Vulcan was the god of forges and anvils, and was also associated with volcanoes; the eruption of Mt. He started out as Sethlans, the Etruscan God of Volcanoes, Lava and Scorched Earth. When they reach for weapons to wield in battle, it is Vulcan that forged them. Vulcan is the Roman … His role is often a "deus ex machina" one, but he and his wife (called Venus) are still essential to the overall plot. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. [4] This interpretation is supported by Walter William Skeat in his etymological dictionary as meaning lustre. Vulcan. At Praeneste the uncles of Caeculus are known as Digiti,[53]a noun that connects them to the Cretan Dactyli. He was said to have crafted the famed weapons and accoutrements of the gods, including Jupiter’s lightning bolts and Mercury’s winged helm. Maiestas and Maia, though, are possibly the same divine person: compare Ovid's explanations of the meaning of the name of the month May in his. Please reorganize this content to explain the subject's impact on popular culture. Vulcan is a character in the John Prine song, "The Lonesome Gods of Science," from his last album, "The Tree of Forgiveness," released in 2018. In Roman mythology, Vulcan was the god of fire and blacksmithing and the counterpart of the Greek god Hephaestus. When Leo is claimed by Hephaestus, Vulcan's Greek aspect, Jason says that the symbol hovering over Leo's head was that of Vulcan. This page was last edited on 8 February 2021, at 21:08. Vulcan is a Roman God whose father was Jupiter, king of the Gods. Vulcan is a main character in the novel The Automation by B.L.A. He is often depicted with a blacksmith's hammer. Son of Vulcan is a superhero who appeared in both Charlton and DC Comics. [1] The Volcanalia sacrifice was offered here to Vulcan, on August 23. [citation needed]. The theological profile of Velchanos looks identical to that of Jupiter Dolichenus, a god of primarily Hittite ascendence in his identification with the bull, who has Sumero-Accadic, Aramaic and Hittito-Hurrite features as a god of tempest, according for example to the researches conducted in Syria by French scholar Paul Merlat. [27], This power is, however, considered useful if directed against enemies and such a choice for the location of the god's cult could be interpreted in this way too. The Roman god of fire was called Vulcan who was an equivalent of the Greek god of fire Hephaestus. In ancient Roman religion and mythology, Vulcan was the god of fire, especially in its destructive aspects, such as in volcanoes and conflagrations.He was identified with the Greek fire god Hephaestus and took on that god’s attributes. Vulcan's oldest shrine in Rome, called the "Volcanal", was in the Roman Forum. [66] Livy mentions it twice, in 189 and 181 BC, for the prodigies of a rain of blood. Poetically, he is given all the attributes of the Greek Hephaestus. The Romans identified Vulcan with the Greek smith-god Hephaestus. Vulcan | Roman Mythology Vulcan (also Vulcanus or Mulciber) was the god of fire and volcanoes in ancient Rome. [5], It has been supposed that his name was not Latin but related to that of the Cretan god Velchanos, a god of nature and the nether world. Some scholars think that he might be the unknown god who impregnated goddesses Fortuna Primigenia at Praeneste and Feronia at Anxur. [50], According to Hyginus' Fabulae, the sons of Vulcan are Philammon, Cecrops, Erichthonius, Corynetes, Cercyon, Philottus, and Spinther.[51]. [1][17] During the festival bonfires were created in honour of the god, into which live fish or small animals were thrown as a sacrifice, to be consumed in the place of humans. [2] The Vulcanalia was the annual festival held August 23 in his honor. Vulcan also had a temple on the Campus Marius. Synonyms for Vulcan in Free Thesaurus. Otherwise Earth would be symbolised in the tree and Heaven in the double axe of the god. It was the view of the Etruscan haruspices that a temple of Vulcan should be located outside the city,[14] and the Vulcanal may originally have been on or outside the city limits before they expanded to include the Capitoline Hill. September is a fiery month – in the Roman calendar, it is the seventh month and is also dedicated to Vulcan, Roman god of