Roman Religion and the Cult of Diana at Aricia

CMC Green’s book ‘Roman Religion and the Cult of Diana at Aricia’ is the top book we recommend on Diana and her worship. It shows clear distinction between Diana’s cult and that of Artemis, and how Diana was an entirely separate Goddess, with a separate origin of evolution,  simply influenced by Artemis’ cult as opposed to simply being the Italic form of it. On the contrary, this book look specifically at Diana’s cult, and the many Goddesses that informed it during later development and Hellenisation, such as Hekate, Juno, Proserpina, Selene and Muta.

Also of note is the focus on Diana’s consorts and their legends, something that many other books choose not to focus on because of the problem it creates with merging Diana’s and Artemis’ cults together.

The book has a specific focus on Diana’s Arician Cult- her festivals, the sacred landscape, the history, the rituals, her healing cults and her triform state. Diana’s Cult in Aricia is where the main Nemoralia celebration took place, with the procession down to Lake Nemi- or Diana’s Mirror. It’s where the Rex Nemorensis fought to the death. And it’s where her Sleep Incubation Healing Cult had great impact.

Her Cult at Aricia flourished from the Bronze Age to the Second Century- from the simple woodland grove t the eventual Hellenistic Styled Complex that attracted visitors from around the world. From a simple religious site, to a major force in the political landscape.

This book also shows some of the links between the cult of Diana and the mythos around the Virgin Mary.

If you want to learn about Diana, the Moon Goddess, Queen of the Underworld, Keeper of the Roads, the Healer, the Hunting Goddess, Goddess of the Oppressed, and the Protector of People in Childbirth- this is the book for you.

Why we love it

This is the one book we always recommend to devotees of Diana if they want to develop a deeper practice. This book, although academic, is written with so much soul that the information feels very easy to access. The festivals are brought to life, the beliefs of the worshippers presented with respect and vibrancy. It gives a developed understanding to her being, her religious devotion and the interaction the Goddess has with the landscape. We can not stress enough how important this book is for the modern practitioner or priest.

386 pages

To see how people use these in action, visit our Instagram Page. If you want to learn more about our products, go to our ‘Learn More’ Page.