Domains
Hunt, moon, wilderness, childbirth protection, crossroads
Olympian
Diana
Goddess of the hunt and moon
Diana is the Roman goddess of the hunt, wilderness, and the moon. Her principal sanctuary at Aricia on Lake Nemi made her an important deity for the Latin peoples before Rome's dominance. She was identified with a divine triad alongside Luna and Hecate, encompassing the moon's three phases.
Lineage
Daughter of Jupiter and Latona; twin sister of Apollo.
Symbols
- Bow
- Crescent moon
- Stag
Core Myths
- At Lake Nemi her priest-king (Rex Nemorensis) held office only by killing his predecessor — a unique sacred kingship rite.
- Transformed Actaeon into a stag for accidentally viewing her bathing.
- The Aventine temple was a founding cult center for the Latin League, giving her pan-Latin significance.
Worship & Cult Context
- Principal sanctuary at Nemi in the Alban Hills — the sacred 'Grove of Diana'.
- The Ides of August (August 13) was her festival day.
- The Aventine Hill sanctuary served the Latin peoples as a common cult center.
- Invoked by women in childbirth and by hunters before setting out.
Interpretive Themes
Wilderness
Lunar cycles
Sacred sovereignty
Greek Counterpart
Artemis