Liberty (goddess)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|
Goddesses named for and representing the concept Liberty have existed in many cultures, including classical examples dating from the Roman Empire and some national symbols such as the British "Britannia."
Classical examplesThe ancient Roman goddess Libertas was honored during the second Punic War by a temple erected on the Aventine Hill in Rome by the father of Tiberius Gracchus. A statue in her honor was also raised by Clodius on the site of Marcus Tullius Cicero's house after it had been razed. The figure also resembles Sol Invictus, the Roman god of sun. Neoclassical referencesIn 1793, during the French Revolution, the Notre Dame de Paris cathedral was turned into a "Temple to Reason" and for a time "Lady Liberty" replaced the Virgin Mary on several altars. National embodiments of Liberty include Britannia in the United Kingdom, "Liberty Enlightening the World," commonly known as the Statue of Liberty[1] in the United States of America, and Marianne in France. DepictionsImage:Ladyliberty mackinacisland.jpg
One of the 50 Lady Liberty statues donated by the Boy Scouts of America is located on Michigan’s Mackinac Island in historic Haldimand Bay
In the United States, "Liberty" is often depicted with the five-pointed American stars, usually on a raised hand. Another hand may hold a sword downward. Depictions familiar to Americans include the following:
|
