Venti

"Winds." The gods of the winds, the Roman counterparts of the Anemoi of the Greeks. They are Aquilo, also called Septentrio, Auster, Vulturnus, and Favonius. Other minor wind deities are Caecius, Apeliotus, Caurus or Corus, Afer ventus or Africus.

In Rome the tempests (tempestates) had a sanctuary of their own with regular sacrifices at the Porta Capena, which was founded in 259 BCE, in consequence of a vow made for the preservation of a Roman fleet in a storm at sea. Roman generals when embarking usually offered prayers to the winds and storms, as well as to the other gods, and cast offerings and bloody sacrifices into the waves to propitiate them. To the beneficent winds white animals were offered, and those of a dark color to the malignant equinoctial and winter storms. The victims were generally rams and lambs.

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