Egeria was the Roman nymph or goddess reputed to have advised King Numa in establishing Rome’s religious laws and rituals.
Egeria was portrayed as the divine consort, counselor, and prophetic guide of Numa Pompilius, Rome’s legendary second king. According to the tradition, she revealed sacred practices, helped organize religious institutions, and gave Numa the wisdom needed to make Roman worship orderly and lawful. Her name later became an English eponym for a female adviser or counselor.
Egeria was associated with springs, sacred groves, prophecy, and childbirth. A spring and grove near the Porta Capena in Rome were dedicated to her, and their water was reserved for the Vestal Virgins. She was also linked with the Camenae, ancient Roman prophetic and fountain deities later compared with the Greek Muses.
Stories differ about Egeria’s relationship with Numa: some call her his consort, while others treat the romance skeptically. One legend says that after Numa’s death, Egeria wept until she was transformed into a spring. She is sometimes confused with Carmenta, another prophetic female deity, but Egeria’s defining role is her counsel to Numa and her connection with Rome’s sacred law.