Neptune's Dolphins

 

Juno Regina is the Ruling Deity of Rome. She is the Protector of the State and the “Queen of Heaven.” Juno Regina was originally Uni of the Etruscan city of Veii. In 396 BCE, Marcus Furius Camillus waged a siege against Veii. Wanting to end the long siege, he performed the rite of evocatio (calling forth) (Note 1.). Camillus promised Uni of Veii a grander temple if She would come to Rome. When Uni consented, the Veientines lost their protective Deity and then their city.

 

Evocatio (Note 2) is a ritual done by the military to remove any divine protection from an opposing city. A select group from the army would purify themselves and dress in white. After entering the captured temple, they would ask the Deity for permission to take the religious items. In Juno Regina’s case, a soldier asked the wooden statue, “Art Thou willing Juno to go to Rome?” The statue nodded yes, and said, “I am willing.”

 

In 389 BCE, the sacred geese from Juno’s temple warned the Romans of an impending attack by the Gauls. Following another war with the Gauls, a temple to Juno, Who Warns (Moneta) was dedicated on June 1, 344 BCE. Juno Moneta has saved Rome from many invasions. Today, She warns people of other impending disasters such as earthquakes.

 

Juno Lucina, as the Goddess of Light, brings newborns to the light (i.e. childbirth). Women in her temple wore no knots on their clothing and had unbound hair. (Vesta Virgins offered locks of their hair to Her as well.) This was to symbolize safe delivery in child birth. King Servius Tullius ordered a coin for every birth in Rome to be placed in her temple.

 

Juno Lucina as the Goddess of Light and Childbirth is celebrated at the Matronalia, which is held on March 1st. For this festival husbands and daughters give presents to mothers. It is the Roman version of “Mother’s Day,” with prayers being offered for happy marriages and safe childbirth.

 

Notes:

Note 1. Religious historians say that evocation was a form of psychological warfare. The sanctity and security of each city depended on their governing Deity. Once that Deity agreed to leave, the citizens could no longer rely on divine protection.

 

Note 2. Evocatio also mitigated the feeling that to loot shrines was sacrilege, since the soldiers were only taking the Deity to a finer temple. However, evocatio was rooted in piety, since it involved asking the Deity before removing anything. The God always had final say in this. The opposing city could always counter the rite.