INTRODUCTION TO MYTHOLOGY - ROME
ANCIENT ROME
From the founding of the Roman empire to its fall in A.D.
476, Rome dominated Europe and much of North Africa,
the Near East, and Asia Minor.
Although Rome's early history is difficult to separate from
the legends that formed around it, the city appears to
have begun as a community of central Italian peoples
known as Latins. The Latins merged with the Etruscans,
who had come to Italy from Asia Minor before 800 B.C.
ROMAN

The ancient Romans were
great builders. They built
the Colosseum, a huge
public entertainment
center that could hold
70,000 spectators. It was
built of concrete, faced
with stone, as were most
amphitheaters. It was
built in the early days of
the Roman Empire,
around 70 CE.
ROMAN MYTHS

The ancient Romans
appropriated (a nice word for
"stole") their culture from the
Greeks, whose creativity they
greatly admired. Along with
other facets of Greek culture,
the Romans adopted the
Greek myths as well--making
sure they changed the names
from Greek to Latin. Zeus
became Jupiter, Hera became
Juno, Hermes became
Mercury, etc.
THE GODS

There were many thousands
of Roman gods. The ancient
Romans believed that gods
lived everywhere - in trees,
under a bush, by the side of
the road, in a burrow, in a
flower, in a stream, under
the bed, and perhaps even
in the stove in your house.
There was even a deity who
lived inside the latch that
opened the door to each
home.
HEROES
Jupiter – Chief god, god
of rain, lightning and
ruled over laws and social
order
 Mars – god of vegetation
and war
 Neptune – god of the sea
 Venus – goddess of love
and beauty
