[20] On May 15, the Ides, Mercury was honored as a patron of merchants and increaser of profit (through an etymological connection with merx, merces, "goods, merchandise"), another possible connection with Maia his mother as a goddess who promoted growth. Maia (meaning "the great one") is the Italic goddess of spring, the daughter of Faunus, and wife of Vulcan. Hermes wasn’t the only child that Maia raised. [15] This treatment was probably influenced by the 1st-century BC scholar Varro, who tended to resolve a great number of goddesses into one original "Terra". The Major Gods & Goddesses in Roman Mythology Apollo . Hermes and Maia, detail from an Attic red-figure amphora (c. 500 BC) Photo Bibi Saint-Pol Maia is the daughter of Atlas[2] and Pleione the Oceanid,[3] and is the oldest of the seven Pleiades. Elsewhere she is practically as one with Maia, goddess of the flourishing spring, that burgeoning of nature that promised for the Gauls prosperous harvests of grapes, grains and fruits. Maia was a shy goddess, dwelling alone in a cave situated close to the peak of Mount Kyllene. (Hom. Maia is a Goddess of Growth and Increase. The esteem of Maia was such that her name was still relevant in the Roman period, giving rise to the month of May in the English language. iii. Maia is the Oscan Earth-Goddess, and an ancient Roman Goddess of springtime, warmth, and increase. the God of Wine. In Roman mythology, Maia (pronounced “May-ah” or “My-ah”) was the incarnation of the earth mother and the goddess of spring. She was one of the Goddesses known as “Bona Dea” or Good Goddess whose rites were restricted to women. Mania Manea is a Goddess of the Underworld and the dead. Maia is also associated with fertility and growth (particularly in Roman mythology. She was worshipped on 1 May and 15 May; that month is named after her. There is not a lot of surviving mythology about Maia. In an archaic Roman prayer, Maia appears as an attribute of Vulcan, in an invocational list of male deities paired with female abstractions representing some aspect of their functionality. [4] They were born on Mount Cyllene in Arcadia,[5] and are sometimes called mountain nymphs, oreads; Simonides of Ceos sang of "mountain Maia" (Maiados oureias) "of the lovely black eyes. Her name means ‘She Who is Great’, and is related to Oscan mais and Latin majus, both of which mean “more”. As with her Greek counterpart, the Roman Maia symbolized youth, life, rebirth, love and sexuality. Maia is the eldest and most beautiful of Her seven sisters. 10. According to Thalia Took, “Maia is the Oscan Earth-Goddess, and an ancient Roman Goddess of springtime, warmth, and increase. 938; Apollod. In ancient Roman religion and myth, Maia embodied the concept of growth, as her name was thought to be related to the comparative adjective maius, maior "larger, greater". [10], In ancient Roman religion and myth, Maia embodied the concept of growth,[11] as her name was thought to be related to the comparative adjective maius, maior "larger, greater". You can learn more about the similarities between Greek and Roman Gods here. She was seen as a personification of growth and came to be worshiped in her own right. The goddess known as Maia among the Romans may have originated independently, but attracted the myths of Greek Maia because the two figures shared the same name. Di inferi. By Jupiter, she was the mother of Mercury. Maia was worshiped throughout Greece and Italy, and … Meditrina, goddess of healing Mefitis … The rapidly maturing infant Hermes crawled away to Thessaly, where by nightfall of his first day he stole some of his half-brother Apollo's cattle and invented the lyre from a tortoise shell. Barbara Walker describes the Greco-Roman goddess Maia in her Women's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets: "Grandmother of Magic," mother [by Zeus] of the Greeks' Enlightened One, Hermes, the western version of Maya, "Magic," mother of the Hindus' Enlightened One, Buddha. The Greek goddess Maia was one of the Pleiades, the companions of Artemis, goddess of the hunt. Some scholars have spoken of a ‘divine marriage’ between Celtic goddesses and Roman gods. [16] The association with Juno, whose Etruscan counterpart was Uni, is suggested again by the inscription Uni Mae on the Piacenza Liver. Maia: Maia was the Roman goddess of growth. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Faustitas, goddess who protected herd and livestock. Fauna, goddess of prophecy, but perhaps a title of other goddesses such as Maia. the God of the Sun, poetry, music and oracles. Ceres. Female: Mantus: the Manes; the Lares; ghosts, restless spirits and undead; Mantus: Mantus was the Roman god of the dead and ruler of the underworld. The Greek name … In Greek mythology, Maia is the eldest of the seven daughters of the pre-Olympian Titan, Atlas and the nymph, Pleione. Maia[1] /ˈmeɪ.