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| Question:
What gods were known in Roman Sussex? |
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| Venus figurine |
| Small statues of Venus were made in moulds, and were mass-produced. Venus is also found on mosaics. The goddess was associated with beauty, and also with marriages and springtime. |
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| Mercury figurine |
| This is a small bronze figurine of the god Mercury. Mercury was the messenger of the gods, as well as being linked with commerce and profit. |
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| Mother goddess statue |
| This is a carved stone statue, probably of the Celtic mother goddess, found near Fishbourne Roman Palace. British gods and goddesses continued to be worshipped after the Roman invasion, and they were often paired up with Roman gods. |
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| Fortuna statuette |
| Fortuna was a Roman goddess who was believed to control the destiny of human beings. |
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| Cupid |
| Cupid was the son of Venus, and was the god of love. He is often represented as a badly behaved boy, who enjoyed playing tricks on unfortunate lovers. Here he is seen riding a dolphin, as part of Neptune’s procession (thiassos). |
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| Togidubnus dedication stone |
| This marble slab has a temple dedication inscribed on it. The temple was dedicated to Neptune and Minerva. Neptune was a very important Roman god, as he was the god of water, as well as of the sea. People were well aware of the importance of a clean and regular water supply, so it was important to honour Neptune. Minerva was the goddess of wisdom, and a patroness of arts and trades. The dedication stone was found in Chichester, and was probably placed on one of the public temples in the Roman town. |
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| Christian font |
| This is a picture of a large late Roman lead container found at Wiggonholt. On one panel, it has decoration known as a ‘chi-rho’ motif (the first two letters of the Greek word Christos). It is the only evidence for Christianity in Roman Sussex, and may have been used for baptism or for storing holy water. |
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