Their story
Summanus ruled thunder by night, while Jupiter ruled it by day, and Romans assigned lightning to one or the other by the hour it struck. His temple by the Circus Maximus was dedicated on 20 June, and round wheel-shaped cakes called summanalia were offered. Cicero tells how a clay statue of him on the roof of the Capitoline temple was struck by lightning and its head lost, then found in the Tiber where the soothsayers said it would be. By Ovid's time few knew who he was.
Best times to give to them
- Anniversary of his temple, 20 June
- During night storms
What they like being given
- Wheel-shaped cakes
- Incense
- Milk
How to honour them
- Bake a round cake shaped like a wheel on 20 June.
- Sit safely indoors and listen to a night storm.
- Ask for protection from lightning.
How they can help you
- Protection in storms
- Night fears
Symbols
- thunderbolt
- wheel-shaped cakes
- night sky
Sources
- Ovid, Fasti 6
- Cicero, De Divinatione 1.16
- Pliny, Natural History 2.138
- Festus, De Verborum Significatu
More Roman gods
- Jupiter Best and greatest, guardian of Rome
- Mars Father of Rome and guardian of fields
- Mercury Patron of merchants, messages and journeys
- Janus Two-faced god of doors and beginnings
- Saturn King of the golden age and lord of the harvest
- Sol Invictus The unconquered sun, reborn at midwinter
- Neptune Lord of fresh water and the sea
- Vulcan God of fire, both destroying and forging