On this day 2,512 years ago...

Roman God Mercury was consecrated in the form of a statue on Aventine Hill in Rome. Mercury, an easily recognized figure, was the Roman god of commerce; in essence, a patron saint of merchants. His name derives from the Latin word "mercari", meaning a dealer of trade. The dedication of his temple on Aventine Hill solidified his status as one of the major gods. Both he and his mother, Maia, were honored in the Mercuralia festival on May 15th. 

A few fun facts about Mercury:

- He was the official "escort" for souls making their way to the underworld.

- His winged boots made him the fastest god around; ideal for being a messenger.

- He was likely adapted from the Greek god Hermes.

- He also carried the dreams from the god Morpheus to sleeping humans.

- He has a planet and an element named in his honor- that's more than Zeus can boast!