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Carmenta, a MythSource painting
Roman

Carmenta

Goddess of Prophecy · Goddess of Childbirth · Mother of Evander

01Identity

Carmenta in Roman tradition

As a goddess of prophecy, Carmenta foresaw Aeneas reaching Italy and his people arriving in their destined homeland. She then predicted that the Roman people would rise there, grow in power, and attain the greatness awaiting Rome. Carmenta was also associated with childbirth, poetic inspiration, sacred song, writing, and the alphabet.

Top questions

The quick answers

  • Who is Carmenta?

    Carmenta is a Roman deity associated with prophecy and divination; childbirth; poetic inspiration and sacred song; and writing and the alphabet.
    Source

    Source

    • Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore
    • Classical Mythology a to Z
    • Greek Mythology and Poetics
    • The Greek Myths
    • Dictionary of Mythology
    • mythology

  • What is Carmenta the goddess of?

    Carmenta is associated with prophecy and divination; childbirth; poetic inspiration and sacred song; and writing and the alphabet.
    Source

    Source

    • Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore
    • Classical Mythology a to Z
    • Greek Mythology and Poetics
    • The Greek Myths

  • What family links are recorded for Carmenta?

    1 child.
02Family

Carmenta’s family, at a glance

Carmenta
Evander of Pallene
03The names

The names Carmenta answers to

Carmentis

Latin form of her name

SourceDictionary of Mythology

Nicostrata

Earlier Greek name given to Carmenta

SourceDictionary of Mythology

Porrima

Forward-looking prophetic aspect

SourceDictionary of Mythology

Postverta

Backward-looking prophetic aspect

Sourcemythology

04The myths

The myths of Carmenta

1 myth, with sources recorded for each.

Carmenta Foretells Rome's Greatness

Carmenta turned her prophetic sight towards the years ahead. She saw Aeneas come to Italy. She saw his people follow him and reach the homeland that awaited them. The vision did not end with their arrival. It continued from Aeneas and his people to the Roman people who would rise in that land.

She foretold that the Roman people would rise in Italy and achieve great power. She saw that rise as a future event, after Aeneas had reached the land and after his people had arrived in their destined homeland. Her vision therefore carried the story from Aeneas's coming to the later greatness of Rome and its people.

Carmenta spoke of the future in a single chain of events. Aeneas came to Italy. His people arrived in the homeland destined for them. The Roman people then rose there. Their power grew until Rome and its people held the greatness that she had foreseen. The prophecy reached beyond the first arrival and beyond the settlement of Aeneas's people. It ended with the Roman people established in Italy and raised to great power.

Carmenta Foretells Rome's Greatness, a MythSource painting of the scene

3 sources· checked 2026-08-19

  1. 1Roman MythologyT1
  2. 2the ancient sourcesT1

    Quote

    “Aeneas would come to Italy, his people would reach their destined homeland, and the Roman people would rise there to great power.”

    the ancient sources

  3. 3Greek Myths & TalesT1