Gubernaculum (classical)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The ancient rudder's different parts were distinguished by the following names: ansa, the handle; clavus, the shaft; pinna, the blade.[6] The famous ship Tessarakonteres or "Forty" is said to have had four rudders. In the Bible, Paul's ship, which was shipwrecked on Malta, had its rudders (plural)[7] cut loose.[8]
Classical depiction
Various gods such as Tritons and Venus have been shown with a gubernaculum.[9] It is most associated with Fortuna since, along with the cornucopia, it is an item that she is often depicted as holding. The corresponding Greek god Tyche is also regularly shown with a gubernaculum. There are abundant depictions of Fortuna holding the gubernaculum on coins, in paintings, on altars and statues or statuettes.
Fortuna is depicted on around 1000[10] different Roman coins usually holding a gubernaculum.[11]
A sandstone statuette of Fortuna,[12] the Roman god of luck, fate, fortune[13] was found at Castlecary and can now be found at the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow, Scotland.[14]
Dupondius Fortuna with gubernaculum
Statuette[15] of the Roman goddess Fortuna, with gubernaculum (ship's rudder),[16] Rota Fortunae (wheel of fortune) and cornucopia (horn of plenty) found near the altar at Castlecary in 1771.[17]
.JPG)
