposedly chased him away and he was taken in by the god Janus in Latium where he introduced agriculture and viniculture. This event heralded a period of peace, happiness and prosperity, the Golden Age.
In memory of this Golden Age, each year the Saturnalia was observed on December 17 at his temple on the Forum Romanum. This temple, below the Capitoline Hill, contained the Royal Treasury and is one of the oldest in Rome. The Saturnalia was one of the major events of the year.
Originally only one day, it was later extended to seven days.
During this festival, business was suspended, the roles of master and slaves were reversed, moral restrictions were loosened and gifts were exchanged.
Offerings made in his honor were done with uncovered heads, contrary to the Roman tradition.
In contrast to his festival, Saturn himself was never very popular.
From the 3rd century on, he was identified with the Greek Cronus, and his cult became only marginally more popular.
That he ruled over the Golden Age is an extension to the Greek myth.
Saturday is named after him.
His wife is the goddess Ops.
A Sabine goddess, Ops ("plenty") was a fertility deity and earth-goddess in Roman mythology. Her husband was Saturn.
Originally on August 10, a festival took place in her honor. On December 9, the Opalia was celebrated. On August 25, the Opiconsivia was held.
Alternative name: Opis. The singular nominative (Ops) is not used, and only the form Opis is attested in Latin authors. According to Festus (203:19): "Ops is said to be the wife of Saturn. By her they designated the earth, because the earth distributes all goods to the human gender" (Opis dicta est coniux Saturni per quam uolerunt terram significare, quia omnes opes humano generi terra tribuit).
The Latin word ops means "riches, goods, abundance, gifts, munificence, plenty". This word is also related to opus, meaning "work" and, particularly "working the earth, ploughing, sowing". This activity was of old deemed sacred, and was often attended by religious rituals intended to obtain the good will of the chthonian deities such as Ops and Consus, etc.. The word ops is related to the Sanskrit ápnas ("goods, property").
Ops was the goddess of plenty among the Latins (Romans). She was the spouse of Saturn, the bountiful monarch of the Golden Age.
Just as Saturn was identified to Kronos, his Greek counterpart, Ops was identified to Rhea, the wife of Kronos (or Kronus, in the Latin spelling).
The cult of Ops was (mythically) instituted by King Titus Tatius, the Sabine monarch. And Ops soon became the patroness of riches, abundance, and prosperity both personal and national.Invariably associated with Consus, Ops was feasted with him in the Opalia and the Opiconsivia [qqv].
These festivals were also called Consualia, in honor of Consus, her companion. Ops had a famous temple in the Capitolium. In her statues and coins, Ops is figured sitting down, as chthonian deities normally are, and generally holds a scepter or a corn spike as her main attributes.
Ops as Livia
Jupiter supposedly chased him away and he was taken in by the god Janus in Latium where he introduced agriculture and viniculture. This event heralded a period of peace, happiness and prosperity, the Golden Age.
In memory of this Golden Age, each year the Saturnalia was observed on December 17 at his temple on the Forum Romanum. This temple, below the Capitoline Hill, contained the Royal Treasury and is one of the oldest in Rome. The Saturnalia was one of the major events of the year.
Originally only one day, it was later extended to seven days.
During this festival, business was suspended, the roles of master and slaves were reversed, moral restrictions were loosened and gifts were exchanged.
Offerings made in his honor were done with uncovered heads, contrary to the Roman tradition.
In contrast to his festival, Saturn himself was never very popular.
From the 3rd century on, he was identified with the Greek Cronus, and his cult became only marginally more popular.
That he ruled over the Golden Age is an extension to the Greek myth.
Saturday is named after him.
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