Vacuna

Vacuna was an ancient Sabine goddess, identified by ancient Roman sources and later scholars with numerous other goddesses, including Ceres, Diana, Minerva, Bellona, Venus, and Victoria. She was mainly worshipped at a sanctuary near Horace's villa (now in the commune of Licenza), in sacred woods at Reate, and at Rome.
The protection she was asked to provide remains obscure. Pomponius Porphyrion calls her incerta specie (of an uncertain kind) in his commentaries on Horace. Renaissance authors and Leonhard Schmitz state that she was a divinity to whom the country people offered sacrifices when the labors of the field were over, that is, when they were at leisure, vacui.
The etymology of her name is linked to lack and privation, and Horace appears to call upon her in favor of a friend to whom one of his epistles is addressed. From this, it has been conjectured that she was prayed to in favor of absent people, family members, or friends.
Ovid mentions rites linked to sacramental fires with attendants either standing or sitting, that he compares to olden ceremonies observed on behalf of Vesta, without any suggestion of field work nor absent dear ones.
Category:Agricultural goddesses
Category:Sabine goddesses
Category:Roman goddesses