Fides (Latin:Fidēs) was the goddess oftrust,faithfulness, andgood faith (bona fides) inancient Roman religion.[1][2] Fides was one of the original virtues to becultivated as a divinity with ceremonies and temples.[3]
Fides embodies everything that is required for "honour and credibility, from fidelity in marriage, to contractual arrangements, and the obligation soldiers owed to Rome."[4] Fides also means reliability, "reliability between two parties, which is always reciprocal." and "bedrock of relations between people and their communities",[5] and then it was turned into a Roman deity and from which we gain the English word, 'fidelity'.[6]
Under the nameFides Publica Populi Romani ("Public Trust of the Roman People"),[7] she may be exemplified inMarcus Atilius Regulus, "who refuses to save himself at the expense of theRepublic. Regulus defied his own best interests for those of his country. In this act alone, he acted with fides."[4]
Fides is represented as a young woman crowned with an olive orlaurel wreath,[2] holding in her hand aturtle-dove,[1] fruits or grain,[2] or a military ensign. She wears a white veil.[1]
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TheTemple of Fides on theCapitoline Hill[1] was associated with theFides Publica orFides Publica Populi Romani.[8] Dedicated byAulus Atilius Calatinus,[when?] and restored byMarcus Aemilius Scaurus, the structure was surrounded by a display ofbronze tables of laws and treaties, and was occasionally used forSenate meetings.[8]
According to tradition, Rome's second king,Numa Pompilius, instituted a yearly ceremony on 1 October devoted to Fides Publica, in which the threeflamines maiores (major priests)—theDialis,Martialis, andQuirinalis—were to be borne to her temple in a covered arched chariot drawn by two horses.[1] There they should conduct her services with their heads covered and right hands wrapped up to the fingers to indicate absolute devotion to her and to symbolise trust.[9]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Schmitz, Leonhard (1870)."Fides". InSmith, William (ed.).Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Latin Word Study Tool,Perseus Project,Tufts University.| Deities (Dii Consentes) |  | |
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