Tuesday, June 03, 2014

Bellona, Goddess & Asteroid

 Standing Bellona by Andrea Schiavone (c. 1535)
We can never go far before bumping into yet another Roman festival! Today, June 3rd was celebrated in ancient Rome as the festival of Bellona, goddess of war, identified variously as wife, sister or companion of their war god Mars. Bellona is usually shown wearing a plumed helmet and armor, armed with sword and spear and carrying a shield; sometimes she carries a flaming torch.
"She is described as loud and active, barking orders or war-cries, Her weapons clanging as She runs. She is credited with inspiring violence, starting wars, and goading soldiers into battle; Virgil described Her as carrying a bloodstained scourge or whip. She was believed to make wars and battles go well for those who invoked Her."
(For more see HERE)

Bellona was sufficiently honoured in Rome to have a temple dedicated to her on the Capitoline Hill. Meetings relating to foreign wars were conducted there.
More at Wikipedia
(Illustration from HERE.)


There's a large main belt asteroid named after Bellona, it's #28 in the asteroid list. It was discovered by R. Luther on March 1, 1854; the name was chosen to mark the beginning of the Crimean War.

Using Astrodienst's Extended chart Selection it's possible to discover where Bellona lay at one's time of birth. When I was born it was at 22 Capricorn conjunct my natal Mercury within a degree. What that could mean, if anything, would be to add an energetic Mars-like flavour to the mix. But there are so many asteroids spinning around, I doubt there's much astrological significance other than the curiosity of it all.

On 31 May 2014, if my cack-handed research is correct Bellona was at 19 Aries, so ought to be feeling right at home! (See here.)

8 comments:

mike said...

Well, happy Bellona Day to you, Twilight!

I don't think I would want to be known for her attributes...she's even tougher than her brother, Mars...she sounds like someone you'd meet in a dark ally...LOL. I think we should introduce her to Dick Cheney, but something tells me they've already met.

LB said...

Twilight ~ I always enjoy learning about another asteroid and don't ever (automatically) discount their significance when they're connected to something in our charts.

While asteroid Bellona doesn't aspect anything in my natal chart, by transit she's conjunct my 8th house South Node right now, and I just had a long exchange with a very politically *outspoken* friend from my past. When I pulled up my friend's chart (just for fun), I saw how, in her natal chart, she has asteroid Belladona *exactly* conjunct her Sun and square her Uranus. It fits!

LB said...

P.S. Don't know what happened, Twilight, but I think transiting Bellona was at 19 degrees Aries on May 31, 2014. I used the link you provided and it came up same as Astro.com.

Twilight said...

mike ~ Yes, she hangs around Congress goading 'em on - you can depend on it!
;-(

Twilight said...

LB ~ LOL! Maybe the movement of these small bodies do have some passing significance then. I don't know...but whatever floats the boat for each of us has to be the current to follow. :-)

Oh yes, thanks - I've tried again on the ephemeris and you're right...I either mis-typed or didn't have my proper glasses on and thought the 9 was a 0 - I'll amend it in the post. Thanks again for checking.


LB said...

Twilight ~ Thanks for posting about Bellona.

Today's "coincidence" was pretty amazing.:)

Amable said...

After reading this post I began to study the asteroid (28) Bellona. Here is the link with what I found:

http://main-belt-astrology.blogspot.com.es/2014/07/bellona-face-to-face-handkerchief.html

Twilight said...

Amable ~ thank you! The link didn't work but I found the post via your blog and the search facility there.