The Goddess Fortuna in Imperial Rome: Cult, Art, Text - University of ...

constructed a massive temple dedicated to Venus Felix. 602 The cult statue has
been identified in a first century CE wall painting on the façade of the coactilia
(the shop of M. V. Verecundus) on the Via dell’Abbondanza (VI.IX.6/7). 603 As
previously cited in Chapter 2, Venus Pompeiana holds in her right hand a rudder,
the attribute of Fortuna, and, in the other, an olive branch, a common attribute of
Felicitas. 604 She stands in a chariot pulled by elephants and is adorned by three
erotes. To the left stands Fortuna holding a cornucopia and rudder, balanced on a
sphere, and to the right stands a Genius, both of which are additions from the
imperial age, according to Fortuna’s iconography, as discussed in Chapter 2. 605
That Venus Pompeiana reflects a Sullan creation is acceptable because the
quadriga pulled by four elephants apparently refers to Sulla’s triumphal chariot,
pulled by elephants, according to the ancient sources. 606 Venus’ mural crown,
which appears on representations of Aphrodite as early as fourth century BCE
coinage, and rudder became recognizable features of city Tychai in Republican
Italy, following Greek models, in particular the Tyche of Syracuse.
The wall painting reflects the affinity of Venus with Fortuna in Pompeii
and Rome. Such placation of Venus, stringently tied to the rhetoric of Fortuna
601 LTUR (1999), F. Coarelli, “Venus Erucina, aedes (ad Portam Collinam),” V.114-116,
Richardson (1992) 408, Galinsky (1969) 178-185, Platner and Ashby (1965) 551-552.
602 Zanker (1993) 73-76 with bibliography.
603 Meyboom (1995) 354 fn. 49, Lichocka (1997) 145, 181 with bibliography.
604 Fears (1981c) 878, Ganschow (1997) 585-592.
605 For the association of Fortuna with Genius, see Chapter 5, 283ff.
188