Here are some facts about Venus.
- Venus was the Roman goddess of love, beauty and fertility. She has become one of the most well-known figures in Roman mythology.
- Her father was Jupiter and she was married to the god Vulcan. Vulcan was the god of fire and the forge, and was also one of the 12 Olympian gods.
- Venus’ sacred month was April and she was honoured in several festivals. Roman men and women would ask for her help and advice concerning love during her April 1st festival.
- Many paintings and sculptures of Venus were created, especially during the Renaissance. One of the most famous paintings of her is Botticelli’s 15th century painting The Birth of Venus.
- Another widely recognized image of Venus is the marble statue Venus de Milo. The statue’s arms were lost soon after it was carved, sometime around 130 BC. It is on permanent display in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.
- The planet Venus was named after the goddess. It has been sighted since prehistoric times, and is the hottest planet in our solar system, and the planet second closest to the sun.
- Venus was associated with two flowers, the rose and myrtle. Worshippers often wore myrtle crowns at her festivals, and victorious Roman generals also often wore a myrtle crown.
- There were several temples devoted to Venus, the earliest of which was built around 290 BC. Hadrian built a temple in Rome in 135 AD, the largest in the city at that time.
- She was depicted on coins, and decorative frescoes. Many citizens had statues or paintings of her in their garden, as it was believed she could help to make flowers and crops grow.
- Julius Caesar claimed that Venus helped him to be successful on the battlefield. The emperor Augustus believed that she approved of his powerful position and his ability to rule.
What next? Discover more Roman facts by visiting our Romans resources page.