Fire. As is known, most Greek gods correspond to most of the gods of the Roman pantheon. His worship was very ancient, and at Rome he had his own priest (flamen). In Rome he was known as Vulcan. Vulcan was the supreme god of early Cretan religion, where the festival of the βελχάνια as well as a month Γ(digamma)ελχάνιοσ are attested: a gloss by Hesychius states that "Velchanos is Zeus among the Cretan".He was the first god of the cavern of Mount Ida, where he had an oracle, and was honoured also in Cyprus. When Leo Valdez is claimed byHephaestus, the Greek counterpart of Vulcan, a hammer appeared above his head as a sign that Hephaestus was claiming him as his son. [citation needed], The Vulcan statue located in Birmingham, Alabama is the largest cast iron statue in the world. Probably derived from the Cretan god Velchanos (the youthful supreme god of the Cretan pantheon, master of fire, later identified with the Greek Zeus), Vulcan used to be the Latin god Volcanus, king of the gods, husband of Juno. Vulcan in American English. Browse 520 vulcan roman god stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. [71], In 304 BC a sacellum to Concordia was built in the area Volcani: it was dedicated by aedilis curulis Cnaeus Flavius. During the War of the Gods, the Roman gods wanted Son of Vulcan (now known on Olympus as Halciber Filius, a Latinized version of his name, and endowed with all their divine powers rather than just those of Vulcan) to be their champion against the Greek gods' champion, Wonder Woman, but he refused, so they chose Captain Marvel in his stead. [34] This view is though in conflict with that which links the goddess to Jupiter, as his daughter (puer Jovis) and his mother too, as primigenia, meaning "primordial". What are synonyms for Vulcan? If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. [22] In addition to the Vulcanalia of August 23, the date of May 23, which was the second of the two annual Tubilustria or ceremonies for the purification of trumpets, was sacred to Vulcan.[17][23]. Vulcan married Venus, the goddess of sex, lust, and love, who provided a beautiful contrast to Vulcan’s notorious unattractiveness… [citation needed], A 12-foot-tall and 1200-pound Vulcan statue at California University of Pennsylvania serves as the school's mascot. Vulcan - God of Fire. Vulcan- The god of fire and blacksmiths Related pages [ change | change source ] List of names of mythological gods , a comparison of names of Greek, Roman, Etruscan, and Norse gods and goddesses Vulcan is the god of fire and blacksmiths. [52] Cretan Velchanos is a young god of Mediterranean or Near Eastern origin who has mastership of fire and is the companion of the Great Goddess. [citation needed], According to Virgil, Vulcan was the father of Caeculus.[59]. The master of metallurgy and handicraft, Vulcan was the Roman god of fire and forge, as well as the patron of artisans and smiths. Updates? Since the territory of the city of Rome was seen as a magnified temple in itself, the three fires should be identified as the hearth of the landlord in the temple of Vesta (aedes Vestae); the sacrificial fires of each temple, shrine or altar; and the defensive fire in the temple of Vulcan. How mythology was born. Vulcan was the god of fire. The Forge of Vulcan, by Diego Velázquez. The festival of Vulcan, the Vulcanalia, was celebrated on August 23 each year, when the summer heat placed crops and granaries most at risk of burning. On the surface there are some hollows, either round or square, that bear resemblance to graves and were interpreted as such in the past,[74] particularly by Von Duhn. A flamen, one of the flamines minors, named flamen Vulcanalis was in charge of the cult of the god. Pluto, God of the Underworld. Also known as Mulciber, Volcanus. The project is named after Vulcan, Roman god of the forge, echoing the heritage of Birmingham and the thousand trades it has become known for. Vulcan was the Roman god of fire & the blacksmith of the gods. Through Jupiter, Vulcan had many half-siblings as well. [61] Moreover, he would have planted a sacred lotus tree[63] in the sanctuary that was still living at the time of Pliny the Elder and was said to be as old as the city. [25] In response to the same fire, Domitian (emperor 81–96) established a new altar to Vulcan on the Quirinal Hill. Then with the Roman re-vamp of Greek Gods he assumed the mantle of … Vulcan - Roman God of Fire. [18], The Vulcanalia was part of the cycle of the four festivities of the second half of August (Consualia on August 21, Vulcanalia on 23, Opiconsivia on 25 and Vulturnalia on 27) related to the agrarian activities of that month and in symmetric correlation with those of the second half of July (Lucaria on July 19 and 21, Neptunalia on 23 and Furrinalia on 25). Choose from Vulcan Roman God stock illustrations from iStock. When the Gods of Rome ride chariots across the sky, it is Vulcan that made them. He had a face that was red and distorted. The forges of Vulcan 1742 by BOUCHER Francois 1703-70 France French ( Vulcan is the god of fire in Roman mythology. Find professional Vulcan Roman God videos and stock footage available for license in film, television, advertising and corporate uses. Jason Gracewas sure that it was Vulcan's symbol. The tales about Vulcan, who is sometimes called Mulciber (the smelter), are all based on Greek myths about Hephaestus. The Romans identified Vulcan with the Greek smith-g… Vulcan was often conflated with the Greek godHephaestus, and was such seen as the son ofJupiterandJuno, who was sometimes said to be thrown down Mount Olympus by his mother for being a cripple. A fragment of a Greek pot showing Hephaestus found at the Volcanal has been dated to the 6th century BC, suggesting that the two gods were already associated at this date. The main and most ancient sanctuary of Vulcan in Rome was the Volcanal, located in the area Volcani, an open-air space at the foot of the Capitolium, in the northwestern corner of the Roman Forum, with an area dedicated to the god and a perennial fire. The Ludi Vulcanalici, were held just once on August 23, 20 BC, within the temple precinct of Vulcan, and used by Augustus to mark the treaty with Parthia and the return of the legionary standards that had been lost at the Battle of Carrhae in 53 BC. Vulcan agreed and married Venus. Vulcan was also father of the monster Cacus, who was killed by Hercules for stealing his cattle, as Virgil relates in Book VIII of the Aeneid. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership. Vulcan is known as the God who made Pandora from clay. Vulcan, in Roman religion, god of fire, particularly in its destructive aspects as volcanoes or conflagrations. Vulcan, God of Forge and Fire. Vulcan definition is - the Roman god of fire and metalworking. Forum Vulcani). He is not a character in the novel and is now the "god of guns" in this version, using the forge at his ammunition factory as a symbolic representation of a volcano.[86]. Roman God: VulcanGreek name: Hephaestus. G. Capdeville "Jeux athletiques et rituels de fondation" Publications de L' École Française de Rome 1993 p. 141-187. He was married to Venus.Dii Consentes https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoSSW-E5If_p26LtCEiEBM1T4OcsSCO6_Roman … In all of the above-mentioned stories the god's fertilizing power is related to that of the fire of the house hearth. While talking about his powers, he was powerful enough to cause volcanic eruptions. On the third day he beat the cooled metal into shapes: bracelets, chains, swords and shields. Ancient Roman myths call him the god of fire, metal working, volcanoes, and forging, and he is depicted as holding a blacksmith’s hammer. He originally was one of the oldest Latin gods. Dionysius of Halicarnassus, II.50.3; Varro V.74. Vulcan was invoked to avert fires, as his epithets Quietus and Mulciber (Fire Allayer) suggest. Into its upper surface are dug several narrow channels and in front of it are the remains of a draining channel made of tufaceous slabs. [7] Meid and Vasily Abaev have proposed on their side a matching theonym in the Ossetic legendary smith of the Nart saga Kurd-Alä-Wärgon ("the Alan smith Wärgon"), and postulated an original PIE smith god named *wl̩kānos. Festus writes: "Parilibus Romulus Vrbem condidit, quem diem festum praecipue habebant iuniores." Centuries ago, the people living in this area believed that Vulcano was the chimney of the forge of Vulcan - the blacksmith of the Roman gods. The chair was a cleverly