Favonius was the god and personification of the west wind and the west side of the world. He personified a gentle, warm and humid wind that heralded spring. In spring it brought nature to life, and in the hot summer it brought refreshing cooling. He was identified with the Greek Zephyrus.
His wife was Flora – the goddess of spring vegetation in the flowering stage. Son of Aeolus – Greek ruler of the winds and the islands of Aeolia. His brothers were: Aquilo (north wind), Auster (south wind) and Eurus (east wind).
His cult was widespread among sailors and farmers. A black ram and a rooster were sacrificed to him.
In art he is usually depicted as a young man with huge wings on his shoulders, lightly clothed (or naked), with flowers, most often accompanied by the nymph Chloris.
- Kempiński Andrzej, Encyklopedia mitologii ludów indoeuropejskich, Warszawa 2001
- Schmidt Joël, Słownik mitologii greckiej i rzymskiej, Katowice 1996
