Veiovis
One of the oldest Roman gods, Veiovis (Vediovis), also commonly known as 'little Jupiter' (i.e. the infant Jupiter), is identified with the ancient Etruscan deity Veive, a god of revenge, who, similar to Apollo, often wears a laurel wreath and carries arrows. Over time Veiovis, also acknowledged for his power of healing, became associated with the Greek Aesculapius. Veiovis was worshipped at Bovillae in Latium, and had temples in Rome on the Capitoline hill and on the Tiber island. An annual festival in his honour was held on March 7. Depicted on the right a denarius of the historian and orator C. Licinius Macer. Here the obverse image portrays a youthful Veiovis as a deity with a destructive nature. Veiovis is shown diademed, with a cloak hanging over his left shoulder, while he hurls a thunderbolt with his right hand. Allegedly lightning hurled by him is supposed to have caused deafness. Some coins bearing the obverse image of Apollo Veiovis, depict on the reverse this youthful god carrying a bundle of arrows, sometimes accompanied by goats. Veiovis is often identified with Apollo. To some followers he was also known as a god of expiation and protector of criminals. However, as a patron, Veiovis proved less fortunate for the Macri, who suffered a crushing defeat in 66 BC. In this year Licinius Macer was impeached by Cicero under the lex de repetundis. He committed suicide to avoid the verdict.  |
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