ancient Roman religion Religion in ancient Rome consisted of varying imperial and provincial religious practices, which were followed both by the people of Rome as well as those who were brought under its rule. The Romans thought of themselves as highly religious, ...

, the ''indigitamenta'' were

lists of deities This is an index of lists of deities of the different religions, cultures and mythologies of the world. * List of deities by classification * Lists of deities by cultural sphere * List of fictional deities * Names of God There are various ...

kept by the

College of Pontiffs The College of Pontiffs ( la, Collegium Pontificum; see ''collegium'') was a body of the ancient Roman state whose members were the highest-ranking priests of the state religion. The college consisted of the '' pontifex maximus'' and the other '' ...

to assure that the correct divine names were invoked for public prayers. These lists or books probably described the nature of the various deities who might be called on under particular circumstances, with specifics about the sequence of

invocation An invocation (from the Latin verb ''invocare'' "to call on, invoke, to give") may take the form of: *Supplication, prayer or spell. *A form of possession. *Command or conjuration. *Self-identification with certain spirits. These forms are ...

. The earliest ''indigitamenta'', like many other aspects of Roman religion, were attributed to

Numa Pompilius Numa Pompilius (; 753–672 BC; reigned 715–672 BC) was the legendary second king of Rome, succeeding Romulus after a one-year interregnum. He was of Sabine origin, and many of Rome's most important religious and political institutions are a ...

, second

king of Rome The king of Rome ( la, rex Romae) was the ruler of the Roman Kingdom. According to legend, the first king of Rome was Romulus, who founded the city in 753 BC upon the Palatine Hill. Seven legendary kings are said to have ruled Rome until 509 ...

Sources

The books of the Pontiffs are known only through scattered passages preserved throughout

Latin literature Latin literature includes the essays, histories, poems, plays, and other writings written in the Latin language. The beginning of formal Latin literature dates to 240 BC, when the first stage play in Latin was performed in Rome. Latin literature ...

Varro Marcus Terentius Varro (; 116–27 BC) was a Roman polymath and a prolific author. He is regarded as ancient Rome's greatest scholar, and was described by Petrarch as "the third great light of Rome" (after Vergil and Cicero). He is sometimes calle ...

is assumed to have drawn on direct knowledge of the lists in writing his now-fragmentary theological books, which were used as a reference by the

Church Fathers The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, Christian Fathers, or Fathers of the Church were ancient and influential Christian theologians and writers who established the intellectual and doctrinal foundations of Christianity. The historical per ...

for their mocking catalogues of minor deities. As

William Warde Fowler William Warde Fowler (16 May 1847 – 15 June 1921) was an England, English historian and ornithologist, and tutor at Lincoln College, Oxford, Lincoln College, Oxford. He was best known for his works on religion in ancient Rome, ancient Roman ...

noted,

the good Fathers tumbled the whole collection about sadly in their search for material for their mockery, having no historical or scientific object in view; with the result that it now resembles the bits of glass in a kaleidoscope, and can no longer be re-arranged on the original Varronian plan.

Georg Wissowa Georg Otto August Wissowa (17 June 1859 – 11 May 1931) was a German classical philologist born in Neudorf, near Breslau. Education and career Wissowa studied classical philology under August Reifferscheid at the University of Breslau ...

, however, asserted that Varro's lists were not ''indigitamenta'', but ''di certi'', gods whose function could still be identified with certainty, since by the late Republic some of the most archaic deities of the Roman pantheon were not widely cultivated and understood. Another likely source for the

patristic Patristics or patrology is the study of the early Christian writers who are designated Church Fathers. The names derive from the combined forms of Latin ''pater'' and Greek ''patḗr'' (father). The period is generally considered to run from ...

catalogues is the lost work ''De indigitamentis'' of

Granius Flaccus Granius Flaccus (active in the 1st century BC) was an antiquarian and scholar of Roman law and religion, probably in the time of Julius Caesar and Augustus. Religious scholar Granius wrote a book ''De indigitamentis'' ("On Forms of Address"), on th ...

, Varro's contemporary. W.H. Roscher collated the standard modern list of ''indigitamenta'', though other scholars may differ with him on some points.

Form

It is unclear whether the written ''indigitamenta'' contained complete prayer formularies, or simply an index of names. If formulas of

, the ''indigitamenta'' were probably '' precationum

carmina The ''Odes'' ( la, Carmina) are a collection in four books of Latin lyric poems by Horace. The Horatian ode format and style has been emulated since by other poets. Books 1 to 3 were published in 23 BC. A fourth book, consisting of 15 poems, was ...

