Mercury (mythology)
From Open Encyclopedia
| Topics in Roman mythology | |
|---|---|
| Important Gods: | |
| Legendary History | |
| Roman religion | |
| |
| Greek/Roman myth compared | |
| — | |
| Other gods of craft and trade: | |
- This article treats Mercury in cult practice and in archaic Rome. For later mythological and poetic accounts, see Hermes.
Mercury (Mercurius listen (help·info)) is a Roman god of trade, profit and commerce. His name is related to Latin merx "merchandise" (compare merchant, commerce etc.). In his earliest form, he appers related to Etruscan Turms.
Mercury does not figure among the Di indigetes of early Roman religion. Rather he subsumes the earlier Dei Lucrii as Roman religion was syncretized with Greek religion during the time of the Roman Republic, from ca. the 3rd century BC. From this time, Mercury had essentially the same aspect as Hermes, wearing winged shoes and a winged petasos and carrying the caduceus, a herald's staff with two entwined snakes, Apollo's gift to Hermes.
Mercury's temple in the Circus Maximus, between the Aventine and Palatine hills, was built in 495 BC. This was a fitting place to worship a god of trade and swiftness, since it was a major center of commerce as well as a racetrack. Since it stood between the plebeian stronghold on the Aventine and the patrician center on the Palatine, it also emphasized the role of Mercury as a mediator.
On May 15, the Mercuralia was held in his honor; merchants sprinkled water from his sacred well near the Porta Capena on their heads.
Mercury became extremely popular among the nations the Roman Empire conquered. In the Roman syncretism, he was equated with the Celtic god Lugus and the Germanic god Wotan.bg:Меркурий (митология) da:Merkur (gud) de:Merkur (Mythologie) et:Mercurius es:Mercurio (mitología) eo:Merkuro (dio) fr:Mercure (mythologie) ko:메르쿠리우스 it:Mercurio (mitologia) he:מרקורי (מיתולוגיה) lb:Merkur (Mythologie) nl:Mercurius (god) ja:メルクリウス nn:Guden Merkur pl:Merkury (bóg) pt:Mercúrio (mitologia) sr:Меркур (митологија) sv:Mercurius zh:墨丘利
