Also called Iuno.
Their story
Just as each man had a Genius, Roman writers speak of each woman having her own Juno, a guardian spirit. Women swore by their Juno, and Tibullus describes birthday offerings to a woman's Juno. Seneca notes that the ancients assigned a Genius or a Juno to everyone. Evidence is thinner than for the Genius, but inscriptions to the Juno of individual women survive.
Best times to give to them
- Your birthday
- Matronalia, 1 March
- Kalends of each month
What they like being given
- Flowers
- Incense
- Honey cakes
- Milk
How to honour them
- Give your own Juno an offering on your birthday.
- Honour the women of your household on 1 March.
- Speak kindly to yourself as if to a guardian.
How they can help you
- Self-worth
- Women's strength
- New years of life
Symbols
- peacock feather
- libation bowl
- flowers
Distinct from the great goddess Juno, although linked in name.
Sources
- Seneca, Epistles 110.1
- Tibullus 3.12
- Pliny, Natural History 2.16
More Roman spirits
- The Lares Guardian spirits of the household and crossroads
- Penates Guardians of the household store cupboard
- Manes The honoured spirits of the family dead
- Genius The divine double of each man and household
- Lares Compitales Guardians of crossroads and neighbourhoods
- Forculus and Limentinus Spirits of the door and the threshold
- Parcae The three Fates of birth and death
- Camenae Spring goddesses of song and prophecy