Which Roman goddess inspired the Statue of Liberty figure?

The Roman goddess who inspired the Statue of Liberty figure is Libertas.

Libertas was the ancient Roman personification of liberty and freedom. Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi’s design draws on this classical tradition: Lady Liberty is a robed female figure, an established artistic symbol of liberty rather than a portrait of a specific modern woman. Her official French name, Liberty Enlightening the World, reinforces that connection.

The statue also combines other symbolic traditions. Her raised torch represents enlightenment, while the tablet in her left arm bears JULY IV MDCCLXXVI, the date of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. A broken chain and shackle lie beneath her left foot, symbolizing emancipation and the end of slavery.

A common mix-up is identifying her with Minerva, Juno, or Diana, all important Roman goddesses. Those figures have different identities and attributes. Libertas is the specific Roman liberty figure associated with the statue’s classical inspiration.