Uni (mythology)
Uni is the ancient goddess of marriage, fertility, family, and women in Etruscan religion and myth, and was the patron goddess of Perugia. She is identified as the Etruscan equivalent of Juno in Roman mythology, and Hera in Greek mythology. As the supreme goddess of the Etruscan pantheon, she is part of the Etruscan trinity, an original precursor to the Capitoline Triad, made up of her husband Tinia, the god of the sky, and daughter Menrva, the goddess of wisdom.
| Uni | |
|---|---|
Goddess of love, marriage, fertility, family, and women | |
| Member of the Etruscan Triad | |
Terracotta bust of Uni featured at the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia, c. 380 BCE. Clothed in a dress featuring a peplum over the shoulder, a royal diadem, and jewellery. | |
| Personal information | |
| Parents | Satre |
| Siblings | Tinia, Nethuns, Aita, Zerene |
| Consort | Tinia |
| Equivalents | |
| Greek equivalent | Hera |
| Roman equivalent | Juno |
| Hinduism equivalent | Shachi |
| Canaanite equivalent | Astarte |
She is often depicted with a goatskin cloak and sandals whilst holding a shield, similarly to Juno Sospita, wearing a bridal veil, or completely nude.
Livy states (Book V, Ab Urbe Condita) that Juno was an Etruscan goddess of the Veientes, who was adopted ceremonially into the Roman pantheon when Veii was sacked in 396 BC. This seems to refer to Uni. She also appears on the Liver of Piacenza.