Salve citizens of Waterloo, I Gaius Lucius Agrippa welcome you once more to the Forum Romanum in our glorious city of Rome! On this day of Maius, in honour of the flowers of spring and the Roman goddess of growth Maia, we bring you the sixth article of Acta Diurna. To celebrate the youth of spring and welcome new life, we will speak of the Roman festival of Rosalia, and of Rome’s goddess of springtime, growth, and increase.
Since the time of the early Romans, Maia has been a part of our pantheon of deities. The Osci (Italic people of Campania and Latium adiectum) from the south of Rome, knew her as an earth goddess, and the Greeks from across the Adriatic knew her as a nurturer. The Greek tradition describes Maia as the daughter of Atlas, the Titan condemned to hold up the sky, and of Pleione the Oceanid Nymph, oldest of the Pleiades. Maia is also known in the Greek custom as the mother to Hermes, as described in the Hymn to Hermes when she had an affair with Zeus which led to the birth to Hermes in the cave of Cyllene. Maia is also to the Greeks known to have raised the child Arcas, son of Zeus and Callisto, who taught the people the art of weaving and baking.
In the Roman world, Maia is known and honoured by many names and also lends her own name to the modern English month of May. In Latin, Maia stems from the word maius or maior (comparative of magnus) meaning ‘larger’ or ‘greater’. In the earlier days of Rome she is often invoked in prayer with the god of fire and metalworking Vulcan. Often in different traditions Maia is also associated with the goddess of the earth, Terra, the good goddess Bona Dea; in some cases she is also associated with the great goddess or great mother, Magna Mater, also known as Cybele. In some cults, Maia has been associated with the prophetic goddess Fauna or Fatua, of the woods and groves, nurturer of creatures; and by extension with Ops the earth goddess of bounty and the wealth of the earth. Similar to the Greek tradition, Romans also see Maia as the mother of the god Mercury (the Roman equivalent of Hermes) who is known especially in May as a patron of merchants, commerce, eloquence, and a bringer of growth in profit.
Although May as a month is often attributed to and celebrated in honour of the goddess Flora, Maia is often honoured by Romans during the first of May alongside Flora during Floria, when Romans wear garlands of flowers (especially roses) around their necks. Maia is also frequently celebrated during the birthday of her son Mercury during the Ides (15th) of May, after the feast of Lemuria. During the Ides of May, a joint sacrifice is often made to both Mercury and Maia that occurs throughout the merchants’ festival that takes place.
Maia, although mostly forgotten in the modern world, has lent her name to this month of May. To many ancient Romans, she ushered in new life, growth, and the warmth of spring. Many sentiments and joys that people in this modern world can still share with us Romans!
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