Mercury: Messenger God of Merchants, Shopkeepers, and Tricksters

Mercury (Greek name: Hermes) is the Roman messenger god of travelers, merchants, shopkeepers, and tricksters. He is commonly associated with symbols such as a caduceus (a staff), a winged cap, a winged pair of sandals, a tortoise, and a ram. 

The Caduceus or the “Staff of Hermes” is often used to represent medicine, and it can be found on ambulances today. The symbol has two intertwined snakes wrapped around a central pole representing the physical and spiritual aspects of the body revolving around a central backbone (the rod). It was first used by ambulances in order for paramedics to have proper authentication on the road. 

Mercury’s winged sandals are now also associated with track and field, because he was considered to be the god of speed and swiftness. 

Mercury was annually honored in Rome in the Mercuralia festival on the Aventine Hill, on May 15. 

Similar to other gods such as Jupiter, Pluto, and Neptune, Mercury has a planet named after him as well. The planet was named after the god by the Romans, because it moves very quickly, like Mercury, around the Sun.  

Many mythological stories of the Romans about Mercury were borrowed from those of Hermes and the Greeks. Therefore, major duties that belonged to Hermes, like transporting souls to the underworld, were passed on to Mercury as well. Another tradition taken from the Greeks was building statues in Mercury’s honor, which was said to bring good luck to those who visited the monument.