Jupiter

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Jupiter, also known as Jove, is the supreme deity of the sky and thunder, reigning as king of the gods in ancient Roman religion and mythology. Throughout the republican and imperial eras, he was the chief deity of the Roman state religion until Christianity rose to dominance within the Empire. In Roman mythology, Jupiter forged a crucial agreement with Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome, to establish fundamental principles of Roman religion, including the importance of sacrifice. Jupiter is widely regarded as having originated from the ancient sky gods. His iconic symbol, the thunderbolt, and his sacred animal, the eagle, held great significance in Roman culture. The eagle was revered for its role in taking auspices and became a powerful emblem of the Roman army, often featured alongside other symbols on coins. As a divine witness to oaths, Jupiter played a vital role in upholding justice and good governance within the Roman state. Many of his functions were centered around the Capitoline Hill, where the citadel stood tall. He formed the core deity of the early Capitoline Triad, alongside Mars and Quirinus. In the later Capitoline Triad, Jupiter stood as the central guardian of the state, flanked by Juno and Minerva. His sacred tree was the mighty oak, a symbol of strength and endurance. The Romans equated Jupiter with the Greek god Zeus, adapting his myths and iconography in Latin literature and Roman art. In the Greek-influenced tradition, Jupiter was the brother of Neptune and Pluto, each governing one of the three realms of the universe: the sky, the waters, and the underworld. The Italic deity Diespiter also emerged as a sky god who revealed himself in the daylight, often identified with Jupiter. Tinia, the Etruscan counterpart to Jupiter, was revered for his powers as a divine ruler of the skies.