Dumézil identifies these three gods as the , a precursor to the later Capitoline Triad (Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva) . He notably argues that while other IE cultures (like India) preserved these functions as distinct social castes, Rome "historicized" its mythology, turning ancient cosmic myths into the foundational legends of its early history, such as the stories of Romulus and the kings found in Livy's Histories . Appendix: The Religion of the Etruscans archaic roman religion
Represented by Quirinus , who presided over the masses ( Quirites ), agriculture, and the general welfare of the community . La religion romaine archaique, avec un appendic...
Represented by Jupiter , this function encompasses sacred and legal power . In the Roman context, this was mirrored by the Flamen Dialis (Jupiter's high priest) and the king . Dumézil identifies these three gods as the ,
Represented by Mars , the god of war and physical might . Represented by Jupiter , this function encompasses sacred
Dumézil's core thesis is that Indo-European societies—and by extension, their mythologies—were structured around three fundamental social and cosmic functions :