Apollo was the Roman god of music, prophecy, and healing who was also associated with the sun.
Apollo began as a Greek deity and was adopted into Roman religion during the 5th century BCE. Romans retained his name, unlike many gods whose Greek and Roman names differ. He was the son of Jupiter and Latona in Roman tradition and the twin brother of Diana.
Apollo’s prophetic role was especially linked to the oracle at Delphi, while his healing powers were connected with averting plague and illness. His son Asclepius became an important healing god in his own right. Apollo’s musical identity is shown by his lyre and his patronage of poets and musicians.
The sun connection can cause confusion. Sol was the Roman personification of the sun, but Apollo was increasingly identified with solar light, especially in later Greek and Roman thought. Mercury was associated with commerce and messages, Bacchus with wine, and Mars with war—not Apollo’s combination of arts, prophecy, healing, and solar symbolism.