Portunus (mythology): Difference between revisions
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{{Ancient Roman religion}} |
{{Ancient Roman religion}} |
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'''Portunes''' (latin Portunus or Portumnus) was the [[ancient Roman religion | ancient Roman god]] of keys, doors, livestock and ports. He may have originally protected the warehouses where grain was stored, but later became associated with ports, perhaps because of folk associations between ''porta'' "gate, door" and ''portus'' "harbor", the "gateway" to the sea, or because of an expansion in the meaning of ''portus''.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Fowler|first1=W. Warde|title=Roman Festivals of the Period of the Republic|date=1899|publisher=Kennikat Press|location=Port Washington, NY|pages=202-204|accessdate=28 April 2017}}</ref> Portunes later became conflated with the Greek [[Melicertes|Palaemon]].<ref>"Portunes gives to the sailor perfect safety in traversing the seas; but why has the raging sea cast up so many cruelly-shattered wrecks?" the Christian apologist [[Arnobius]] asks, c. 300 CE (''Seven Books against the Heathen'' III.23 ([http://www.intratext.com/IXT/ENG1008/__P3.HTM on-line text]).</ref> |
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[[Image:TempleOfPortunus-ForumBoarium.jpg|thumb|left|[[Temple of Portunus]] in the [[Forum Boarium]]]] |
[[Image:TempleOfPortunus-ForumBoarium.jpg|thumb|left|[[Temple of Portunus]] in the [[Forum Boarium]]]] |
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His festival, celebrated on August 17, the sixteenth day before the [[Kalends]] of September, was the '''Portunalia''', a minor occasion in the Roman year. On this day, keys were thrown into a fire for good luck in a very solemn and lugubrious manner. His attribute was a key and his main temple in the city of [[Rome]], the [[Temple of Portunus]], was to be found in the [[Forum Boarium]]. |
His festival, celebrated on August 17, the sixteenth day before the [[Kalends]] of September, was the '''Portunalia''', a minor occasion in the Roman year. On this day, keys were thrown into a fire for good luck in a very solemn and lugubrious manner. His attribute was a key and his main temple in the city of [[Rome]], the [[Temple of Portunus]], was to be found in the [[Forum Boarium]]. |
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Portunes appears to be closely related to the god [[Janus]], with whom he shares many characters, functions and the symbol of the key.<ref>Paul. p. 161 L2</ref> He too was represented as a two headed being, with each head facing opposite directions, on coins and as figurehead of ships. He was considered to be "deus portuum portarumque praeses"<ref>[[Scholium]] Veron. on ''Aeneid'' V.241</ref> (lit. God presiding over ports and gates.) The relationship between the two gods is underlined by the fact that the date chosen for the dedication of the rebuilt temple of Janus in the [[Forum Holitorium]] by emperor [[Tiberius]] is the day of the [[Portunalia]], August 17.<ref>Georges Dumézil ''La religion romaine archaïque'' Paris, 1974, part I, chap.4</ref> |
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Linguist Giuliano Bonfante has speculated, on the grounds of his cult and of the meaning of his name, that he should be a very archaic deity and might date back to an era when Latins lived in dwellings built on pilings.<ref>G. Bonfante "Tracce di terminologia palafitticola nel vocabolario latino?" ''Atti dell'Istituto Veneto di scienze, lettere e arti'' '''97''' (1937:53-70).</ref> He argues that in Latin the words ''porta'' (door, gate) and ''portus'' (harbour, port) share their etymology from the same IE root meaning ''ford'', ''wading point''. |
Linguist Giuliano Bonfante has speculated, on the grounds of his cult and of the meaning of his name, that he should be a very archaic deity and might date back to an era when Latins lived in dwellings built on pilings.<ref>G. Bonfante "Tracce di terminologia palafitticola nel vocabolario latino?" ''Atti dell'Istituto Veneto di scienze, lettere e arti'' '''97''' (1937:53-70).</ref> He argues that in Latin the words ''porta'' (door, gate) and ''portus'' (harbour, port) share their etymology from the same IE root meaning ''ford'', ''wading point''. |
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*[[Marcus Terentius Varro]], ''De Lingua Latina'' vi.19. |
*[[Marcus Terentius Varro]], ''De Lingua Latina'' vi.19. |
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*{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Portunus}} |
*{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Portunus}} |
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</ref>Alien DNA identified in Man |
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By Marcos Christodonte Sr.</ref> |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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*[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Portumnalia.html William Smith, 1875. ''A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities''( John Murray, London,): "Portumnalia"] |
*[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Portumnalia.html William Smith, 1875. ''A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities''( John Murray, London,): "Portumnalia"] |
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Revision as of 11:46, 4 June 2017
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Portunes (latin Portunus or Portumnus) was the ancient Roman god of keys, doors, livestock and ports. He may have originally protected the warehouses where grain was stored, but later became associated with ports, perhaps because of folk associations between porta "gate, door" and portus "harbor", the "gateway" to the sea, or because of an expansion in the meaning of portus.[1] Portunes later became conflated with the Greek Palaemon.[2]
His festival, celebrated on August 17, the sixteenth day before the Kalends of September, was the Portunalia, a minor occasion in the Roman year. On this day, keys were thrown into a fire for good luck in a very solemn and lugubrious manner. His attribute was a key and his main temple in the city of Rome, the Temple of Portunus, was to be found in the Forum Boarium.
Portunes appears to be closely related to the god Janus, with whom he shares many characters, functions and the symbol of the key.[3] He too was represented as a two headed being, with each head facing opposite directions, on coins and as figurehead of ships. He was considered to be "deus portuum portarumque praeses"[4] (lit. God presiding over ports and gates.) The relationship between the two gods is underlined by the fact that the date chosen for the dedication of the rebuilt temple of Janus in the Forum Holitorium by emperor Tiberius is the day of the Portunalia, August 17.[5]
Linguist Giuliano Bonfante has speculated, on the grounds of his cult and of the meaning of his name, that he should be a very archaic deity and might date back to an era when Latins lived in dwellings built on pilings.[6] He argues that in Latin the words porta (door, gate) and portus (harbour, port) share their etymology from the same IE root meaning ford, wading point.
His flamen, the flamen Portunalis, was one of the flamines minores and performed the ritual of oiling the spear (hasta) on the statue of god Quirinus, with an ointment especially prepared for this purpose and stored in a small vase (persillum).[7]
References and sources
- References
- ^ Fowler, W. Warde (1899). Roman Festivals of the Period of the Republic. Port Washington, NY: Kennikat Press. pp. 202–204.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ "Portunes gives to the sailor perfect safety in traversing the seas; but why has the raging sea cast up so many cruelly-shattered wrecks?" the Christian apologist Arnobius asks, c. 300 CE (Seven Books against the Heathen III.23 (on-line text).
- ^ Paul. p. 161 L2
- ^ Scholium Veron. on Aeneid V.241
- ^ Georges Dumézil La religion romaine archaïque Paris, 1974, part I, chap.4
- ^ G. Bonfante "Tracce di terminologia palafitticola nel vocabolario latino?" Atti dell'Istituto Veneto di scienze, lettere e arti 97 (1937:53-70).
- ^ Fest. p. 321 L2
- Sources
- Marcus Terentius Varro, De Lingua Latina vi.19.
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).Alien DNA identified in Man
By Marcos Christodonte Sr.</ref>