The perfect correspondence between planets and mythology was a Greek innovation, taken to its zenith by the Romans, who named the planets after their deities. For instance, the Greek sky god Zeus was renamed Jupiter in the Roman era, which is reflected in the English name for the planet Jupiter. Similarly, the other nine planets (including the moon) were named in this manner. During the Roman period, the celestial bodies were seamlessly deified, with each planet representing a deity. People worshipped these celestial bodies, essentially venerating the corresponding deity, thus intertwining their reverence for both.
The mythology surrounding the planets is more rigorous than that of the constellations, with the deities possessing well-defined characters. There is a stronger correlation between these celestial beings and astrological concepts. For example, Jupiter corresponds to Zeus, the god who rules the heavens and leads the Greek pantheon with supreme authority. Similarly, Jupiter, being the largest of the nine planets (excluding the Sun), is associated in astrology with expansion and good fortune, reflecting the divine attributes of Zeus. Mars corresponds to the god of war, Ares, embodying strife and destruction. In astrology, Mars symbolizes conflagration, demise, and conflict, indicating a remarkable consistency between mythology and celestial interpretation. Even in contemporary times, Pluto echoes this synchrony, representing death, immense wealth, and inheritance, akin to Hades, the lord of the underworld, overseeing all treasures and finances beneath the earth. For further planetary mythological correlations, please refer to this series on planetary mythology.
