Meaning of the Goddess of Justice (Statue of Justice)

The statue of Justice, also called the Lady of Justice, is associated with the legal system and the principles of justice and equality.

The allegory of Justice is today a mixture between the symbols that characterize both the Greek goddess Themis of divine justice and the Roman goddess of justice Justitia o Iustitia.

It is one of the best known allegories in the world and most represented, especially as a sculpture, present in Palaces of Justice on all continents.

The statue of Justice was inspired by the Greek goddess Themis which means order. She is also known as the goddess of prophecies, oaths and divine law.

Themis was also known to be the goddess who imposed the order in the natural world and therefore associated with the seasons of the year. The order over nature and over humanity was his role in the Universe, that is why people from kings to the humblest peasants sought his advice.

The goddess Themis is the daughter of the god Uranus (sky) and the goddess Gaia (earth) therefore she is considered a of the titans who were born in the early days of the times described by Hesiod in the myth primordial.

Themis is the second wife and advisor of the god Zeus, with whom she conceived three daughters called "The Hours." The hours carried Venus from the sea to the world of the immortals. They represent concepts associated with order:

• She says: she is the personification of human justice. The Roman goddess of justice Justitia or Iustitia is believed to derive from Dice rather than from Themis.
• Irene: she is the personification of peace and wealth.
• Eunomia: the goddess of laws and legislations. In Rome she was also known as the goddess of discipline. She was regarded as one of the hours.

Elements of the Statue of Justice

The classic elements that the statue of Justice usually supports or has are: a scale, a sword and a blindfold.

Balance

The scale is the symbol of modern justice where the Lady Justice carefully balances the weights on each side. Also called the Scales of Justice.

On the balance there are usually counteracting elements such as a dove and the sign of Gemini. The dove would represent the just demands and Gemini would represent the demands of many people and / or witnesses who give confusing information.

Sword

The sword represents the execution of the measures. Themis uses the sword as a means of "convincing" both parties of his rational and just decision.

Blindfolded

This symbol only appears from the 15th century. The blindfold represents objective and impartial decisions without influence of wealth, politics, fame or infamy.

See also Statue of Liberty.