Minerva
Minerva is a Roman goddess who was especially worshiped by the Sabines , Etruscans and Latins . The Etruscans called them Menrva .
In the Roman Empire , Minerva was initially seen primarily as the protector of craftsmen and trade . Later, the ideas of the Greek cult of Athena were incorporated into the image of Minerva, so she also became the protective goddess of poets and teachers . Minerva was the goddess of wisdom, tactical warfare, art and shipbuilding, as well as the guardian of knowledge. Since Augustus she has been venerated as the goddess who gives victory or directs the fortunes of the state. A special supporter of Minerva was the Emperor Domitian , who often had her depicted on the reverse of his coins (see photo on the right).
In Rome , Minerva was worshiped on the Capitol as one of the three city deities alongside Jupiter and Juno . Her temple once stood in the middle of the Aventine Hill . Today, however, no remains of it have survived. A second temple was located on the Esquiline - also since Republican times . This was consecrated to Minerva Medica, who represented the protective goddess of doctors. A third temple was on the Caelius . This was named "Temple of Minerva Capta" because the cult image 241 BC. Was stolen from the conquered Falerii by the Romans .
The main festival of Minerva, the Quinquatrus ( March 19 , later from March 19 to March 23 ), was celebrated by guilds and guilds as a craft festival. In the 18th century, based on the elements of this festival and some other references, the Minerva celebrations were considered to be the forerunners of the Gregorius parades .
Head of Minerva (2nd century)
Relief of Minerva from Herculaneum
Head of Minerva (Roman Museum Avenches )
Statue of Minerva ( Museo Nazionale Romano )
heraldry
The portrait of Minerva (like that of Athena) has been used in heraldry, on coats of arms and seals since the time of Renaissance humanism . Among other things, it is the symbolic emblem of the Max Planck Society and the emblem of the predecessor organization, the Kaiser Wilhelm Society . It can also be found on the California seal . As the guardian of knowledge, she serves on the coats of arms and seals of the University of Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, the Hotchkiss School and numerous Spanish military schools.
Minerva as a Leipzig Freemason symbol
Minerva head in heraldry (here: city arms of Maisons )
Minerva as the patron saint of the University of Rio de Janeiro
Minerva figure on Confederate American 100 dollar note (right)
literature
- Franz Altheim: Minerva. In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume XV, 2, Stuttgart 1932, Sp. 1774-1802.
- Eva Fiesel: menvra. In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume XV, 1, Stuttgart 1931, Col. 931-935.
- C. Robert Phillips, Anne Ley: Minerva. In: The New Pauly (DNP). Volume 8, Metzler, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3-476-01478-9 , Sp. 211-216.
- Christoph Schmälzle: Athena. In: Maria Moog-Grünewald (Ed.): Mythenrezeption. The ancient mythology in literature, music and art from the beginnings to the present (= Der Neue Pauly . Supplements. Volume 5). Metzler, Stuttgart / Weimar 2008, ISBN 978-3-476-02032-1 , pp. 172-179.
- Georg Wissowa : Minerva . In: Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher (Hrsg.): Detailed lexicon of Greek and Roman mythology . Volume 2.2, Leipzig 1897, Col. 2982-2992 ( digitized version ).
