Mania (deity)
# Mania (deity)

In ancient Etruscan and Roman mythology, Mania (Etruscan: 𐌀𐌉𐌍𐌀𐌌), also spelled Manea, was a goddess of the dead, spirits and chaos: she was said to be the mother of ghosts, the undead, and other spirits of the night, as well as the Lares and the Manes. She, along with Mantus (Etruscan: 𐌈𐌍𐌀𐌌, romanized: Manth), ruled the underworld.

Her counterpart in Greek mythology, also named Mania (or Maniae), was the goddess of insanity and madness.

## Etymology

Her name links her to the Manes, Mana Genita, and Manius.

Both the Greek and Latin Mania derive from PIE (Proto-Indo-European) *men-, "to think." Cognates include Ancient Greek μένος, ménos, 'mind, thought', and Avestan 𐬎𐬫𐬥𐬌𐬀𐬨, mainyu, 'spirit'.

