Vertumnus

In Roman mythology, Vertumnus (Vortumnus, Vertimnus) was the god of seasons, change and plant growth, as well as gardens and fruit trees. He could change his form at will; using this power, he tricked Pomona into marrying him by disguising himself as an old woman.

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Vertumnus' cult arrived at Rome around 300 BC (from his Etruscan counterpart: Voltumna) and a temple to him was constructed on the Aventine Hill in 264 BC. A statue of him was placed at the Vicus Tuscus. His festival was the Vertumnalias on August 13.

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His name comes from vertere meaning "changing".

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Roman mythology: Roman mythology can be considered as two parts. One part, largely later and literary, consists of whole-cloth borrowings from Greek mythology. The other, largely early and cultic, functioned in very different ways from its Greek counterpart....

Pomona: In Roman mythology, Pomona was the goddess of fruit trees. She scorned the love of Silvanus and Picus but married Vertumnus after he tricked her, disguised as an old woman. Her high priest was called the flamen Pomonalis. The pruning knife was her attribute....

Rome: Rome (Italian and Latin: Roma) is the capital city of Italy and of its Latium region. It is located on the Tiber and Aniene rivers, near the Mediterranean Sea, at . The Vatican City, a sovereign enclave within Rome, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church and the home of the Pope....