Abundantia

For the Christian saint, see Saint Abundantia.
Abundantia
Goddess of abundance, money-flow, prosperity, fortune, valuables, and success
A painting of Abundantia made by Peter Paul Rubens
SymbolCornucopia

In ancient Roman religion, Abundantia (Latin pronunciation: [abʊnˈdantɪ.a]), also called Copia,[1] was a divine personification of abundance and prosperity.[2] The name Abundantia means "abundance" in Latin. [3] She would help protect your savings and investments.[4] Abundantia would even assist someone with major purchases.[4] She was among the embodiments of virtues in religious propaganda that cast the emperor as the ensurer of "Golden Age" conditions.[5] Abundantia thus figures in art, cult, and literature, but has little mythology as such. She may have survived in some form in Roman Gaul and medieval France. Abundantia would carry a cornucopia that was filled with grain and coins.[4] She would occasionally leave some of her grain or money at someone's house as a gift.[4]

  1. ^ Joseph Spence. Polymetis: Or, An Enquiry Concerning the Agreement Between the Works of the Roman Poets, and the Remains of the Antient Artists: Being an Attempt to Illustrate Them Mutually from One Another. In Ten Books. R. Dodsley, 1747, p. 148.
  2. ^ Jordan, Michael (2004). A Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses (2, Illustrated ed.). Facts on File. ISBN 9780816059232.
  3. ^ Lewis, Charleston T. (1890). An Elementary Latin Dictionary. New York, Cincinnati, and Chicago: American Book Company. ISBN 9781614274933.
  4. ^ a b c d Virtue, Doreen (2005). Goddesses and Angels. United States of America: Hay House. p. 215. ISBN 978-1-4019-0473-9.
  5. ^ J. Rufus Fears, "The Cult of Virtues and Roman Imperial Ideology," Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt II.17.2 (1981), p. 812.