Aetnaeus

Aitnaios ( Αἰτναῖος ancient Greek, Latinized Aetnaeus ) is an epiclesis of the Greek gods Zeus and Hephaestus, with which they were worshiped at the Sicilian volcano Mount Etna.

A Aitnaia called festival in honor of Zeus Aitnaios was celebrated in the city located on Etna Aitne. The festival is to be set up by Hiero, when he founded the city on the feast itself is only known that agone were held in the form of car racing in its frame. On the Mount Etna, also was a cult statue. An illustration of Zeus Aitnaios can be found on the reverse of a tetradrachm from Aitne on which it sits is provided on a tree with ornaments and covered with a panther-skin throne. He is dressed in a himation, in his left hand he holds his thunderbolt in his right a rod which is interpreted as a vine. Before him stands a pine tree, on which an eagle sitting. The panther skin and the vine suggest that in the cult of Zeus Aitnaios features of the cult of Dionysus could be incorporated.

As the god of metalworking Hephaestus than in Etna was thought dwelling, he was worshiped as Hephaestus Aitnaios. The satyr play Cyclops of Euripides he is called by Odysseus, Gaius Valerius Flaccus and when Claudius Aelianus he is mentioned in his Roman counterpart Vulcan as ruler of Mount Etna.

In the Latin poets Virgil and Ovid Aetnaeus will also used as a nickname for the Cyclopes, who also inhabit as assistants of Vulcan Etna.