Editing Mercury (mythology) (section)

==History==
Mercury did not appear among the {{Lang|la|[[numinous]]}} ''{{Lang|la|[[di indigetes]]}}'' of early [[Religion in ancient Rome|Roman religion]]. Rather, he subsumed the earlier [[Dei Lucrii]] as Roman religion was [[syncretism|syncretized]] with [[Religion in ancient Greece|Greek religion]] during the time of the [[Roman Republic]], starting around the 4th century BC.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}} His cult was introduced also by influence of [[Etruscan religion]] in which [[Turms]] had similar characteristics.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/turms_(Enciclopedia-dell%27-Arte-Antica)/ |title=TURMS in "Enciclopedia dell'Arte Antica" |last=Parise |first=N.F }}</ref> From the beginning, Mercury had essentially the same aspects as [[Hermes]], wearing winged shoes ([[talaria]]) and a winged hat ({{Transliteration|el|[[petasos]]}}), and carrying the [[caduceus]], a herald's staff with two entwined snakes that was [[Apollo]]'s gift to Hermes. He was often accompanied by a [[rooster]], herald of the new day,<ref name=":0">[http://exploratorium.galloromeinsmuseum.be/Default.aspx?query=search=deeplink%7C/record/uniqid=obj_3631&showtype=record Exploratorium: Beeldje van Mercurius]</ref> a ram or goat, symbolizing [[fertility]], and a tortoise, referring to Mercury's legendary invention of the [[lyre]] from a tortoise shell.

Like Hermes, he was also a god of messages, eloquence and of trade, particularly of the [[grain trade]]. He was the patron of travelers and the god of thievery as well. Mercury was also considered a god of abundance and commercial success, particularly in [[Gaul]], where he was said to have been particularly revered.<ref>Caesar, Gallic War, at 55</ref> He was also, like Hermes, the Romans' [[psychopomp]], leading newly deceased souls to the afterlife. Additionally, [[Ovid]] wrote that Mercury carried [[Morpheus (mythology)|Morpheus]]'s dreams from the valley of [[Somnus]] to sleeping humans.<ref name="Littleton">Littleton, C. Scott (Ed.) (2002). ''Mythology: The Illustrated Anthology of World Myth and Storytelling'' (pp. 195, 251, 253, 258, 292). London: Duncan Baird Publishers. {{ISBN|1-904292-01-1}}.</ref>

Archeological evidence from [[Pompeii]] suggests that Mercury was among the most popular of Roman gods.<ref>Beard, Pompeii: The Life of a Roman Town at 295–298</ref> The god of commerce was depicted on two early bronze coins of the Roman Republic, the [[Sextans (coin)|sextans]] and the {{Lang|la|[[semuncia]]}}.<ref>Sear, David R. (2000). ''Roman Coins and Their Values&nbsp;– The Millennium Edition''. Volume I: The Republic and The Twelve Caesars, 280BC-AD96 (pp. 187–189). London: Spink. {{ISBN|1-902040-35-X}}</ref>