'', chants or hymns of address. Paulus defines them as ''incantamenta'', incantations, and ''indicia'', signs or intimations. A further point of uncertainty is whether these names represent distinct minor entities, or

epithets An epithet (, ), also byname, is a descriptive term (word or phrase) known for accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, di ...

pertaining to an aspect of a major deity's sphere of influence, that is, an indigitation, or name intended to "fix" or focalize the action of the god so invoked. If the former, the ''indigitamenta'' might be described as indexing "significant names which bespoke a specialized divine function," for which the German term ''Sondergötter'' is sometimes used; for instance,

Vagitanus In ancient Roman religion, Vagitanus or Vaticanus was one of a number of childbirth deities who influenced or guided some aspect of parturition, in this instance the newborn's crying. The name is related to the Latin noun ''vagitus'', "crying, squa ...

gives the newborn its first cry ''(vagitus)''. If the ''indigitamenta'' record invocational epithets, however, an otherwise obscure deity such as Robigus, the red god of wheat rust, should perhaps be understood as an indigitation of

Mars Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury (planet), Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Mars (mythology), Roman god of war. Mars is a terr ...

, red god of war and agriculture;

Maia Maia (; Ancient Greek: Μαῖα; also spelled Maie, ; la, Maia), in ancient Greek religion and mythology, is one of the Pleiades and the mother of Hermes, one of the major Greek gods, by Zeus, the king of Olympus. Family Maia is the daugh ...

, "a deity known apparently only to the priests and the learned," would be according to

Macrobius Macrobius Ambrosius Theodosius, usually referred to as Macrobius (fl. AD 400), was a Roman provincial who lived during the early fifth century, during late antiquity, the period of time corresponding to the Later Roman Empire, and when Latin was ...

an indigitation of the

Bona Dea Bona Dea (; 'Good Goddess') was a List of Roman deities, goddess in Religion in ancient Rome, ancient Roman religion. She was associated with chastity and fertility in Women in ancient Rome, Roman women, healing, and the protection of the SPQR, st ...

Roscher Roscher is a German surname. People with the name include: * Wilhelm Georg Friedrich Roscher (1817–1894), German economist * His son Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher (12 February 1845, in Göttingen – 9 March 1923, in Dresd ...

, however, does not consider Robigus and Maia to have been part of the ''indigitamenta''.

Roscher's list of ''indigitamenta''

Many of the ''indigitamenta'' are involved in the cycle of conception, birth, and child development (marked '' BCh''); see

List of Roman birth and childhood deities In ancient Roman religion, birth and childhood deities were thought to care for every aspect of conception, pregnancy, childbirth, and child development. Some major deities of Roman religion had a specialized function they contributed to this ...

. Several appear in a list of twelve helper gods of

Ceres Ceres most commonly refers to: * Ceres (dwarf planet), the largest asteroid * Ceres (mythology), the Roman goddess of agriculture Ceres may also refer to: Places Brazil * Ceres, Goiás, Brazil * Ceres Microregion, in north-central Goiás ...

as an agricultural goddess or are named elsewhere as having specialized agricultural functions ('' Ag''). Gods not appearing on either of those lists are described briefly here, or are more fully described in their own articles as linked. * Abeona '' BCh'' * Adeona '' BCh'' * Adolenda, see ''

Acta Arvalia The ''Acta Arvalia'' were the recorded protocols of the Arval Brothers ''(Arvales fratres)'', a priestly brotherhood ('' sodalitas'') of ancient Roman religion. The ''acta'' were inscribed in marble tablets fastened to the walls of the Temple o ...

'' * Aescolanus, god of copper money ('' aes'') and father of Argentinus (below) * Afferenda, goddess whose purpose was the offering of

dowries A dowry is a payment, such as property or money, paid by the bride's family to the groom or his family at the time of marriage. Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price and dower. While bride price or bride service is a payment b ...

* Agenoria '' BCh'' * Agonius *

Aius Locutius Aius Locutius ( lat, āius locūtius, spoken affirmation) or Aius Loquens ( lat, āius loquens, speaking affirmation), was a Roman deity or numen associated with the Gallic invasions of Rome during the early 4th century BC. According to legend, ...

* Alemona '' BCh'' * Altor '' Ag'' *

Antevorta In ancient Roman religion, Antevorta was a goddess of the future, also known as Porrima. She and her sister Postverta (or Postvorta) were described as companions or siblings of the goddess Carmenta, sometimes referred to as "the Carmentae". They may ...

'' BCh'' * Arculus,

tutelary god A tutelary () (also tutelar) is a deity or a spirit who is a guardian, patron, or protector of a particular place, geographic feature, person, lineage, nation, culture, or occupation. The etymology of "tutelary" expresses the concept of safety an ...

of chests and strongboxes (''arcae'') * Argentinus, god of silver money; see Aescolanus above * Ascensus, god of sloping terrain and hillsides, from the verb ''scando, scandere, scansus'', "scale, climb" * Aventinus *

Bubona In ancient Roman religion, Bubona is thought to have been a goddess of cattle, but she is named only by Saint Augustine. Augustine mocks Bubona as one of the minor Roman deities whose names correspond to their functions, and derives her name fro ...

