[Home]Minerva

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Minerva (whose name may have originally meant "thought") was the daughter of Jupiter and Juno. Considered to be the virgin goddess of warriors, poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, crafts, and inventor of music. She was the equivalent of the Greek goddess Athena. Ovid called her the "goddess of a thousand works." Minerva was worshipped throughout Italy, though only in Rome did she take on a warlike character. Minerva is usually depicted wearing a coat of mail and a helment, and carrying a spear. The Romans celebrated her worship from March 19 to 23 during the Quinquatrus, the artisans' holiday. Minerva was worshipped on the Capitoline Hill as one of the Capitoline Triad along with Jupiter and Juno.

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Last edited September 5, 2001 12:01 pm by MichaelTinkler (diff)
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