Mercury (mythology) - History

History

Religion in
ancient Rome
Marcus Aurelius (head covered)
sacrificing at the Temple of Jupiter
Practices and beliefs
  • libation · sacrifice · votum · temples · festivals · ludi · funerals
  • Imperial cult · mystery religions
Priesthoods
  • Pontifex · Augur · Vestal · Flamen
  • Fetial · Epulones · Arval
Deities
  • List of Roman deities
  • Twelve major gods
  • Capitoline Triad · Aventine Triad
  • underworld gods · indigitamenta
  • Deified emperors:
  • Divus Julius · Divus Augustus
Related topics
  • Glossary of ancient Roman religion
  • Roman mythology
  • Religion in ancient Greece
  • Etruscan religion
  • Gallo-Roman religion
  • Interpretatio graeca
  • Decline of Greco-Roman polytheism

Mercury did not appear among the numinous di indigetes of early Roman religion. Rather, he subsumed the earlier Dei Lucrii as Roman religion was syncretized with Greek religion during the time of the Roman Republic, starting around the 4th century BC. From the beginning, Mercury had essentially the same aspects as Hermes, wearing winged shoes talaria and a winged petasos, and carrying the caduceus, a herald's staff with two entwined snakes that was Apollo's gift to Hermes. He was often accompanied by a cockerel, herald of the new day, a ram or goat, symbolizing fertility, and a tortoise, referring to Mercury's legendary invention of the lyre from a tortoise shell.

Like Hermes, he was also a messenger of the gods and a god of trade, particularly of the grain trade. Mercury was also considered a god of abundance and commercial success, particularly in Gaul. He was also, like Hermes, the Romans' psychopomp, leading newly-deceased souls to the afterlife. Additionally, Ovid wrote that Mercury carried Morpheus' dreams from the valley of Somnus to sleeping humans.

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