ə/ (Greek: Μαῖα; Latin: Maia), in ancient Greek religion, is one of the Pleiades and the mother of Hermes. A daughter of the Titan Atlas and Pleione, Maia was one of the seven mountain nymphs known as Pleiades (Taygete, Elektra, Alkyone, Asterope, Kelaino, Maia, and … 435, Hymn. There Mercury was associated with Maia, who became identified as his mother through her association with the Greek Maia, one of the Pleiades, who was the mother of Hermes by Zeus; likewise, because of that Greek connection, Mercury was considered the son of Jupiter. The Roman goddess:In Roman Mythology, Maia Maiestas was an earth goddess. - Roman Goddess. [21], One of the seven Pleiades sisters and the mother of Hermes from Greek mythology, The references used may be made clearer with a different or consistent style of, Although the identification of Mercury is secure, based on the presence of the, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Maia&oldid=992861478, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia references cleanup from May 2017, Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from May 2017, All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2010, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 7 December 2020, at 14:21. Finally, Apollo exchanged the cattle for the lyre, which became one of his identifying attributes. A star in the constellation Taurus. She causes the plants to grow through Her gentle heat, and the month of May is probably named for Her. Her name is related to μαῖα (maia), an honorific term for older women related to μήτηρ (mētēr) 'mother',[citation needed] also meaning "midwife" in Greek. the Goddess … Mantus: Meditrina: Meditrina was the Roman goddess of wine, health, longevity, healing and medicine. Goddess Maia. A female given name from Latin of recent usage. Chthonic deity [6]. In Mercury There Mercury was associated with Maia, who became identified as his mother through her association with the Greek Maia, one of the Pleiades, who was the mother of Hermes by Zeus; likewise, because of that Greek connection, Mercury was considered the son of Jupiter. 42, &c.) Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Maia, Goddess of fertility and Spring Mana Genita, goddess of infant mortality Manes, the souls of the dead who came to be seen as household deities. Maia would be named as Greek goddess of nursing mothers, making Maia one of a number of goddesses associated with motherhood in the Greek pantheon, alongside the likes of Leto and Tethys. Arcas, the son of Zeus by Callisto, was given to her to be reared. § 2, 8. 3; Hes. Chthonic deity [6]. She was also held as the goddess of plants and of the spring. Maia and Jupiter or Caelus and Dies (Cicero and Hyginus) Consort: Larunda: Children: Lares: Equivalents; Greek equivalent: Hermes: Hinduism equivalent: Budha: Norse equivalent : Wodin: Seated Hermes, excavated at the Villa of the Papyri. ad Lycoph. Maia is the greek goddess of nurture and it is this philosophy that flows through everything the company does, offering a home for a new generation of original, authored, bold voices telling authentic stories that impact the world today. "Originally, she may have been a homonym independent of the Greek Maia, whose myths she absorbed through the Hellenization of Latin literature and culture. P ronounced MAY-ah, the Goddess Maia comes to us from Greek and Roman mythology. According to the Homeric Hymn to Hermes, Zeus in the dead of night secretly raped Maia, who avoided the company of the gods, in a cave of Cyllene. She became pregnant with Hermes. Od. Maia and Hermes In Greek mythology, Maia is one of the Pleiades and the mother of Hermes. June -- Juno's month Middle English jun(e) Old French juin Old English junius Latin Junius "of Juno" Latin Junius mensis "month of Juno" Junius had 30 days, until Numa when it had 29 days, until Julius when it became 30 days long. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Maia-Roman-goddess. Theog. [17], The month of May (Latin Maius) was supposedly named for Maia, though ancient etymologists also connected it to the maiores "ancestors", again from the adjective maius, maior, meaning those who are "greater" in terms of generational precedence. Februus, god of Etruscan origin for whom the month of February was named; concerned with purification; Febris, "Fever," goddess with the power to cause or prevent fevers and malaria. Together they form the … Her name means "She Who is Great", and is related to Oscan mais and Latin majus, both of … Adopted Greek goddess associated with earth goddesses Terra and Bona Dea: Atlas and Pleione (an Oceanid nymph) Jupiter: Mania: Mania was the Roman goddess of the dead and ruler of the underworld. In Roman myth, Mercury (Hermes), the son of Maia, was the father of the twin Lares, a genealogy that sheds light on the collocation of ceremonies on the Kalends of May. She was explicitly identified with Earth (Terra, the Roman counterpart of Gaia) and the Good Goddess (Bona Dea) in at least one tradition. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Maia refused to believe Apollo when he claimed that Hermes was the thief, and Zeus then sided with Apollo. Mania, the consort of the underworld god Mantus Mantus, a god of the dead Mars the God of War and father of Romulus, the founder of Rome Mater Matuta, goddess of dawn and childbirth, patroness of mariners. The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable ELIZABETH KNOWLES 10. She is typically represented as a fertility Goddess associated with Spring and the month of May. Maia (Maya) Zodiac Print of the ancient Roman goddess Maia, from which the month May gets its name, 1698, The British Museum From the Latin adjective maior (‘greater’) comes the name of the minor Roman deity Maia (Maya), who was associated with the earth, natural power, and growth. Maia (Greek mythology) Daughter of Atlas and mother of Hermes. 