Vulcan, Roman God of Fire, Volcanoes and Blacksmithing

Discover with us the Roman god Vulcan. Learn about his powers and most famous legends, recognize the myths that surround him.

vulcan god

who was Vulcan?

Vulcan, known as the Roman god of fire, volcanoes and blacksmithing and a member of the council of gods, had the distinction of being the only ugly god. His father, Jupiter, had numerous children, but none with his wife, Juno, who wanted a child of her own. Juno decided to have a baby of her own, which led to the birth of Vulcan.

He was a red-faced, crying baby, so unattractive that the shocked Juno threw him off Mount Olympus. After a day and a night of falling from the heavens, he landed in the sea. The fallen child broke both legs, leaving him with a permanent limp.

The sea nymphs picked up the boy and raised him. He spent his younger years happily wandering the beach, where he found coal that he collected in shells and stored in an underwater grotto. Eventually, he made a fire with the coal and learned to make beautiful objects. Vulcan became so skilled that he became known as the blacksmith of the gods. He created his objects of beauty and magical weapons.

Origin of Vulcan

The talented craftsmen had a special love and appreciation for one of the nymphs who saved him, and crafted a stunning pearl necklace as a gift. She was very proud of her necklace and wore it to a feast of gods on Mount Olympus. Juno was amazed at its beauty and insisted on knowing how to acquire one for herself. Upon learning that it was her abandoned son who made the beautiful object, she insisted that he return to her.

Vulcan was less than enthusiastic about returning to the home of the mother who threw him off a mountain. Instead, he sent a gift to Juno. It was a magic chair made of gold and adorned with jewels. Delighted with her gift, Juno quickly sat on it, but the chair trapped her with unbreakable chains. There she sat for three days, unable to leave her seat.

vulcano

Finally, Jupiter made a deal with Vulcan to save his wife. He promised Vulcan the beautiful goddess Venus in exchange for Juno’s release. Vulcan returned to Mount Olympus and had his stunning wife.

Marriage of Vulcan

Venus was the goddess of beauty, and was considered the most beautiful of all goddesses. Ironically, she ended up married to the ugliest god. Perhaps this is what led her astray, as she was quite unfaithful to Vulcan with several lovers.

At one point, Venus had an affair with Mars, the god of war, and her husband’s brother. When he found out about the affair, Vulcan was outraged and created an unbreakable golden net to trap the adulterers. He had them trapped in the net and called upon the other gods to ridicule and shame them.

However, events did not turn out as he expected. Jupiter was irritated with him for making such a spectacle of the affair, and the other gods mocked Vulcan instead. He decided that it was worth his own humiliation to have his beautiful Venus. According to legends, every time Venus had an affair, Vulcan would get so angry that he would erupt into a volcano. This is why there are so many volcanoes.

Minerva

Before his marriage to the beautiful Venus, most of Vulcan’s problems stemmed from his lack of attractiveness. One day, Jupiter had a terrible headache that would not go away. In an effort to help, Vulcan took an axe and split open his father’s head. Minerva, the goddess of wisdom, was created when she emerged from Jupiter’s split head. Vulcan immediately fell in love with her, but she was not interested in the ugly god at all and rejected him outright.

vulcanus god

Pandora

When mankind stole the secrets of fire, Jupiter was outraged and called upon the other gods to create a poisonous gift as punishment. It was Vulcan who molded the charming but foolish Pandora from clay. When she married the Titan Epimetheus, she brought a gift from the gods. It was a box, with a warning that it was not to be opened. It became infamously known as Pandora’s Box, for once she opened it, all evil was released into the world.

Historical Influence

Every August 23, a festival called Vulcanalia was held in honor of Vulcan. The oldest shrine of Vulcan was located in the Roman Forum, at the base of Capitoline Hill, one of the Seven Hills of Rome. The Romans were advised that the shrines of Vulcan should be located outside the city limits to avoid celebratory fires in the city.

vulcano dios

They gave sacrifices to save grain and food in the fields from fire damage. The Romans associated the time of the festival with earthquakes, fires and volcanic eruptions. In 64 A.D. the great fire of Rome occurred. It was believed that Vulcan needed to be appeased after this event, and additional major sacrifices were made to the god during Vulcanalia each year. Unfortunately, despite the sacrifices, one day later on August 23, 79 A.D. the great eruption of Vesuvius took place, causing the destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Modern Influence

Perhaps the most notable reference in modern culture to Vulcan is the race of extraterrestrial aliens named after him in Star Trek. The planet Vulcan had a surface full of fire, lava fields and volcanoes, apparently in direct reference to the god. The Vulcan race appeared to have a greenish hue due to their copper-based blood (Vulcan was the god of metals). Also, like the Roman god, the Vulcans of Star Trek were skilled craftsmen and were known for their homegrown technology.

Leave a Comment