designed trap. It was five meters higher than the Comitium[68] and from it the kings and the magistrates of the beginnings of the republic addressed the people, before the building of the rostra. Through comparative interpretation this aspect has been connected by Dumézil to the third or defensive fire in the theory of the three Vedic sacrificial fires. His Greek equivalent is the god Hephaestus. Vulcan is a character in the Starz TV series American Gods, based on the novel by Neil Gaiman. Hephaestus was the Greek smith god. [81], In 2013, Reuters reported that the name "Vulcan" was being promoted as a name for "newly discovered" moons of Pluto. He is the son of Jupiter and Juno, and the husband of the goddess Venus, though she often cheats on him with the god Mars, who is also his brother. Olympus. Prine died on April 7, age 73, a victim of the COVID-19 virus pandemic. He would eventually join the Roman gods again, and he would be married toVenus, the goddess … Vulcan also had a temple on the Campus Marius. It was Jupiter who finally saved the day: he promised that if Vulcan released Juno he would give him a wife, Venus the goddess of love and beauty. Vulcan made pearl-handled knives and spoons for his foster mother, and for himself he made a silver chariot with bridles so that seahorses could transport him quickly. The place is a plain where many sulphurous vapour outlets are located (currently Solfatara). When his mother Juno first saw Vulcan she was so affronted by his ugly appearance that she threw him into the sea from Mount Olympus, which caused him to become lame. Vulcan is the God of Fire and of volcanoes. Also known as Mulciber, Volcanus. In Dumézil's interpretation the Vulturnalia were associated with the protection of riping grapes from a hot and dry southwestern wind named Vulturnus, not with the river Tiber, as Mommsen had supposed, or Vulturnus of Campania. This cause the campers of Camp Half-Blood to look at him and upsets Leo who says that he does not even like Star Trek. The Minoan god's identity would be that of a young deity, master of fire and companion of the Great Goddess. Corrections? It was the highest administrative position in the town of Ostia. [8], Vulcan's oldest shrine in Rome, called the Vulcanal, was situated at the foot of the Capitoline in the Forum Romanum, and was reputed to date to the archaic period of the kings of Rome,[11][12] and to have been established on the site by Titus Tatius,[13] the Sabine co-king, with a traditional date in the 8th century BC. Vulcan is the god of fire in Roman mythology. Military. Theseus brought to Delos the dance named géranos (literally the dance of the crane) which Capdeville connects with Garanos, a variant of the Recaranus of Italic myths. He was the son of Jupiter and Juno, and was born lame, according to some, humpbacked. From Strabon[78] we know that at Pozzuoli there was an area called in Greek agora' of Hephaistos (Lat. The rock shows signs of damages and repairs. In Etruscan religion, he is identified with Sethlans. In ancient Roman religion and mythology, Vulcan was the god of fire, especially in its destructive aspects, such as in volcanoes and conflagrations.He was identified with the Greek fire god Hephaestus and took on that god’s attributes. [72], According to Samuel Ball Platner, in the course of time the Volcanal would have been more and more encroached upon by the surrounding buildings until it was totally covered over. Vulcan, also known as Mulciber, is the Roman god of fire, volcanoes, deserts, metalworking, and the forge. The name "Vulcan" has been used for various other fictional planets, in and out of the Solar System, that do not correspond to the hypothetical planet Vulcan, theorized by Urbain Le Verrier shortly after his discovery of Neptune to orbit the Sun closer in than Mercury. His mother was Juno, queen of the Gods. Through Jupiter, Vulcan had many half-siblings as well. His Greek counterpart is Hephaestus. The planet Vulcan in the Star Trek franchise, for instance, is specified as orbiting 40 Eridani A. Vulcan is a playable character in Smite, an online MOBA where Gods fight each other. This cause the campers of Camp Half-Blood to look at him and upsets Leo who says that he does not even like Star