Fides (deity)

Sestertius struck ca. 112 AD, depicting Pompeia Plotina, the Augusta of the emperor Trajan, with Fides on the reverse

Fides (Latin: Fidēs) was the goddess of trust, faithfulness, and good faith (bona fides) in ancient Roman religion.[1][2] Fides was one of the original virtues to be cultivated as a divinity with ceremonies and temples.[3]

Fides Publica holding a cornucopia and extending a libation bowl on the reverse of a dupondius issued by Vespasian 77–78 AD

Fides embodies everything that is required for "honour and credibility, from fidelity in marriage, to contractual arrangements, and the obligation soldiers owed to Rome."[4] Fides also means reliability, "reliability between two parties, which is always reciprocal." and "bedrock of relations between people and their communities",[5] and then it was turned into a Roman deity and from which we gain the English word, 'fidelity'.[6]

Under the name Fides Publica Populi Romani ("Public Trust of the Roman People"),[7] she may be exemplified in Marcus Atilius Regulus, "who refuses to save himself at the expense of the Republic. Regulus defied his own best interests for those of his country. In this act alone, he acted with fides."[4]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference peck was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Schmitz, Leonhard (1870). "Fides". In Smith, William (ed.). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Latin Word Study Tool, Perseus Project, Tufts University.
  3. ^ Adams, John Paul (May 2009). "The Roman Concept of Fides". Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures College of Humanities, California State University Northridge.
  4. ^ a b Perley, Sara. "Fides Romana: Aspects of fides in Roman diplomatic relations during the conquest of Iberia" (PDF). University of Otago. Retrieved 15 May 2019.[permanent dead link‍]
  5. ^ "God of the Month: Fides". Neptune's Dolphins. 4 October 2017.
  6. ^ Pfingsten, Max. "Roman Virtues and Stoicism -" (PDF). goblues.org. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  7. ^ Samuel Ball Platner (revised by Thomas Ashby) (1929). "Aedes Fidei". A Topography of Ancient Rome. p. 209.