In Greek mythology, the Roman name for Demeter, goddess of agriculture, was Ceres.
Demeter governed grain, farming, fertility of the earth, and the orderly cycle of the seasons. Her most famous myth concerns her daughter Persephone, whose time in the underworld was used to explain the seasonal pattern of growth and dormancy.
Roman religion adopted Demeter’s agricultural role as Ceres. The Roman festival Cerealia, held in her honor, took place in April and was associated with the growth of crops. The modern word “cereal” ultimately comes from her Roman name.
Demeter is sometimes confused with Gaia, the primordial earth goddess. Gaia represents the Earth itself, whereas Demeter specifically represents cultivated land, grain, and the human agricultural relationship with the soil.