Trek. Vulcan is the Roman counterpart of the Greek god Hephaestus. Vulcan had a happy childhood with dolphins as his playmates and pearls as his toys. In Roman myth Vulcan was the father of Caeculus, founder of Praeneste (now Palestrina, Italy). The Vulcanalia was celebrated in ancient Rome with large bonfires – this gave Roman citizens some degree of control over the powers of fire. Choose from Vulcan Roman God stock illustrations from iStock. Its f… Early Roman Gods and Goddesses •Some Early Roman Gods or “Numen” –Bellona Goddess of War –Cardea similar to Artemis, had power over doorways –Cupid God of love like the Greek Eros –Dis God of the underworld like the Greek Hades –Faunus God of fields and shepards like the Greek Pan –Glaucus God of the sea –Lares God of the household- represented dead Vulcan sank to the depths of the ocean, where the sea-nymph Thetis found him and took him to her underwater grotto, wanting to raise him as her own son. It was built well away from houses because of the Roman god’s association with fire – and it is thought people prayed to Vulcan to try and prevent fire. In this case he would be the father of Jupiter. Nonetheless the cult was still alive in the first half of the imperial era, as is testified by the finding of a dedica of Augustus's dating from 9 BC. In a variant of the story of the birth of Romulus the details are identical even though Vulcan is not explicitly mentioned.[33]. Aulus Gellius writes that some haruspices were summoned to expiate the prodigy and they had it moved to a lower site, where sunlight never reached, out of their hatred for the Romans. His Greek equivalent is the god Hephaestus. Vulcan fell down for a day and a night, landing in the sea. His name is very similar to that of Latin god Volcanus, who himself was considered to be the father of Caeculus and Servius Tullius, not to mention Romulus in the version transmitted by Promathion, which is very similar to the legend of Servius. Vulcan was the son of Juno and Jupiter, the ruling couple of the Roman pantheon. As Vulcan, he becomes more disciplined, militaristic, and warlike. [39], The first mention of a ritual connection between Vulcan and Vesta is the lectisternium of 217 BC. While the festivals of July dealt with untamed nature (woods) and waters (superficial waters the Neptunalia and underground waters the Furrinalia) at a time of danger caused by their relative deficiency, those of August were devoted to the results of human endeavour on nature with the storing of harvested grain (Consualia) and their relationship to human society and regality (Opiconsivia) which at that time were at risk and required protection from the dangers of the excessive strength of the two elements of fire (Vulcanalia) and wind (Vulturnalia) reinforced by dryness. Juno was delighted with this gift but, as soon as she sat in it her weight triggered hidden springs and metal bands sprung forth to hold her fast. [24], Vulcan was among the gods placated after the Great Fire of Rome in AD 64. It was said that whenever Venus was unfaithful, Vulcan grew angry and beat the red-hot metal with such a force that sparks and smoke rose up from the top of the mountain, creating a volcanic eruption. His theology would be reflected in the Greek myths of Theseus and the Minotaur and in those concerning the childhood of Zeus on Mount Ida. Historians say that in this case there was a simple borrowing. Vulcan is the Roman name; Hephaestos, the Greek. He was the son of Jupiter and Juno, and the husband of Maia and Aphrodite (Venus). In various Latin and Roman legends he is the father of famous characters, such as the founder of Praeneste Caeculus,[31] Cacus,[32] a primordial being or king, later transformed into a monster that inhabited the site of the Aventine in Rome, and Roman king Servius Tullius. Vulcan was the son of Juno and Jupiter. a six-barrel, 20mm U.S. Army … As the son of Jupiter, the king of the gods, and Juno, the queen of the gods, Vulcan should have been quite handsome, but baby Vulcan was small and ugly with a red, bawling face. W. Meid "Etrusc. (ˈvʌlkən) noun. These traits are preserved in Latium only in his sons Cacus, Caeculus, Romulus and Servius Tullius. *Volca could therefore be a cognate of the Sanskrit words ulkā ("darting flame") and/or várcas- ("brilliance, glare"). He was the Roman equivalent of the Greek god Hephaestus. Famous Fire and Heavy Metal God. [8] But since the name in its normal form is stable and has a clear meaning—kurd ("smith") + on ("of the family") + Alaeg (the name of one of the Nartic families)—this hypothesis has been considered unacceptable by Dumezil. Vulcan was one of the principal Roman gods, and the god of fire. [76], On the grounds of a fragmentary inscription found at Annaba (ancient Hippo Regius), it is considered possible that the writer Suetonius had held this office.