Roman Mythology

Jupiter

Roman gods

Jupiter

According to Roman mythology, Jupiter was originally the son of Saturn, an all-powerful supreme deity whom Jupiter overthrew to take control of the universe. Jupiter also had two brothers, and in order to avoid the same fate as Saturn, Jupiter gave his brothers sectors of the universe over which to rule. The three brothers struck an agreement - Neptune took control of the sea, Pluto the underworld, and Jupiter kept the Earth and the heavens for himself.

As a result, Jupiter was often worshipped in Rome as the deity who controlled the weather and nature. He was frequently portrayed in both Roman and popular depictions (e.g., a particularly terrifying cameo in Disney's Fantasia) as hurling thunderbolts down from the sky. The message? Do not piss off Jupiter.

Jupiter hurling thunderbolt
The thunderbolt-wielding Jupiter was even more powerful in Roman mythology than Zeus was in Greece. Unlike Zeus, Jupiter could not be affected by the antics and mischief of other gods. Zeus, for example, was partially subject to the will of the Fates: ancient Greek goddesses of destiny who controlled the humanity's 'threads of life.' Jupiter had no such constraints. He was often worshipped as Optimus Maximus, roughly translated to 'all-good, all-powerful.' Unsurprisingly, as the most powerful god in Roman mythology, conquering Roman armies often gave thanks to Jupiter, in this case referred to as Optimus Victor.

Facts about Jupiter

Name: Jupiter aka Jove

A major deity and one of the 12 Olympian Gods

Jurisdiction: He was described as being the Roman God of the Skies and King of the Gods

Mythology: Mythical Family Tree or Relatives: Jupiter was believed to be the King of the Gods

He was the son of Saturn and Opis

The brothers of Jupiter were Pluto, and Neptune

The sisters of Jupiter were Vesta, Juno and Ceres

Jupiter was the father of Vulcan, Venus, Minerva, Apollo, Diana, Mercury, Bacchus, Mars and Proserpina

Depiction / Description / Symbol: His symbols include the oak, the eagle, the bull and the thunderbolt

Jupiter was the patron god of the Roman state ruling over laws and social order

Capitoline Triad - The Capitoline Triad consisted of three major gods - Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. The largest temple in Rome was dedicated to Jupiter and situated on the Capitoline Hill.

Name of equivalent Greek God: Zeus

The Vinalia festival was celebrated on 23rd April when the wine-skins of the previous year were opened and the wine tasted was dedicated to Jupiter

September 4 to 19 was the Ludi Romani which were the festival of games for the people of Rome in the honour of Jupiter

Roman mythology vs Greek Mythology

DIFFERENT:

Greek: One of the differences between Greek and Roman myth is that in Greek myth, Zeus was controlled in part by the Fates. His was a self appointed position. He could have been ousted by the other gods, not that they ever tried it or wanted it. Zeus often came down to earth and mingled with mortals. He could throw his voice and sound like anybody, which caused a great deal of trouble, which delighted him.

Roman: In Roman myth, Jupiter was the god supreme. He could not be ousted by the other gods. He ruled heaven and earth and all life. Jupiter rarely left the heavens. He listened to his various advisors from his throne on high. The Fates had no power over him. He might assign one of the other gods to make a decision, but the final word was always his.

SIMILAR: The Greek god Zeus and the Roman god Jupiter were both married to their sister. Both were fond of their children. The children of both had special magical powers. They both had more power than any other god. They could shape shift, and look like any mortal or animal they chose. In both Greek and Roman mythology, they both threw lightening bolts. They both loved their flying horse, Pegasus. As you can see, although there were differences, there were also similarities.