In
Roman mythologyRoman mythology, or Latin mythology, refers to the mythological beliefs of the Italic people inhabiting the region of Latium and its main city, Ancient Rome. It can be considered as having two parts; One part, largely later and literary, consists of borrowings from Greek mythology...
,
Flora was a
goddessA goddess is a female deity. Often deities are part of a polytheistic system that includes several deities in a pantheon. In some cultures goddesses are commonly associated with the Earth, motherhood, love, and the household, often reflecting the historical gender roles of that culture...
of flowers and the season of
springSpring is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition period between winter and summer. Its days are close to twelve hours long with increasing day length, as it occurs near the time of an equinox. In the Northern Hemisphere, spring runs from March into May, and in the Southern Hemisphere it...
. While she was otherwise a relatively minor figure in Roman mythology, being one among several
fertility goddessThe fertility goddesses are the female deities to watch over and promote fertility, pregnancy, and birth in many polytheistic cultures. In some cases these deities were directly associated with sex, and in others they simply embodied related attributes. Some examples include Aphrodite in ancient...
es, her association with the spring gave her particular importance at the coming of springtime. Her festival, the
FloraliaThe Floralia, also known as the "Florifertum," was an ancient Roman festival dedicated to the goddess Flora. It was held on April 27 to May 3 and symbolized the renewal of the cycle of life, marked with dancing, drinking, and flowers. The Floralia was on the IV Kalends May...
, was held in April or early May and symbolized the renewal of the cycle of life, marked with dancing, drinking, and flowers. Her
GreekGreek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
equivalent was
Chloristhumb|250px|right| "As she talks, her lips breathe spring roses:I was Chloris, who am now called Flora." [[Ovid]]There are many stories in Greek mythology about figures named Chloris...
. Flora was married to
FavoniusFavonius was a Roman nomen, meaning "favorable". It applied to a number of Roman mythological and historical figures:* Favonius, one of the Roman wind gods, who held dominion over plants and flowers and was generally equated with the Greek god Zephyrus ....
, the wind god, and her companion was
HerculesHercules is the Roman name for the mythical Greek demigod Heracles, son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmena. Early Roman sources suggest that the imported Greek hero supplanted a mythic Italic shepherd called "Recaranus" or "Garanus", famous for his strength, who dedicated the Ara Maxima that became...
. Due to her association with plants, her name in modern English also means plant life.
Flora achieved more prominence in the neo-pagan revival of Antiquity among
RenaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Florence in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe...
humanistsHumanism is a perspective common to a wide range of ethical stances that attaches importance to human dignity, concerns, and capabilities, particularly rationality. Although the word has many senses, its meaning comes into focus when contrasted to the supernatural or to appeals to authority...
than she had ever enjoyed in ancient Rome.
One of the fairies in the
Sleeping Beauty (1959 film)Sleeping Beauty is a American animated feature produced by Walt Disney and based on the fairy tale "La Belle au bois dormant" by Charles Perrault. It was released to theatres on January 29, 1959 by Buena Vista Distribution...
is named Flora after this goddess.
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