Who was the Roman goddess of good luck and success?

Felicitas was the Roman goddess of good luck, success, happiness, and prosperity.

Her name comes from the Latin felix, meaning fruitful, blessed, happy, or fortunate. Felicitas represented positive, productive success: abundant crops, personal prosperity, military achievement, and the happiness associated with divine favor. Romans could treat felicitas as both a quality possessed by a person and a blessing granted by the gods.

Felicitas was related to Fortuna, but the two were not identical. Fortuna governed unpredictable fortune and could bring either good luck or misfortune. Felicitas had a consistently positive meaning, making her a better answer for success and flourishing rather than chance alone. The English word “felicity” ultimately comes from her Latin name.

She had a temple in Rome by the mid-second century BC and was honored at official festivals on July 1 and October 9. During the Empire, Felicitas appeared frequently on coins, usually carrying a caduceus and cornucopia—symbols of prosperity, abundance, and well-being. Roman leaders also used her name to present victories and prosperity as signs of divine approval.