Aphrodite vs Venus

Aphrodite vs Venus

Venus and Aphrodite are two similar but not identical characters from differing mythologies. Venus, initially the Roman god of vegetation, evolved to become more similar to Aphrodite as the Roman and Greek cultures began to mix.

Both goddesses are typically believed to be beautiful, strong female characters known for their jealousy and many affairs with both gods and mortals.

Aphrodite is said to have had six children by six different fathers (none of which were her husband Hephaestus), while Venus was the mother of two children, one with Vulcan and one with the mortal, Anchises. In Roman mythology, Venus married Vulcan the Greek god of fire. Her mortal son Aenaeas founded Italy after fleeing Troy. As such she was treated with superior honour as she was the celestial ancestor of the Roman empire.

As well as both being the goddesses of love, beauty and sexuality, Aphrodite is often portrayed in her role as the goddess of sexual and pleasurable love. Venus’s roles include being the goddess of desire, fertility, prosperity, the patroness of prostitutes and guardian against vice.

Predominantly, the Roman gods are just the Greek gods that have been renamed with Roman names, meaning that Venus became deliberately associated with Greek goddess Aphrodite. However, Venus took on the aspect of a courteous mother goddess full of pure love and assumed the godly responsibility for domestic happiness, rather than Aphrodite’s immodest, uninhibited side. Venus is identical to the Greek depictions of Aphrodite as an attractive, seductive females.

In summary, they are two very alike and almost indistinguishable characters, with only minor differences.