Cloacina
| Cloacina | |
|---|---|
Goddess of the Cloaca Maxima | |
Denarius of L. Mussidius Longus (42 BC) showing Concordia on the obverse, and two statues within the balustrade of the shrine of Venus Cloacina on the reverse | |
| Other names | Venus Cloacina |
| Major cult center | Rome |
| Symbol | Cloaca Maxima |
| Gender | Female |
| Temple | Shrine of Venus Cloacina |
In Roman mythology and culture, Cloacina, also spelled Cluacina, was a goddess who presided over the ancient Cloaca Maxima ('Greatest Drainage'): Rome's main sewer and drainage system.
Cloacina was associated with Venus, the Roman goddess of love and sexuality. Venus was bestowed with the epithet Venus Cloacina ('Venus the Purifier'), an entity that embodied the purifying aspect of her functions. A shrine to Venus Cloacina stood in the Roman Forum, along the Via Sacra.