[77]. The surviving myths of Vulcan were largely related by the Roman poet Virgil, as well as Servius, who wrote about Virgil’s work during the fourth century A.D. Vulcan carefully shut this precious coal in a clamshell, took it back to his underwater grotto, and made a fire with it. The date of April 21 marked the starting point of the process of initiation of the future new citizens which concluded four months later on the ceremony of the Consualia, which involves athletic games and marriages.[57]. As an infant, so hideous was Vulcan that his disgusted mother, Juno, cast him into the sea … The Etruscan haruspicesthought a temple of Vulcan should be outside the city, and the Volcanal may originally have been on or outside the city limits before they expanded to include the Capitoline Hill. The pontifex was the sole authority who had a number of subordinate officials to help discharge his duties, namely three praetores and two or three aediles. In ancient Roman religion and myth, Vulcan (Latin: Vulcanus) is the god of both beneficial and hindering fire, including the fire of volcanoes, and the manufacturer of art, arms, iron, and armor for gods and heroes. Antonyms for Vulcan. Mythology. Offerings were made to … [10], According to Martin L. West, Volcanus may represent a god of the fire named *Volca and attached to the suffix -no-, the typical appendage indicating the god's domain in Indo-European languages. The hypothesis has been suggested that this was Vulcan's area itself. Vulcan, in Roman religion, god of fire, particularly in its destructive aspects as volcanoes or conflagrations. His Greek counterpart is Hephaestus, the god of fire and smithery.--~Attributes and Correspondences~--Area of Influence: Fire, Volcanoes. Hermes: Mercury He is the son of Jupiter and Juno, and the husband of Venus. The same idea underlies the dedication of the arms of the defeated enemies,[28] as well as those of the surviving general in a devotion ritual to the god.[29]. His full brothers and sisters included Bellona, Mars, and Juventus. His Greek counterpart is Hephaestus, the god of fire and smithery. Though the name Vulcan won a popular vote, the International Astronomical Union decided in June 2013 to finalize the names as Charon, Styx, Nix, Kerberos, and Hydra.[83]. Through his identification with the Hephaestus of Greek mythology, Vulcan came to be considered as the manufacturer of art, arms, iron, jewelry, and armor for various gods and heroes, including the lightning bolts of Jupiter. Roman God: Vulcan. Late in his childhood, he found the remains of a fisherman's fire on the beach and became fascinated with an unextinguished coal, still red-hot and glowing. [35] Servius Tullius's mother Ocresia was impregnated by a male sex organ that miraculously appeared in the ashes of the sacrificial ara, at the order of Tanaquil, Tarquinius Priscus's wife. Vulcan was a mighty ancient Roman god, who was considered the god of fire. [11] Vulcan also had a temple on the Campus Martius, which was in existence by 214 BC.