Mercury: The Classical Source: Century Tower

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Mercury

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Mercury was the Roman god of commerce. He was closely associated with Hermes, the messenger or herald of the gods in Greek mythology. Mercury was the patron god of shopkeepers and merchants. This is reflected in the etymology of Mercury’s name; “Mercury” believed to be derived from Latin word “merx” meaning “trade.” Mercury was also associated with travelers, transportation, thieves, and herds of animals. He was the son of Jupiter, the god of the sky and thunder, and Maia, a nymph.

Mercury was often depicted with a purse which was symbolic of his association with commerce. Other times, he is shown wearing a winged cap or sandals which reference his association with travel. Sometimes, his cap is brimmed, resembling a traveler’s hat. He is also depicted often wearing a knee-length robe or a short cloak.

Mercury is also typically shown holding a caduceus, a rod with two snakes circled around it. (See: Style > Classical Elements). Other symbols of Mercury include rams, hares, cattle, sheep, goats, the crocus flower, and the strawberry tree.

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Mercury is depicted here with several of his typical symbols. He is holding the caduceus, and is wearing a winged cap and a short traveler's cloak with sandals. ("Hermes in Delos" by Egisto Sani is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

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Here Mercury is depicted holding the caduceus and wearing a short traveler's cloak once again. This time, however, he is also depicted holding a coin purse and standing next to a goat. ("Mercury (deity) relief" by Ad Meskens is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0)

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Mercury is often depicted alongside the child version of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and fertility. According to mythology, Jupiter gave Mercury the child to deliver to his adoptive human parents.

Traditionally, it is believed that Mercury is a Roman version of the Greek god Hermes. However, evidence shows that Mercury developed independently of Hermes. As early as 400 B.C., Mercury held a close association with commerce and finance. For instance, in the early 400s, the Temple of Mercury in Rome set up a “collegium of mercatores” (meeting of merchants) to aid financial difficulties in the city. Hermes, on the other hand, never held the same commercial connotations. He is rarely shown with financial symbols such as coin purses; Mercury, on the other hand, is often depicted with such symbols.

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