Laetitia (goddess)

O: draped and cuirassed bust with radiate crown IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG	R: Laetitia holding wreath and anchor LAETITIA AVG N (Joy of our Emperor)
silver antoninianus struck by Gordian III in Rome late 240 - July 243 AD; ref.: RIC 86

Laetitia, deriving from the root word lætitia, æ, f. (latin), meaning "happy", "glad", "jubilation" "prosperous", or "abounding", was a minor Roman goddess of fertility. Her name was used to mean happiness with prosperity and abundance. She is usually shown with greenery to depict the abundance of seasonal decorations that many sites would include. Wreaths of flowers or leaves are commonly worn at festivals or holy rituals, similarly Laetitia would be shown wearing a garland to mean celebration. She was sometimes depicted on Roman coinage with an anchor, as a representation of stability, or, like Fortuna, a ship's rudder symbolizing her guiding one to good fortune or prosperity.

Laetitia, engraved on different coins. These are denarius of Julius Maesa showing us the goddess Laetitia.

See also

• 39 Laetitia