Introduction to Libitina
Libitina is the Roman goddess of funerals, death, and burials. Her cult was mainly associated with funeral rites and the management of deaths in Roman society. She was worshiped as the guardian of departed souls, and her sanctuary, located on the Esquiline Hill, served to record deaths and organize funerals. The libitinarii, the funeral directors of the time, worked under her patronage. Due to her close connection with death, the name Libitina is often used as a euphemism for death itself in Roman poetry.
Correspondence Table for Libitina
| Planet | Saturn |
| Day | Saturday |
| Number | 13 |
| Colors | Black, gray |
| Sacred Places | Sacred grove on the Esquiline, Rome |
| Offerings | Coins, flowers, funerary objects |
Symbol and Appearance of Libitina
Libitina is often associated with funerary objects such as the bed on which the deceased rest and the coin used as a fee for each death. Although she is sometimes identified with Venus in her aspect as goddess of life and death, Libitina primarily embodies the dark and inevitable part of human existence.
Genealogy of Libitina
Libitina is sometimes linked to deities such as Proserpina (Persephone), the goddess of the Underworld, due to their shared association with death and the afterlife. She is also connected to older mythological figures, potentially from Etruscan tradition. However, her specific role in Roman mythology is mainly functional, related to funeral rituals and the management of the dead.
