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Honos

Mythology
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Roman deity personifying honor, military valor, and chivalric reputation, often paired with Virtus in imperial cults.

Detailed Definition
Honos personifies the virtue of honor, especially in public and military life, often paired with Virtus. Temples were dedicated to him by generals seeking legitimacy. In Roman poetry, he appears as an ideal of noble conduct and civic duty. Though not a frequent subject of narrative, he is invoked in panegyric and epic verse to underscore the moral foundation of Roman heroism and the ethical dimension of glory.
Example
Example in poetry:
Honos, god of honor and chivalry, is paired with Virtus in Cicero’s speeches as civic ideals; In Ennius’ Annals, Honos is “the reward of brave deeds”; Ovid mentions Honos in Fasti as honored alongside Hercules; Roman coinage depicts Honos holding a spear and cornucopia; In Statius’ Thebaid, warriors seek “Honos in death as in life”; Martial praises patrons who embody “Honos without pretense.”
Additional Notes
Honos, god of honor, chivalry, and military distinction, was often paired with Virtus (courage); his temple in Rome was dedicated after the Battle of Pydna (168 BCE); in poetry, Honos represents the public recognition of merit, especially in war; useful for exploring Roman values of glory, duty, and social status; students should contrast Honos (external honor) with pietas (internal duty); he appears in Ennius and later imperial panegyric; note that Cicero philosophically links Honos to justice and the common good.
Also Known As
Honor Military Glory Chivalric Virtue Public Esteem
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