Consus

Consus

Ancient Roman religion

Marcus Aurelius sacrificing Marcus Aurelius (head covered)
sacrificing at the Temple of Jupiter

Practices and beliefs

Imperial cult  · festivals  · ludi
mystery religions · funerals
temples · auspice · sacrifice
votum · libation · lectisternium

Priesthoods

College of Pontiffs · Augur
Vestal Virgins · Flamen · Fetial
Epulones · Arval Brethren
Quindecimviri sacris faciundis

Jupiter · Juno · Neptune · Minerva
Mars · Venus · Apollo · Diana
Vulcan · Vesta · Mercury · Ceres

Other deities

Janus · Quirinus · Saturn ·
Hercules · Faunus · Priapus
Liber · Bona Dea · Ops
Chthonic deities: Proserpina ·
Dis Pater · Orcus · Di Manes
Domestic and local deities:
Lares · Di Penates · Genius
Hellenistic deities: Sol Invictus · Magna Mater · Isis · Mithras
Deified emperors:
Divus Julius  · Divus Augustus
See also List of Roman deities

Related topics

Roman mythology
Glossary of ancient Roman religion
Religion in ancient Greece
Etruscan religion
Gallo-Roman religion
Decline of Hellenistic polytheism
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In ancient Roman religion, the god Consus was the protector of grains and (subterranean) storage bins (silos), and as such was represented by a grain seed.

His altar was placed beneath the ground (or, according to other sources, simply covered with earth, which was swept off at his festival) near the Circus Maximus in Rome.[1] The altar was unearthed only during the Consualia, his festival which took place on August 21 (and another one on December 15). Mule or horse races were the main event of the festival because the mule and the horse were Consus' sacred animals.[1] Horses and mules were crowned with chaplets of flowers, and forbidden to work.

Consus' name has no certain etymology down to the present time. This name seems to be Etruscan or Sabine in origin. It seems that Consus' name is really related to the one of Ops as Consivia (or Consiva), itself related to "crops, seeding" (Latin conserere ("to sow"); see Ops; Opalia and Opiconsivia). According to Varro (L. I. 6:20), Consualia dicta a Consus ("The Consualia are so named after Consus").

Shortly after his own festivals the ones for Ops, the Opiconsivia or Opalia, were held every August 25 and December 19, these being the periods respectively of the reaping and the seeding of crops.

Consus also became a god associated with secret conferences, perhaps due to a common misinterpretation of his name. The Latins (Romans) associated Consus' name with consilium ("councils, synagogues, assemblies; place where councils assemble"). This word should not be confused with "counsel" ("advice"). It in fact expresses the idea of "sitting together" (consentes), "being together" (con-sum) or perhaps "called together, conclaimed" (con-calare). The connection of Consus with these secret councils is attested by Servius (En. 8:636): Consus autem deus est consiliorum ("Consus is however the god of councils").

As such, it seems that Consus was a member of the council of the Di Consentes ("Council of the Gods") formed by six gods and six goddesses which assembled in order to assist Jupiter in making great decisions such as destroying Troy or Atlantis with a Flood, etc.. This tradition is due to the Etruscans, but is also widely attested in Greece as well, for instance, in Homer.

Consus was often called Neptunus Equestris ("Equestrian Neptune"). So, his connection with the Greek Poseidon (Neptune) can hardly be denied. Poseidon was also associated with horses and horse racing, a connection which is reminiscent of Atlantis (founded by Poseidon) and its magnificent hippodromes described by Plato in his Critias. According to tradition, it was in the course of the Consualia and its horse races that the Romans kidnapped the Sabine women which they married in order to found their own nation.[1]

Sources

  1. ^ a b c Aldington, Richard; Ames, Delano (1968). New Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology. Yugoslavia: The Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited, 209.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Consus — o Conso era, en la mitología romana, el dios protector de los cereales y los silos subterráneos (por lo que era considerado un dios ctónico), y como tal era representado por una semilla de trigo. Su altar estaba situado bajo tierra cerca del… …   Wikipedia Español

  • Consus — war einer der vielen kleinen Götter der römischen Religion. Er war der Gott der eingebrachten Ernte. Sein Altar in der Nähe des Circus Maximus lag, wie die gelagerte Ernte, unterirdisch und wurde nur während Consus Festen ausgegraben. Seine Feste …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Consus — Consus, römischer Gott, gehörte zu den Erdgöttern, Romulus soll seinen Dienst eingeführt haben, als er sich durch List Frauen für seine Colonie verschaffen wollte, u. C. galt deshalb als Gott der geheimen Anschläge. Sein unterirdischer Altar im… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Consus — Consus, altitalischer Erd und Saatgott, dessen Altar in Rom im Circus maximus unter der Erde lag und nur an seinen von Hirten und Bauern gefeierten Hauptfesten, den Consualia, 20. Aug. (nach der Ernte) und 15. Dez. (nach der Aussaat), aufgedeckt… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • CONSUS — qui Neptunus quoque, Rex laticum et rerum conditarum, consiliorum Deus putabatur, qui ideo templum sub tecto in Circo habebat, ut ostenderetur tectum esse debere consilium. Hinc Consualia festa, quae fiebant in honorem Consi. Liv. l. 1. c. 9.… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • Consus — {{Consus}} »Berger« (zu lat. condere, bergen): römischer Gott der eingebrachten Ernte und der ausgebrachten Saat. Entsprechend dieser Doppelfunktion wurden zu seinen Ehren zwei Feste gefeiert, eines im August, ein anderes im Dezember. Der Altar… …   Who's who in der antiken Mythologie

  • Consus — Le dieu latin Consus a été rapproché du dieu grec Poséidon Hippios des Grecs en raison des courses de chevaux et de chars qui avaient lieu en l honneur du dieu romain, comme à la fête du dieu grec. Mais rien n autorise à croire que ces deux… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Consus — ▪ ancient Italian deity       ancient Italian deity, cult partner of the goddess of abundance, Ops. His name was derived from condere (“to store away”), and he was probably the god of grain storage. He had an altar at the first turn at the… …   Universalium

  • Consus — Cọnsus   [zu lateinisch condere, consum »bergen«], der altrömische Gott des glücklich in den Scheuern geborgenen Erntesegens. Die Consualia, sein Hauptfest, wurden am 21. 8. und am 15. 12. gefeiert …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Autel de Consus — Lieu de construction Murcia Date de construction Monarchie romaine Ordonné par Type de bâtiment Autel Le plan de Rome ci dessous est intemporel …   Wikipédia en Français

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