Ceres, << SIHR eez >>, was the goddess of grain, the harvest, and agriculture in Roman mythology. The worship of Ceres dates back to early Roman history. The Romans dedicated a temple to her in 493 B.C. She was one of the six children of Saturn and his sister Ops. Ceres came to be identified with the Greek goddess Demeter.
Ceres was worshiped primarily by the common people of Rome and by farmers outside the city. A festival called the Cerealia honored her each year from April 12 to April 19. The word cereal comes from her name.
The most important story about Ceres tells of her search for her daughter Proserpina, who was called Persephone in Greek mythology. The girl had been kidnapped by Pluto, the Roman god of the dead. For details of this myth, see Persephone.
