In Ancient Roman mythology and culture Sol Invictus, which literally means ‘unconquered sun’, was the official sun god of the later Roman Empire and a patron of soldiers. It is debated whether the cult of Sol Invictus was a continuation of the old Roman god Sol, with Invictus used as an epithet, or was a new cult adopted from the 3rd century AD. Various Emperors, including Aurelian and Constantine, used the image of Sol Invictus on their coinage and other state memorabilia and was recognised as a companion to the Emperor. The goddess Luna was the divine embodiment of the Moon, and was associated with Diana, Juno and the Greek goddess Selene.
To find out more about Roman gods and goddesses, please visit our relevant blog posts: Roman Gods in Mythology and Roman Goddesses in Mythology.
