Shrine of Neptune

Neptune was not only a god of the seas, but of water generally. It was a foolish sailor who did not at least honour Neptune a little before embarking. The Mediterranean could be a treacherous sea, and ships could easily be carried away by currents and dashed to pieces on hidden shoals. Neptune, the brother of Jupiter, was quite definitely the 'King of the Sea' and therefore important to any Roman maritime ambitions. While it is tempting to see the Romans as a land power, much of their influence and success was based on naval strength in the Mediterranean world. The chief festival of Neptune, the Neptunalia, took place in the heat of summer at a time when the rivers in central Italy must have been at their lowest after winter and the spring thaw. This must have seemed an excellent time to celebrate Neptune’s bounty, if only to ensure more water in future months! Neptune was also the god of horse racing, which partly explains why dolphin-shaped markers showed the number of laps run in races at the Circus Maximus.