The Roman goddess of grain and agriculture, equivalent to Greek Demeter, was Ceres.
Ceres governed cultivated crops, grain, fertility, harvests, and nourishment. Romans regarded her as the counterpart of Demeter, and Greek myths about Demeter and Persephone were adapted into stories of Ceres and her daughter Proserpina. Her symbols included wheat, a sickle, a torch, a cornucopia, and a crown of grain.
Ceres was one of Rome’s twelve Dii Consentes, the group broadly compared with the Twelve Olympians. She was also central to the Aventine Triad, a distinctly Roman grouping with Liber and Libera. Her major festival, the Cerealia, lasted seven days in April and included public games. She was additionally honored during agricultural rites such as the Ambarvalia.
A common mix-up is confusing Ceres with Tellus, the earth goddess. Their roles overlapped: Tellus represented the earth as the place where crops grow, while Ceres represented cultivated growth and agricultural productivity. The modern word “cereal” ultimately comes from her name.