In ancient Roman religion, the genius referred to a personal tutelary spirit that accompanied an individual from birth to death. It embodied a person’s vital force, character, and creative essence.

Geniuses were depicted as youths with wings, sometimes with a flame above their head or a torch in hand symbols of spiritual light and vital energy. In art, they often appear holding a cornucopia or a libation bowl, emphasizing their connection with abundance and prosperity.

The concept of the genius extended beyond the individual: there were geniuses of places, families, armies, and even the state (Genius loci, Genius populi Romani). Over time, the idea of the genius as an inner inspiring spirit evolved into the modern sense of the word genius — a person endowed with exceptional talent.

In Prometheus the engineers who made xenomorphs were Proto-Indo-Europeans. Fun to imagine Scythian art of a xenomorph