[1][15]. This provides an explanation for the choice of the festival of the Parilia as the date of the foundation of Rome, since these are first of all the festival of the iuniores. [58], Vulcan later built a smithy under Mount Etna on the island of Sicily. These colourful Roman god posters feature a range of Roman gods, including Minerva, Jupiter, Juno, Neptune, Pluto, Mars, Diana, Venus, Apollo, Cupid, Mercury, Saturn, Vesta, Bacchus, Uranus, and Vulcan God Pictures. As always, this resource has been wonderfully designed by our talented illustrators. [19], It is recorded that during the Vulcanalia people used to hang their clothes and fabrics under the sun. The Etruscan haruspices thought a temple of Vulcan should be outside the city, and the Volcanal may originally have been on or outside the city limits before they expanded to include the Capitoline Hill. He is the son of Jupiter and Juno, and the husband of Venus. Vulcan is often depicted with a blacksmith's hammer. As the Consualia were mentioned first in connection with the founding of Rome in the episode of the abduction of the Sabine women, as the Volcanalia are celebrated two days later and two days before the Opiconsivia, and as the name Volcanus resembles that of the ancient Cretan god honoured in the Βελχ?νια who presided over initiation rites, the Consualia must have a meaning of integration into the citizenship. His smithy was believed to be situated underneath Mount Etna in Sicily. However, he did send Juno a beautifully constructed chair made of silver and gold, inlaid with mother-of-pearl. An ancient god of fire in Greek mythology, Hephaestus is the counterpart of the Roman god Vulcan (pronounced VUHL-kuhn), the god of fire and of metalwork and crafts. The Romans identified Vulcan with the Greek smith-g… Unfortunately, one of his legs broke as he hit the water, and never developed properly. Hephaestus, Greek god of fire. Famous Fire and Heavy Metal God. Vulcan is the god of fire and blacksmiths. Because he was a deity of destructive fire, his temples were properly located outside the city. Vulcanus, or Vulcan as we call him, was the Roman god of fire; both the constructive fire of the smithy, and the destructive fire of volcanoes, a word that is formed from his name. [46][47], The god is the patron of trades related to ovens (cooks, bakers, confectioners) as attested in the works of Plautus,[48] Apuleius (the god is the cook at the wedding of Amor and Psyche)[49] and in Vespa's short poem in the Anthologia Latina about the litigation between a cook and a baker. His cult enjoyed a period of popularity in the Roman Empire during the 2nd and 3rd centuries and the god had a temple in Rome on the Aventine.[55]. [79], Vulcan is the patron god of the English steel-making city of Sheffield. His chief festival, the Volcanalia, was held The word 'volcano' comes from the little island of Vulcano in the Mediterranean Sea off Sicily. Roman Mythology: Story of Vulcan - YouTube. Vulcan belongs to the most ancient stage of Roman religion: Varro, the ancient Roman scholar and writer, citing the Annales Maximi, records that king Titus Tatius dedicated altars to a series of deities including Vulcan. The tales about Vulcan, who is sometimes called Mulciber (the smelter), are all based on Greek myths about Hephaestus. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Associated with Maia, an earthly and motherly goddess of growth, and Vesta, the goddess of earth and the hearth, he was the father of many children, from legendary heroes … It was a god named Vulcan, who was worshiped by the ancient Romans, but in Greek mythology he was called Hephaestus. Pantheon: Roman. Poetically, he is given all the attributes of the Greek Hephaestus. [citation needed] Gérard Capdeville finds a continuity between Cretan Minoan god Velchanos and Etruscan Velchans. The flamen Vulcanalis officiated at a sacrifice to the goddess Maia, held every year at the Kalendae of May. This mountain was then and remains one of the most active volcanoes in the world. [82] The moons had been discovered in 2011 and 2012, bringing the count of known moons of Pluto to five. As a baby, Vulcan was very small and ugly. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). He was born with a limp. It was one of the most ancient Roman shrines. and G.B. Pliny the Elder records that near Modena fire came out from soil statis Vulcano diebus, on fixed days devoted to Vulcan. Vulcan is a very old Roman god, and was worshipped early in Roman religion. Vulcan: The Roman version of this god's name was lent to a geological phenomenon and he required frequent pacification. Hera: Juno: A marriage goddess and the wife of the king of the gods, Zeus. [75], Another temple was erected to the god before 215 BC in the Campus Martius, near the Circus Flaminius, where games in his honour were held during the festival of the Volcanalia.[65].