Salus was the Roman goddess of health and vitality.
Her name means “safety,” “welfare,” or “well-being,” giving her a broader role than health alone. She originally protected the safety and prosperity of the Roman state, but her influence increasingly extended to personal health. Romans could therefore invoke Salus for both public security and individual physical well-being.
Salus was one of Rome’s older goddesses. A temple to Salus Publica Populi Romani was voted in 304 BC during the Samnite Wars and dedicated on August 5, 302 BC. Her annual Augurium Salutis, held on August 5, sought the continued safety of the Roman state. Her festival was later celebrated on March 30.
Readers often mix Salus up with Hygieia, the Greek goddess of health, or with Fortuna, who governed luck and fortune. Salus was sometimes associated with Hygieia, but the two goddesses were not exact equivalents. In art, Salus is commonly shown feeding a sacred serpent from a shallow offering dish, a symbol later strongly associated with healing.