Ceres (mythology) - References to Ceres

The ancient Italian corn-goddess, an early cult at Rome. She was given characteristics and stories associated with Demeter.

Ceres was the daughter of Saturn and Ops, wife-sister of Jupiter, mother of Proserpina by Jupiter and sister of Juno, Vesta, Neptune and Pluto.

Ceres was also patron of Enna, Sicily.

The Romans adopted Ceres in 496 BC during a devastating famine, when the Sibylline books advised the adoption of her Greek equivalent Demeter, along with Kore (Persephone) and Iacchus (possibly Dionysus). Ceres was personified and celebrated by women in secret rituals at the festival of Ambarvalia, held during May. There was a temple to Ceres on the Aventine Hill in Rome. Her primary festival was the Cerealia or Ludi Ceriales ("games of Ceres"), instituted in the 3rd century BC and held annually on April 12 to April 19.

Ceres had twelve minor gods who assisted her, and were in charge of specific aspects of farming: "Vervactor who turns fallow land, Reparator who prepares fallow land, Imporcitor who plows with wide furrows" (whose name comes from the Latin imporcare, to put into furrows), "Insitor who sowed, Obarator who plowed the surface, Occator who harrowed, Sarritor who weeded, Subruncinator who thinned out, Messor who harvested, Conuector who carted, Conditor who stored, and Promitor who distributed".

References to Ceres

The word cereals derives from Ceres, commemorating her association with edible grains. A statue of Ceres tops the dome of the Vermont State House serving as a reminder of the importance of agriculture in that U.S. state's economy and history.

The dwarf planet 1 Ceres (discovered 1801), is named after this goddess.