Is This The Goddess Fortuna?

  This sweet goddess cameo pin has traveled at least a hundred years to tell her story. Problem is, she can’t speak and has no one to speak for her. Do you think together we can solve her mystery? We have narrowed it down to four possible goddesses. Is she the Roman goddess Fortuna, also known as Tyche to the Greeks? Or is she the Roman goddess Ceres, known by the Greeks as Demeter? In this article, I’ll lay out the facts about the Roman goddess Fortuna and her Greek counterpart, Tyche. In my next article, I'll tell you all about the Roman goddess Ceres and her counterpart, Demeter. Then, we want to hear from you. Which goddess is she?   Depiction of Tomis Fortuna, Constanta Museum.  

The Roman Goddess Fortuna

The goddess Fortuna originally served as an agricultural deity in the Roman pantheon. She was the first born to Jupiter and the personification of luck. Her association with fertility and harvest inspired artists to depict her as a young maiden holding a cornucopia of abundance. From earliest times, she held the power over prosperity, abundance, and fortune. Therefore, over time she became linked to luck. Good and bad alike. Her followers visited her temple with offerings in order to gain knowledge of the future. Some met with good fortune, while others experienced misfortune. As a result, she earned the reputation of a capricious maiden, bestowing her favor on one, while another suffered from her displeasure. She came to preside over the Wheel of Fortune, and eventually her devotees nicknamed her Lady Luck. Over time, artists began portraying her holding more than a cornucopia. In some renditions, she carries a rudder, signifying her power over the fate of men. In others, she stands on a sphere, indicating the instability of good fortune. Here today, gone tomorrow. (source) Since our maiden carries a cornucopia, she may very well represent the Roman goddess Fortuna.   Goddess Isis-Tyche  

The Greek Goddess Tyche

In the Greek pantheon, the goddess Tyche held the power of good and bad luck. Like her Roman counterpart, Tyche held the fate of men in her hands. Some believe she was born of the union between Oceanus and Tethys, god and goddesses of fresh water. Others say she was the daughter of Zeus. Depictions of Tyche often showed her with wings, wearing a crown and holding a staff. (source) The Greeks attributed unexpected events to Tyche, whether good or bad. She could bless or curse you at birth, or at any point in your life. She also held various items, similar to those held by Fortuna. When she carried a rudder, she held the fate of mankind in her hands. Standing on a ball, she reminded her devotees of the fickle nature of fortune. Holding a cornucopia, the Horn of Plenty, she poured out gifts and abundance on those who pleased her. (source) To balance her power over men, the Greeks often paired Tyche with Nemesis, the goddess of Fair Distribution. She also kept company with the companion spirit Agathos Daimon, whose generous nature tempered the harshness of her influence. (source) So what of our beautiful brooch? Could she represent the goddess of luck, either Fortuna or Tyche? Or is she the goddess Ceres, reigning over the harvest? Follow me to my next article to learn about Ceres, and her Greek counterpart Demeter. ~Angela Magnotti Andrews