Sol
Roman personification of the sun, equivalent to the Greek Helios, later elevated to supreme state deity as Sol Invictus
The Myth of Sol
Sol had two distinct phases in Roman religion. The earlier Sol Indiges was an ancient Italian sun deity with a modest cult. But in the 3rd century AD, the emperor Aurelian established the cult of Sol Invictus — the Unconquered Sun — as the supreme state religion, building a magnificent temple and setting his festival on 25 December. This date and many solar symbolism elements were later absorbed into Christmas celebrations. Sol was depicted driving a four-horse chariot across the sky and was closely associated with the emperor himself, whose radiate crown imitated the sun's rays. The day Sunday (dies Solis) preserves his name across many European languages.
Parents
Hyperion and Theia
Symbols
Fun Fact
The festival of Sol Invictus on 25 December was later adopted as the date for Christmas celebrations
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Jupiter
⚡ godKing of gods, sky, thunder
Supreme deity of the Roman pantheon, equivalent to the Greek Zeus, ruling over gods and mortals from the heavens
Helios
⚡ godTitan god of the sun
The Titan who drove the sun chariot across the sky each day, providing light to the world. Helios saw everything that happened under the sun.
God of the Sun
💭 conceptSun, light, truth, cattle of the sun
Helios drives the sun chariot across the sky each day, and Apollo later inherited many solar associations.
Helios
⚡ godTitan who drove the sun chariot daily
Helios was the Titan god who drove the chariot of the sun across the sky each day — seeing everything that happened on earth from his vantage point above.
Luna
⚡ godMoon, night, cycles
Roman goddess of the moon, equivalent to the Greek Selene
Quirinus
⚡ godState, citizenship, the Roman people
Deified form of Romulus, the founder of Rome, worshipped as the divine patron of the Roman citizen body
Neptune
⚡ godSea, earthquakes, horses
Roman god of the sea and freshwater, identified with the Greek Poseidon but originally a deity of springs and rivers
Venus
⚡ godLove, beauty, desire, fertility
Roman goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, identified with the Greek Aphrodite but also revered as ancestress of the Roman people
Apeliotes
⚡ godWind, east
God of the east wind who brought warm rain beneficial to crops and was considered a gentle and favourable deity
Victoria
⚡ godVictory, triumph, success
Roman goddess of victory, equivalent to the Greek Nike
Liber
⚡ godWine, freedom, fertility, male vitality
Ancient Italian god of wine and freedom, later merged with Bacchus and the Greek Dionysus
Helios
🏔 titanThe all-seeing Titan of the sun
The Titan who drove the sun chariot across the sky each day and saw everything that happened on earth below.