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The Goddess Diana
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The Goddess Diana

In Roman mythology, Diana was the goddess of the hunt, mythologically similar to the Greek goddess Artemis. The daughter of Jupiter and Latona, Diana was born with her twin brother Apollo on the island of Delos.

A goddess of both chastity and fertility, and also of the moon, Diana's cult became popular throughout the ancient Roman empire, both among the nobility and the lower c

lasses. She was the patron of slaves, who could find sanctuary in her temples, and of women seeking to conceive healthy children. Eternally young and beautiful, she was known to possess a quick temper and fiercely defended her virginity.

Often portrayed with bow and arrow and accompanied either by a deer or hounds, Diana was the goddess of both wild and domestic animals. Her temple in Ephesus was one of the wonders of the world.

In later centuries, Diana figured in European myths of the female Wild Hunt. During the Renaissance, she became a popular figure in art, poetry, and drama. More recently, her early role as a strong female deity has been examined in academic discussions of the history of religions, and she has inspired a branch of the neo-pagan religion. She is an archetype of the competent, free-spirited, independent female.