Caduceus in the context of "Pax (mythology)"

Asclepius (/æsˈkliːpiəs/; Ancient Greek: Ἀσκληπιός Asklēpiós [asklɛːpiós]; Latin: Aesculapius) is a hero and god of medicine in ancient Greek religion and mythology. He is the son of Apollo and Coronis, or Arsinoe, or of Apollo alone. Asclepius represents the healing aspect of the medical arts; his daughters, the Asclepiades, are: Hygieia ("Health, Healthiness"), Iaso (from ἴασις "healing, recovering, recuperation", the goddess of recuperation from illness), Aceso (from ἄκεσις "healing", the goddess of the healing process), Aegle (the goddess of good health) and Panacea (the goddess of universal remedy). He has several sons as well. He was associated with the Roman/Etruscan god Vediovis and the Egyptian Imhotep. The rod of Asclepius, a snake-entwined staff similar to the caduceus, remains a symbol of medicine today. Those physicians and attendants who served this god were known as the Therapeutae of Asclepius.

Ophiolatry (snake worship), refers to veneration and religious devotion to serpent deities, a tradition documented in many religions and mythologies worldwide. Snakes are frequently regarded as bearers of knowledge, strength, and renewal in a variety of cultures.

The Rod of Asclepius (⚕; /æsˈkliːpiəs/, Ancient Greek: Ῥάβδος τοῦ Ἀσκληπιοῦ, Rhábdos toû Asklēpioû, sometimes also spelled Asklepios), also known as the Staff of Aesculapius, is a serpent-entwined rod wielded by the Greek god Asclepius, a deity in Greek mythology associated with healing and medicine. In modern times, it is the predominant symbol for medicine and health care (although the similar caduceus, which has two snakes and a pair of wings, is sometimes misused for that purpose).

Mercury (/ˈmɜːrkjʊri/; Latin: Mercurius [mɛrˈkʊrijʊs] ) is a major god in Roman religion and mythology, being one of the 12 Dii Consentes within the ancient Roman pantheon. He is the god of boundaries, commerce, communication (including divination), eloquence, financial gain, languages, luck, thieves, travelers, and trickery; he is also the guide of souls to the underworld.

In Roman mythology, he was the son of Maia, one of the seven daughters of the Titan Atlas, and Jupiter. In his earliest forms, he appears to have been related to the Etruscan deity Turms; both gods share characteristics with the Greek god Hermes. He is often depicted holding the caduceus in his left hand. Similar to his Greek equivalent Hermes, he was awarded a magic wand by Apollo, which later turned into the caduceus, the staff with intertwined snakes.

In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Iris (/ˈaɪrɪs/; EYE-riss; Ancient Greek: Ἶρις, romanized: Îris, lit. 'rainbow,' Ancient Greek: [îːris]) is a daughter of the gods Thaumas and Electra, and the personification of the rainbow. She functions as a messenger and servant to the Olympians, particularly Hera. Iris was traditionally seen as the consort of Zephyrus, the god of the west wind and one of the four Anemoi, by whom she is the mother of Pothos in some texts.

While Iris appears in several stories running errands or carrying messages to and from the gods, she has no unique mythology of her own. There are only a few traces of archaic worship and cultic activity on the island of Delos, and mentions of her worship are scant in surviving records. In ancient art, Iris was depicted as a winged young woman carrying a caduceus, the symbol of messengers, and a pitcher of water for the gods.

The caduceus is the traditional symbol of Hermes and features two snakes winding around an often winged staff. Ancient sources associate Hermes with a variety of attributes, including wisdom, trade, deception, thievery, eloquence, negotiation, and alchemy. Nevertheless it is often used as a symbol of medicine, especially in the United States.

The modern use of the caduceus as a symbol of medicine became established in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th century as a result of well-documented mistakes and misunderstandings of symbology and classical culture. Critics of this practice say that the correct symbol for medicine is the Rod of Asclepius, which has only one snake and no wings.