Venus

Venus was the goddess of love in Roman religion and whose functions encompassed love, beauty, desire, sex, fertility, prosperity and victory.

Symbols: Rose
Parents: Caelus
Consort: Mars and Vulcan
Children: Cupid and Aeneas
Festivals: Veneralia
Other Names: Venus Cloacina, Venus Genetrix, Venus Victrix
Greek equivalent: Aphrodite

Aphrodite Anadyomene from Pompeii cropped.jpg
Venus on seashellflanked by Cupids. House of Venus, Pompeii.

In Roman mythology, she was the ancestor of the Roman people through her son, Aeneas, who survived the fall of Troy and fled to Italy. Julius Caesar claimed her as his ancestor. Venus was central to many religious festivals and was revered in Roman religion under numerous cult titles.

Venus being seduced by Mars. Fresco from Pompeii. (c) Sailko
Julius Caesar, with Venus holding Victoria on reverse, from February or March 44 BC. (c) cngcoins.com
NAMA Aphrodite Syracuse.jpg
Venus Pudica, Roman copy of 2nd c. AD, Athens National Archaeological Museum. (c) Marsyas
Fresco with a seated Venus, restored as a personification of Rome, 4th c. AD, from a room near the Baptistery of San Giovanni in Laterano.
The Lely Venus, 2nd c. AD.
Venus riding a quadriga of elephants, fresco from Pompeii, 1st c. AD.
Venus of Menophantos, 1st c. BC.
A medallion fresco of Venus, House of Marcus Fabius Rufus, Pompeii.
The Ludovisi Venus of Knidos.
Bronze figurine of Venus, Lyon. (c) Marie-Lan Nguyen

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