Honor

"Honor." Or Honos, the personification of honor at Rome. After the battle of Clastidium in Cisalpine Gaul, Marcellus vowed a temple, which was to belong to Honor and Virtus in common but as the pontiffs refused to consecrate one temple to two divinities, two temples, one of Honor and the other of Virtus, were built close together. 1

C. Marius also built a temple to Honor, after his victory over the Cimbri and Teutones;2 and, in addition to these, we may mention an altar of Honor, which was situated outside the Colline gate, and was more ancient than either of the other temples.3 Persons sacrificing to him were obliged to have their heads uncovered.4

It should be observed that St. Augustin5 calls the god Honorinus.

❧

Iconography

Honor is represented, especially on medals and coins, as a male figure in armor, and standing on a globe, or with the cornucopia in his left and a spear in his right hand.6

References

Notes

  1. Livy. The History of Rome xxvii, 25; Valerius Maximus, i, 1.8.
  2. Vitruvius. On Architecture vii, preface.; Servius on Virgil's Aeneid i, 12.
  3. Cicero. De Legibus ii, 23.
  4. Plutarch. Roman Questions, 13.
  5. City of God iv, 21.
  6. Hirt, A. (1805). Bilderbuch für Mythologie, Archäologie und Kunst ii, p. iii.

Source

  • Smith, William. (1870). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. London: Taylor, Walton, and Maberly.

This article incorporates text from Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) by William Smith, which is in the public domain.