Matuta was a minor figure of the
Roman pantheon. She was the
goddess of the
dawn and young growth. Gradually this brought her into a position of protectress of
childbirth. During the merging of
Greek and
Roman gods, she was identified with
Ino (also called
Leocothea).
Matuta had her own holiday, Matronalia, which was celebrated in June. Only free women and matrons could partake in the celebrations; after all, men don't undergo childbirth, why should they celebrate on the day of Matuta? Husbands usually gave gifts to their wives for the occasion, and mistresses treated their female slaves to a feast.
Howatson M. C. The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989.