219; Horat. Maia is a female-run company empowering women to support their health naturally. Both Mercury and Maia were honoured… With the same root as the word “majesty,” Goddess Maia represents the peak of spring’s fertility and blooming. § 2; Tzetz. In Roman culture, Maia was honored beyond her role as the mother of Mercury. On the first day of May, the Lares Praestites were honored as protectors of the city,[18] and the flamen of Vulcan sacrificed a pregnant sow to Maia, a customary offering to an earth goddess[19] that reiterates the link between Vulcan and Maia in the archaic prayer formula. In Roman mythology, Maia is a goddess associated with Vulcan and also (by confusion with the Greek goddess) with Mercury, the Roman equivalent of Hermes. As a Roman goddess, however, Maia is also called Maia Maiestas, meaning the “good goddess”, “great or powerful”, “more” or “she who is great”. 1, 2. The month of May is named after her. Bacchus. "[6] Because they were daughters of Atlas, they were also called the Atlantides.[7]. Di inferi. She causes the plants to grow through Her gentle heat, and the month of May is probably named for Her. [9] The story of Callisto and Arcas, like that of the Pleiades, is an aition for a stellar formation, the constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, the Great and Little Bear. She is associated with the Earth … Maia was the name of one of the Pleiades, seven daughters of Atlas and Pleione. ORIGIN: Greece. Maia also raised the infant Arcas, the child of Callisto with Zeus. In ancient Roman religion and myth, Maia embodied the concept of growth, [11] as her name was thought to be related to the comparative adjective maius, maior, "larger, greater. Di inferi. [12], In an archaic Roman prayer,[13] Maia appears as an attribute of Vulcan, in an invocational list of male deities paired with female abstractions representing some aspect of their functionality. Our mission and commitment is to offer high quality, effective, natural products that help women thrive. It is even rumored that Maia was the ancient and original name of the original Bona Dea whose name was so sacred it was forbidden to be spoken aloud. Throughout history, May has been a month of celebrations, and in Roman, Greek, and Celtic traditions, Goddess Maia has represented sexuality, creativity, and growth. Carm.i. Maia: Mania: Mania was the Roman goddess of the dead and ruler of the underworld. Greek and Roman mythology often have the same Gods but with different names because many Roman Gods are borrowed from Greek mythology, often with different traits. When she was living in the cave, she gave birth to the god Hermes in secret. Hermes was the son she had following an affair with Zeus. But the Romans had yet another goddess named Maia, who just happened to share a name with the Greek goddess. Mania - Goddess of the Underworld and the dead. in Merc. MAIA (Maia or Maias), a daughter of Atlas and Pleione (whence she is called Atlantis and Pleias), was the eldest of the Pleiades, and in a grotto of mount Cyllene in Arcadia she became by Zeus the mother of Hermes. After giving birth to the baby, Maia wrapped him in blankets and went to sleep. One reason for this was because of a coincidence of etymology. Juno is the principle goddess of the Roman Pantheon. (Roman mythology) The goddess of growth after whom the month May (Latin maius) was named. It was named after Maia, a Roman fertility goddess. Arcas is the eponym of Arcadia, where Maia was born. 11 May sacrifice day to Mania, possibly as part of the public Lemuralia ceremony. Chthonic deity [6]. [14] Her identity became theologically intertwined also with the goddesses Fauna, Ops, Juno, Carna, and the Magna Mater ("Great Goddess", referring to the Roman form of Cybele but also a cult title for Maia), as discussed at some length by the late antiquarian writer Macrobius. Both Mercury and Maia were honoured…. This Maia was the mother of Hermes, the messenger of the Gods. Fecunditas, personification of fertility. xiv. It is the fourth brightest star in the Pleiades cluster. You work hard for your health. Originally, she may have been a homonym independent of the Greek Maia, whose myths she absorbed through the Hellenization of Latin literature and culture. … Find out what the relationships were between all of the principle Roman gods and goddess who are referred to as the 'Dei Consentes'. The Greek nymph Maia was the mother of Hermes (in Roman religion, he was called Mercury) with Zeus and was associated, by the Romans, with the goddess of spring, Maia Maiestas. She was the mother of the Olympian Hermes by Zeus, as such she features in myths about his birth and early life. Originally, she may have been a homonym independent of the Greek Maia, whose myths she absorbed through the Hellenization of Latin literature and culture. Faunus, god of flocks. Background and Personal Life . 66 Maja, a main belt asteroid. She was explicitly identified with Earth (Terra, the Roman counterpart of Gaia) and the Good Goddess (Bona Dea) in at least one tradition. Wronged by the love affair, Zeus' wife Hera in a jealous rage had transformed Callisto into a bear. The goddess Maia was also a midwife, (Maia also means midwife in Greek), bringing new life into the world, her name is also linked to ‘μαῖα’ (maia), a title, in ancient Greece, for older women. According to ancient Roman mythology there were 12 major gods and goddesses who are collectively called the 'Dei Consentes' who sat on the Council of Gods and their names are the most famous. As with her Greek counterpart, the Roman goddess of plants and of the Underworld, but perhaps a of... Mission and commitment is to offer high quality, effective, natural products that help women thrive arcas the! Transformed Callisto into a bear, Apollo exchanged the cattle for the lyre, which became one his! 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