Ceres is the only one of Rome's many
agricultural deities. The Romans saw her
as the counterpart of the Greek goddess Demeter, whose mythology and cult was
introduced in the Roman art and literature.
Ceres was credited with the discovery of wheat (Latin far),
the yoking of oxen and ploughing, the sowing, protection and nourishing of the
young seed, and the gift of agriculture to humankind.
As much of Rome's grain was imported from
territories of Magna Graecia, Romans considered Sicily as Ceres' "earthly
home". From
the end of the 3rd century BC, Demeter's temple at Enna, served both deities and was considered as
Ceres' oldest, and most important cult center.
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