Home › Glossary › Letter S

Sancus

Mythology
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

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

Ancient Roman deity presiding over oaths, good faith, and contractual integrity, invoked to sanctify promises and treaties.

Detailed Definition
Sancus (or Sangus) was a Sabine deity adopted into Roman religion, overseeing good faith in agreements and divine sanctions against perjury. His shrine stood on the Quirinal Hill. In Roman poetry, he appears in contexts of justice and moral integrity. Poets reference Sancus to underscore the sanctity of promises, the fragility of social trust, and the divine enforcement of ethical conduct in both public and private life.
Example
Example in poetry:
Sancus, god of trust and oaths, appears in inscriptions as “Dius Fidius, Sancus of good faith”; Ovid notes his shrine on the Quirinal; In Roman legal poetry, Sancus “punishes perjurers with lightning”; Varro describes Sancus as “guarantor of contracts and hospitality”; In hymns, Sancus is “the god who hears sworn words”; Martial swears “by Sancus” to affirm truth.
Additional Notes
Sancus (or Sangus) is a Sabine god of trust, oaths, and honesty; identified with Dius Fidius; appears in inscriptions and Ovid; symbolizes good faith and contractual integrity; useful in legal or moral poetry; students should note his temple on the Quirinal and his role as lightning-wielder (like Jupiter); perjurers were struck by his bolts; he represents the sacred basis of Roman law and social bonds; his cult reflects pre-Republican religious values.
Also Known As
Dius Fidius Oath-Keeper God of Good Faith Lightning Avenger
Skip to main content