Caeculus In Roman mythology, Caeculus (meaning "little blind boy", from ''caecus'' "blind")Grimalp. 83/ref> was a son of Vulcan, and the legendary founder of Praeneste (modern Palestrina). King Caeculus appears in Book VII of Virgil's ''Aeneid'' as an ally ...

Candelifera In Religion in ancient Rome, ancient Roman religion, birth and childhood deities were thought to care for every aspect of fertilisation, conception, pregnancy, childbirth, and child development. Some major List of Roman deities, deities of Roman ...

'' BCh'' *

Cardea Cardea or Carda was the ancient Roman goddess of the hinge (Latin ''cardo, cardinis''), Roman doors being hung on pivot hinges. The Augustan poet Ovid conflates her with another archaic goddess named Carna, whose festival was celebrated on the ...

* Catius pater '' BCh'' * Cela, perhaps a title of

Panda The giant panda (''Ailuropoda melanoleuca''), also known as the panda bear (or simply the panda), is a bear species endemic to China. It is characterised by its bold black-and-white animal coat, coat and rotund body. The name "giant panda" is ...

* Cinxia '' BCh'' * Clivicola, "she who inhabits the ''clivus''," a slope or street * Coinquenda, see ''

'' * Collatina, a goddess of hills (Latin '' collis'' "hill") * Coluber, marked by Roscher as uncertain * Commolenda or Conmolanda, see ''

'' * Conditor '' Ag'' * Convector '' Ag'' * Cuba '' BCh'' * Cunina '' BCh'' * Decima * Deferunda, see ''

'' *

Deverra In Roman mythology, Deverra (apparently from Latin ''deverro'' "to sweep away") was one of the three gods that protected midwives and women in labor, the other two being Pilumnus and Intercidona. Symbolised by a broom used to sweep away evil inf ...

* Domiduca *

Domiducus In Roman mythology, the goddess Domiduca protects children on the way back to their parents' home. Her male counterpart was Domitius, Domidius or Domiducus, from '' domus'', "house," and ''eo, ire, itum'', "to go." Domiduca and Domiducus were also ...

* Domitius, god who preserves the home (''

domus In Ancient Rome, the ''domus'' (plural ''domūs'', genitive ''domūs'' or ''domī'') was the type of town house occupied by the upper classes and some wealthy freedmen during the Republican and Imperial eras. It was found in almost all the ma ...

'') of newlyweds * Edusa (also Educa, Edula, Edulia) *

Fabulinus In the popular religion of ancient Rome, though not appearing in literary Roman mythology, the god Fabulinus (from ''fabulari'', to speak) taught children to speak. He received an offering when the child spoke its first words. He figured among what ...

'' BCh'' * Farinus '' BCh'' * Fessona or Fessonia, goddess who relieved weariness. * Fluvionia or Fluonia '' BCh'' * Forculus, protector of doors (Latin ''fores'') * Fructesea, another name for Seia '' Ag'' * Hostilina '' Ag'' *

Iana The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) is a standards organization that oversees global IP address allocation, autonomous system number allocation, root zone management in the Domain Name System (DNS), media types, and other Interne ...

* Inporcitor '' Ag'' * Insitor '' Ag'' * Intercidona * Interduca * Iuga '' BCh'' * Iugatinus '' BCh'' * Lactans '' Ag'' * Lacturnus '' Ag'' * Lateranus *

Levana Levana (from Latin ''levare,'' "to lift") is an ancient Roman goddess involved in rituals pertaining to childbirth. Augustine says that ''dea Levana'' is invoked when the child is lifted ''de terra'', from the earth or ground. Her function may be ...

* Libentina or Lubentina * Lima, a goddess of the threshold (''limen'') *

Limentinus Cardea or Carda was the List of Roman deities, ancient Roman goddess of the hinge (Latin ''cardo, cardinis''), Roman doors being hung on hinge, pivot hinges. The Augustan literature (ancient Rome), Augustan poet Ovid conflates her with another arc ...

, god of the ''limen'' or ''

limes Limes may refer to: * the plural form of lime (disambiguation) * the Latin word for ''limit'' which refers to: ** Limes (Roman Empire) (Latin, singular; plural: ) is a modern term used primarily for the Germanic border defence or delimiting ...

