Voltumna
Encyclopedia
In Etruscan mythology
, Voltumna or Veltha was the chthonic
(earth) deity, who became the supreme god of the Etruscan pantheon, the deus Etruriae princeps, according to Varro
. Voltumna's cult was centered in Volsini (modern-day Orvieto
) a polis of the Etruscan Civilization
of northwest Italy.
The bond of the twelve Etruscan populi was renewed annually at the sacred grove
of Fanum Voltumnae
, the sanctuary of Voltumnus sited near Volsinii (present day Bolsena), which was mentioned by Livy
. At the Fanum Voltumnae ludi
were held, the precise nature of which, whether athletic or artistic, is unknown.
In the Roman Forum
, near the Temple of Castor and Pollux
stood a shrine dedicated to Voltumna in the Vicus Tuscus
.
He was the equivalent of the Roman
Vertumnus
.
Etruscan mythology
The Etruscans were a diachronically continuous population, with a distinct language and culture during the period of earliest European writing, in the Mediterranean Iron Age in the second half of the first millennium BC...
, Voltumna or Veltha was the chthonic
Chthonic
Chthonic designates, or pertains to, deities or spirits of the underworld, especially in relation to Greek religion. The Greek word khthon is one of several for "earth"; it typically refers to the interior of the soil, rather than the living surface of the land or the land as territory...
(earth) deity, who became the supreme god of the Etruscan pantheon, the deus Etruriae princeps, according to Varro
Marcus Terentius Varro
Marcus Terentius Varro was an ancient Roman scholar and writer. He is sometimes called Varro Reatinus to distinguish him from his younger contemporary Varro Atacinus.-Biography:...
. Voltumna's cult was centered in Volsini (modern-day Orvieto
Orvieto
Orvieto is a city and comune in Province of Terni, southwestern Umbria, Italy situated on the flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tuff...
) a polis of the Etruscan Civilization
Etruscan civilization
Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to a civilization of ancient Italy in the area corresponding roughly to Tuscany. The ancient Romans called its creators the Tusci or Etrusci...
of northwest Italy.
The bond of the twelve Etruscan populi was renewed annually at the sacred grove
Sacred grove
A sacred grove is a grove of trees of special religious importance to a particular culture. Sacred groves were most prominent in the Ancient Near East and prehistoric Europe, but feature in various cultures throughout the world...
of Fanum Voltumnae
Fanum Voltumnae
The Fanum Voltumnae, or shrine of Voltumna, was the chief sanctuary of the Etruscans: fanum means a sacred place, a much broader notion than a single temple. Numerous sources refer to a league of the “Twelve Peoples” of Etruria, formed for religious purposes but evidently having some political...
, the sanctuary of Voltumnus sited near Volsinii (present day Bolsena), which was mentioned by Livy
Livy
Titus Livius — known as Livy in English — was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, "Chapters from the Foundation of the City," covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome well before the traditional foundation in 753 BC...
. At the Fanum Voltumnae ludi
Ludi
Ludi were public games held for the benefit and entertainment of the Roman people . Ludi were held in conjunction with, or sometimes as the major feature of, Roman religious festivals, and were also presented as part of the cult of state.The earliest ludi were horse races in the circus...
were held, the precise nature of which, whether athletic or artistic, is unknown.
In the Roman Forum
Roman Forum
The Roman Forum is a rectangular forum surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient city referred to this space, originally a marketplace, as the Forum Magnum, or simply the Forum...
, near the Temple of Castor and Pollux
Temple of Castor and Pollux
The Temple of Castor and Pollux is an ancient edifice in the Roman Forum, Rome, central Italy. It was originally built in gratitude for victory at the Battle of Lake Regillus . Castor and Pollux were the Dioscuri, the "twins" of Gemini, the twin sons of Zeus and Leda...
stood a shrine dedicated to Voltumna in the Vicus Tuscus
Vicus Tuscus
Vicus Tuscus was an ancient street in the city of Rome, running southwest out of the Forum Romanum between the Basilica Iulia and the Temple of Castor and Pollux towards the Forum Boarium and Circus Maximus via the west side of the Palatine Hill and Velabrum.-History:The name of Vicus Tuscus is...
.
He was the equivalent of the Roman
Roman mythology
Roman mythology is the body of traditional stories pertaining to ancient Rome's legendary origins and religious system, as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans...
Vertumnus
Vertumnus
In Roman mythology, Vertumnus — also Vortumnus or Vertimnus — is the god of seasons, change and plant growth, as well as gardens and fruit trees...
.