--- In cybalist@..., Piotr Gasiorowski <piotr.gasiorowski@...>
wrote:
> The Old Roman religion and mythology were strongly affected by
Etruscan and Greek influences, especially after the semi-legendary
establishment of the Capitoline triad (Jupiter, Juno and Minerva) and
the purchase of the Sibylline Books from the Greek oracle at Cumae --
both attributed to the house of the Tarquins (in the 6th c. BC). The
Etruscans themselves absorbed many traits of Greek culture (including
religion), passing them on to their Italic neighbours and subjects.
>
> Eventually, all the major Roman gods and goddesses were identified
with the Greek ones (often changing their functions in the process,
and becoming more anthropomorphic: Juno : Hera, Ma[vo]rs : Ares,
Diana : Artemis), and new deities were introduced to fill any
remaining gaps in the pantheon. Heroes such as Hercules, Castor and
Pollux were imported too. However, the Romans retained a host of
minor "specialist" divinities of native origin and pieces of old
ritual even after their religion had been rather thouroughly
Hellenised.
>
Prior to the Capitoline Triad, there seem to be an old trio of gods
of importance: Jupiter, Mars, Quirinus. These 3 gods each had a
special "flamen"(kind of priest). There were 12 other gods with
flamines, but the aforementioned trio were of a higher status.
The other 12 deities with flamines(According to Dictionary of Roman
Religion by Akdins, Lesley and Adkins, Roy A.):
Carmentis
Ceres
Falacer
Flora
Furrina
Palatua
Pomona
Portunus
Volturnus
Volcanus
Many of these deities seem to have been all but forgotten-I couldn't
find anything at all on Falacer.