Diana is the Roman goddess of woodlands, wild animals, and hunting. She was often depicted as a virgin, carrying a bow and quiver and accompanied by either a deer or hunting dogs. The spread of her cult probably influenced some myths of "The Great Hunt" found throughout pagan religions.She was also a fertility goddess who assisted in childbirth, nursing, and healing. As the goddess of light, she represented the Moon, supplanting the goddess Luna in that role. She later became associated with Hekate and was known as a goddess of the dead.She was originally worshiped on the Tifata Mountain and in sacred forests. Due to her affinity with the lower classes, escaped slaves could seek asylum in her temples—many of her priests were said to be former slaves. Eventually, her followers branched out from Greece and Rome and began to encompass much of the Old World. Her cult, along with that of the pagan goddesses inspired by her, was so widespread that early Christians considered her to be one of their chief obstacles.Despite Christianity's best efforts, Diana worship is still alive and well today, with a entire branch of Wicca named after her (Dianism). She's also one of the chief figures of various neo-pagan and Wiccan traditions. One such modern group is the Temple of Diana, a feminist group of Dianic witches with branches in Los Angeles, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
