Quirinus facts for kids

Denarius picturing Quirinus on the obverse, and Ceres enthroned on the reverse, a commemoration by a moneyer in 56 BC of a Cerialia presented by an earlier Gaius Memmius as aedile

In Roman mythology, Quirinus was an early god of the Roman state. In Augustan Rome, Quirinus was also a name of Janus, as Janus Quirinus.

History

Quirinus was originally most likely a Sabine god. The Sabines had a settlement near the site of what was to become Rome, and erected an altar to Quirinus on the Collis Quirinalis, the Quirinal Hill, one of the Seven Hills of Rome. When the Romans settled there, they absorbed the cult of Quirinus into their early belief system — previous to direct Greek influence — and he was said to be the deified Romulus.

In later times, however, Quirinus became far less important, losing his place to (Juno and Minerva and Mars' place).

Images for kids

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  Denarius of 126 BC; on the right is the flamen Quirinalis with QVIRIN on his shield.

See also

In Spanish: Quirino (mitología) para niños