Roma (personification)

In ancient Roman religion, Roma was a female deity who personified the city of Rome and the Roman state. She was created to show Rome's ideas about itself and to support its rule. People saw her on coins, sculptures, buildings, and during special games and festivals. Roma looked similar to other goddesses like Minerva, her Greek equivalent Athena, and the Greek Tyche, who protected Greek cities. Roma was shown with weapons to show her strength and power, and she promised protection to those who followed Rome's rules.

Roma was very important in showing the messages of the Roman Empire. In art and on coins, she was often shown wearing a helmet and holding weapons. In the eastern parts of the Roman Empire, she was sometimes shown with a crown shaped like a wall or a horn that gave good luck. Her pictures were mostly found on important items like silver cups, arches, and sculptures, such as the base of the column of Antoninus Pius. Even after Christianity became important, Roma continued to represent the Roman state. The way she was shown later influenced how Britannia, the symbol of Britain, was pictured.

Republican era

The ancient Romans created a female symbol called Roma to stand for their city and country. She appeared on coins, statues, and buildings. Roma was shown wearing helmets and other war-like clothes, showing her strength and protection of Rome.

Roma was first clearly shown on a coin from around 275 BC made by Rome's allies in Locri, Italy. She was pictured as a seated woman with shields and war gear. Over time, Roma was linked with important Roman figures and ideas, like protection and good faith. In places like Smyrna and Pergamon, people built temples and statues to honor Roma as a symbol of Rome's power and friendship.

Imperial era

After the death of Julius Caesar, he was honored as a god in Rome and its surrounding areas. His successor, Augustus, ended civil wars and became the first emperor. Around 30/29 BC, some places in Asia and Bithynia wanted to honor Augustus as a living god. However, Roman traditions did not like the idea of a king, so a solution was found: non-Romans could honor both Augustus and the goddess Roma together.

Roma was seen as the partner of the emperor and the mother of all Roman people. Her images often showed her with a crown and a cornucopia, and she was depicted sitting down, similar to the Greek goddess Athena. Roma stood for strong, brave qualities and represented the Roman Empire.

In western parts of the Roman Empire, a temple was built at Lugdunum (modern Lyon) to honor Roma and Augustus. Many places across the empire had coins and inscriptions showing Roma. In Rome city itself, a large temple was built to honor both Roma and the goddess Venus. This temple held an important statue of Roma, showing her as a dignified and protective figure. Coins from later emperors continued to show Roma, linking her to the strength and unity of the Roman Empire.

In arts, craft and literature of the Imperial era

Lucan's poem, Pharsalia, shows Roma as a strong woman who stands for Roman values. The poem tells the story of the civil war between Julius Caesar and the Roman Senate, led by Pompey the Great. Caesar, who turned away from Roma and her values, ended up with a partner in Egypt (Cleopatra) and chose a path that led to trouble. The poet links Roma (the res publica) with the perfect Roman woman. Someone who rejects either cannot truly be Roman.

Roma appears as an important figure on the silver Boscoreale cup. She is shown wearing a helmet, ready for war, looking careful but calm. Her foot rests on a pile of old weapons. She talks with a young man, thought to be the spirit of the Roman people, who seems to be waiting to speak with the seated emperor, probably Augustus. In the Gemma Augustea sculpture, Roma sits next to Augustus in military clothes.

On the Arch of Titus (1st-century CE), the arch of Septimius Severus, and the arch of Constantine, Roma walks with the emperor in his chariot, as his companion.

Figures of Roma are uncommon in homes across the Empire, and in places far away they might have been linked to people living in Rome. In Corinth, a small statue of Roma was found in a home shrine from the 2nd or 3rd century AD, along with statues of other gods. The gods were smaller than real life but well-made and most had bits of gold. The Roma statue sits on a simple chair, wears a helmet with three crests and a special robe, and has one shoulder shown, dressed like a warrior woman. Some think the people who owned this statue had a special tie to a nearby temple in Corinth.

In the Book of Revelation

The Book of Revelation talks about a powerful city that ruled over many lands. This city is often thought to be Rome, which was very important at the time. In the book, there is a description of a powerful woman called the Whore of Babylon, who is seen as a symbol of this ruling city.

The book describes this woman as wearing rich clothes and holding a cup. It also says she sits on seven mountains, which many believe refer to the seven hills of Rome. This powerful woman is shown in a very negative way, very different from how the goddess Roma was usually pictured in Roman art. Instead of being elegant and strong, she is shown as a harmful force.

Scholars think that when the book talks about Babylon, it is really talking about Rome and the powerful world of that time, which they believed was far from God’s ways.

Modern times

The Altar of the Fatherland is a famous part of the Altare della Patria in Rome. It was designed by the sculptor Angelo Zanelli, who won a competition in 1906. The altar includes a statue of Roma, which represents the city of Rome. This statue also shows influences from Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and war. The statue stands out against a golden background. The presence of Roma in this important building shows the strong desire of Italy’s leaders to make Rome the capital of the country.

Legacy

Ronald Mellor wrote about the goddess Roma, saying her name and symbol have been used for a very long time. She has been seen in many different ways — as a goddess, a symbol of civilization, and much more. Roma is the oldest symbol that has been used in Western civilization for a very long time.