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In ancient Rome, virtus was originally the quality of "manliness," from vir, "man." It often means "valor," but as the quality that made a man fulfill his potential as a man, it came to mean something more closely akin to "character, personal integrity," and hence "virtue," which women could also possess. Virtus was personified as a deity, though not always of the same gender. In the Roman Republic, Virtus often received sacrifices in the company of Honos, Honor, and the pair were also cultivated as deities jointly at temples. Virtus continued to be regarded as a deity in the Imperial era, and was one of the qualities or virtues associated with the cult of the emperors.

Media in category "Virtus"