'' * Limi or Limones (plural), guardian spirits (''curatores'') of Rome's ''clivi'' (slopes, streets) * Locutius '' BCh'' * Lucina '' BCh'' * Lucrii (plural) * Manturna, a conjugal goddess who causes the couple to remain together (from the verb ''maneo, manere'') * Mellona * Mena '' BCh'' * Messia '' Ag'' * Messor '' Ag'' * Mola * Montinus, a god of mountains; compare Septimontius * Morta *

Mutunus Tutunus In Religion in ancient Rome, ancient Roman religion, Mutunus Tutunus or Mutinus Titinus was a phallus, phallic marriage deity, in some respects equated with Priapus. His shrine was located on the Velian Hill, supposedly since the founding of Rome, ...

or Tutinus * Nemestrinus, god of groves (''nemora,'' singular ''

nemus The vocabulary of ancient Roman religion was highly specialized. Its study affords important information about the religion, traditions and beliefs of the ancient Romans. This legacy is conspicuous in European cultural history in its influence o ...

'')Arnobius 4.7. * Nenia * Noduterensis '' Ag'' * Nodutus '' Ag'' * Nona * Numeria '' BCh'' *

Nundina In ancient Roman religion, birth and childhood deities were thought to care for every aspect of conception, pregnancy, childbirth, and child development. Some major deities of Roman religion had a specialized function they contributed to this ...

'' BCh'' * Obarator '' Ag'' * Occator '' Ag'' * Odoria * Orbona '' BCh'' * Ossipago '' BCh'' *

or Empanda * Pantica * Parca * Partula * Patella '' Ag'' * Patellana '' Ag'' * Paventina '' BCh'' * Pellonia * Peragenor * Perfica * Pertunda '' BCh'' * Peta * Picumnus *

Pilumnus In Roman mythology, Pilumnus ("staker") was a nature deity, brother of Picumnus. He ensured children grew properly and stayed healthy. Ancient Romans made an extra bed after the birth of a child in order to ensure the help of Pilumnus. He also ...

'' BCh'' * Pollentia * Porrima '' BCh'' *

Postverta In Roman mythology, Postverta or Postvorta was the goddess of the past and one of the two Carmentes (along with her sister Antevorta, or prorsa contracted form of ''Proversa''). They were companions of the goddess Carmenta, and probably embodied ...

or Postvortia '' BCh'' * Potina '' BCh'' * Potua '' BCh'' * Praestana * Praestitia * Prema mater '' BCh'' * Promitor '' Ag'' * Prorsa '' BCh'' * Puta * Reparator '' Ag'' *

Rediculus Rediculus is an ancient Roman divinity. His cult had a temple near the Porta Capena, and a ''campus'' on the Appian Way. Origins and nature This divinity is probably one of Rome's ''lares'', a protector-god of the city. He is said to have appear ...

Rumina In ancient Roman religion, Rumina, also known as Diva Rumina, was a goddess who protected breastfeeding mothers, and possibly nursing infants. Her domain extended to protecting animal mothers, not just human ones. As one of the ''indigitamenta'', ...

'' BCh'' * Rumon? * Runcina '' Ag'' * Rusina * Rusor * Sarritor or Saritor '' Ag'' * Sator '' Ag'' * Segesta '' Ag'' * Segetia * Seia '' Ag'' *

Semonia In Roman mythology, Semonia was the goddess of sowing. She belonged to a group of agricultural deities which also comprised Setia (or Seja) and Segetia. Their names are derived from the same stem as the Latin verb ''sero'' "to sow". This ancient de ...

* Sentia '' BCh'' * Sentinus '' BCh'' * Septimontius * Serra * Spiniensis * Stata Mater * Statanus '' BCh'' * Statilinus '' BCh'' * Statina '' BCh'' *

Sterquilinus In Roman mythology, Sterquilinus — also called Stercutus and Sterculius — was a god of odor. He may have been equivalent to Picumnus. The ''Larousse Encyclopaedia of Mythology'' gives the name as Stercutius, a pseudonym of Saturn, under whi ...

* Stercutus *

Stimula Semele (; Ancient Greek: Σεμέλη ), in Greek mythology, was the youngest daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia, and the mother of Dionysus by Zeus in one of his many origin myths. Certain elements of the cult of Dionysus and Semele came from th ...

, identified with

Semele Semele (; Ancient Greek: Σεμέλη ), in Greek mythology, was the youngest daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia (Greek goddess), Harmonia, and the mother of Dionysus by Zeus in one of his many origin myths. Certain elements of the cult of Dionysu ...

* Strenia * Subigus pater '' BCh'' * Subruncinator '' Ag'' * Tutanus * Tutelina (goddess), Tutilina '' Ag'' * Unxia *

'' BCh'' * Vallonia * Venilia * Verminus * Vervactor '' Ag'' * Vica Pota * Victa * Viduus * Virginiensis '' BCh'' * Viriplaca * Vitumnus '' BCh'' * Voleta * Volumna '' BCh'' * Volumnus * Volupia * Volutina '' Ag''

References

{{Reflist, 30em Ancient Roman religion Roman deities