Diana (mythology)
Diana is a goddess in Roman and Hellenistic religion, primarily considered a patroness of the countryside and nature, hunters, wildlife, childbirth, crossroads, the night, and the Moon. She is equated with the Greek goddess Artemis, and absorbed much of Artemis' mythology early in Roman history, including a birth on the island of Delos to parents Jupiter and Latona, and a twin brother, Apollo, though she had an independent origin in Italy.
| Diana | |
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Goddess of the hunt, wild animals, fertility, and the Moon | |
| Member of the Dii Consentes | |
Diana as Huntress. Marble by Bernardino Cametti, 1720. Pedestal by Pascal Latour, 1754. Bode Museum, Berlin. | |
| Symbol | Bow and quiver, deer, hunting dogs, crescent moon |
| Temples | Sanctuary at Lake Nemi, Temple of Diana (Rome) |
| Festivals | Nemoralia |
| Personal information | |
| Parents | Jupiter and Latona
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| Equivalents | |
| Greek equivalent | Artemis, Hecate |
| Etruscan equivalent | Artume |
| Egyptian equivalent | Neith |
| Religion in ancient Rome |
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Deified leaders: |
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Diana is considered a virgin goddess and protector of childbirth. Historically, Diana made up a triad with two other Roman deities: Egeria the water nymph, her servant and assistant midwife; and Virbius, the woodland god.
Diana is revered in modern neopagan religions including Roman neopaganism, Stregheria, and Wicca. In the ancient, medieval, and modern periods, Diana has been considered a triple deity, merged with a goddess of the moon (Luna/Selene) and the underworld (usually Hecate).