DIVO — The Meaning of a Name

Sometimes a name carries more than intended.

When we were looking for a name for our olive oil, the choice was made quickly: DIVO. Clear, short, memorable. What we didn't know back then—or rather, what we only fully understood later—is how deeply this name is anchored in history.

What does “divus” mean in Latin?

Divus is not a poetic adjective. It is a legal and religious title from ancient Rome—and it does not simply mean “divine.” It means: deified. A person who, after their death, was elevated to the rank of gods by decree of the Senate.

Thus, Gaius Julius Caesar became Divus Iulius after his death. Augustus received the same title: Divus Augustus. And the legendary founder of Rome himself—Romulus—was worshipped as Divus Romulus. His temple still stands today in the Roman Forum: the Tempio del Divo Romolo, the Temple of the Divine Romulus.

Divus describes that which was once human and earthly—and which, through extraordinary achievement, through time and significance, has transcended itself.

Campania — where DIVO is bottled

DIVO is bottled by Basso Fedele & Figli in San Michele di Serino, Campania. The bottling location does not establish where the olives were grown. See the label of each product for its oil origin.

What the name says about the oil

We sell olive oil from Basso Fedele & Figli, an Italian family company with a history dating back to 1904. Today, the company operates in San Michele di Serino, Campania.

But names are not arbitrary. DIVO expresses an aspiration: the result of time, soil, and care. Not divine in the mythological sense—but deified through consistency. Through harvest after harvest. Through verified quality, fair prices, and honest origins.

The Roman Senate needed an extraordinary person to recognize them as divus. We need good olives, the right location, and a producer we trust.

The rest is revealed by the oil itself.

DIVO olive oil — bottled in Campania.