Spes was the epitome of hope. Its Greek counterpart was Elpis, which, unlike Spes, had no formal worship in Greece.
Many temples were built for her worship. There are also many inscriptions about Spes that suggest that she is venerated both publicly and privately.
During the Republic, the temple of “ancient Hope” (Spes vetus) was located near Porta Prenestina, one of the eastern gates of Rome. Another temple was commissioned by Aulus Atilius Calatinus and was also dedicated to Fides – it resulted from a promise made to the deity (vota) during the First Punic War. In 110 BCE a temple dedicated to Spes, Fides and Fortuna was built in Capua.
On the reverse of Roman coins, Spes was depicted as a person walking with a slightly raised hem of the dress.
- Kempiński Andrzej, Encyklopedia mitologii ludów indoeuropejskich, Warszawa 2001
- Schmidt Joël, Słownik mitologii greckiej i rzymskiej, Katowice 1996
