Roman Gods and Goddesses

The Romans believed in many different gods. They worshiped different gods for different events going on in their lives. The Pantheon was a famous temple in Rome that was dedicated to the gods. Many people would go here to pray to the gods.  The Romans believed in these gods up until 312 AD when the Emeperor Constantine converted the entire empire to Christianity.

Here are a few of the Roman Gods:

Some of the main Roman Gods
Vatican Museums, Vatican City	Vatican Museums, Vatican City		Capitoline Museums, Rome
Jupiter He was the master of the gods and the main god of the Romans. In his hand he held thunderbolts which he could hurl from the sky.	Juno She was the wife of Jupiter, the goddess of women and fertility. Her symbols were a pomegranate and a peacock.	Mars He was the god of war, the strongest and most fearsome god, except for Jupiter.	Venus She was the goddess of love and beauty.
Vatican Museums, Vatican City		Vatican Museums, Vatican City	Vatican Museums, Vatican City
Minerva She was the goddess of wisdom, learning, art crafts and industry. Her symbol was the owl.	Neptune He was the powerful god of the sea. His symbol was the trident.	Ceres She was the goddess of the harvest, always depicted carrying a bundle of grain.	Vulcan He was the blacksmith of the gods and a god of the underworld. If he stoked his furness too hard volcanos might erupt. He was the god of blacksmiths and volcanos.
Vatican Museums, Vatican City	Vatican Museums, Vatican City	Vatican Museums, Vatican City
Diana She was the goddess of hunting and a goddess of the moon.	Bacchus He was the god of wine and partying. Naturally, he was one of Rome's most popular gods.	Mercury He was the messenger of the gods. the wings on his helmet and sandals allowed him to travel very quickly to wherever a god might send him. He was the god of travellers and tradesmen.	Vesta She was the goddess of the hearth and home. She was very important to Romans. In her temple a flame was always kept burning as in the 'hearth of Rome' the flame should never go out.

***got the picture with the information from http://www.roman-empire.net/children/gods.html

The Roman Republic

After the reign of the seven kings, the people of Rome revolted and created the Roman Republic. In the early days the the republic, it was mainly run by patricians. Plebians insisted upon being represented and therefore got to elect their own representatives. The highest positions in the Republic were the two consuls. These two men ruled the Roman Republic and were always members from the highest class.

During the Republic, men that lived in the city got to vote, had to pay taxes, and sent men to fight in the Roman army. This helped Rome win many battles. One thing that the Roman Republic did was write down the laws in the public square for all of the citizens to see. Even the laws were harsh, it was a way to punish the citizens fairly based on the crimes they committed. The Roman Republic lasted from 510 BC to 27BC. The fall of the Roman Republic happened when Augustus was appointed the first emperor.

The Seven Kings of Ancient Rome

Rome was not always the "Roman Republic". It first started by having Kings rule. This lasted for 243 years, within which seven kings ruled.
1. The first King was Romulus. He was the founder of Rome and expanded it to the Capitoline, Aventine, Caelian, and Quirinal hills. He ruled from 753-715 BC.

2. The second king was Numa Pompilius. He had a peaceful reign and did not do anything noteworthy. He ruled from 715-673 BC.

3. The third king was Tullius Hositilius. He was responsible for the destruction of Alba Longa. When he overtook Alba Longa, he made the occupants move to Rome. He ruled from 673-642 BC.

4. The fourth king was Ancus Marcius. He expanded the city across the Tiber River and founded Ostia on the other side. He ruled from 642-617 BC. 

5. The fifth king of Rome was Tarquinius Priscus. He built the first sewer system. He also laid out the Circus Maximus, but it was not finished until the king after him. He also began a temple to Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill. He ruled from 617- 579 BC. 

6. The sixth king of Rome was Servius Tullius. He divided people into seperate tribes and also into classes. He also built a wall around the city that had nineteen gates. He ruled from 579-535 BC. 

7. The seventh king of Rome was Tarquinius Superbus. He expanded the city to the neighboring colonies. He irritated the people he ruled and was soon exiled. He ruled from 534-510 BC. 

After these seven kings had ruled, Rome decided to become a republic and let the people rule themselves with senators.