Celtic religion in pre-Christian timesAnwyl, E. (Edward)
Religion
Celtic religion in pre-Christian times
Anwyl, E. (Edward)
Celts -- Religion; Mythology, Celtic
About fourteen inscriptions mentioning him have been found in the North
of England and the South of Scotland. The goddess Brigantia (the patron-
deity of the Brigantes), too, is mentioned on four inscriptions:
Cocidius, identified with Mars, is mentioned on thirteen: while another
popular god appears to have been Silvanus. Among the most noticeable
names of the Celtic gods identified with Mercury are Adsmerius or
Atesmerius, Dumiatis (the god of the Puy de Dome), Iovantucarus (the
lover of youth), Teutates (the god of the people), Caletos (the hard),
and Moccus (the boar). Several deities are identified with Mars, and of
these some of the most noticeable names are Albiorix (world-king),
Caturix (battle-king), Dunatis (the god of the fort), Belatucadrus (the
brilliant in war), Leucetius (the god of lightning), Mullo (the mule),
Ollovidius (the all-knowing) Vintius (the wind-god), and Vitucadrus (the
brilliant in energy). The large number of names identified with Mars
reflects the prominent place at one time given to war in the ideas that
affected the growth of the religion of the Celtic tribes. Of the gods
identified with Hercules, the most interesting name is Ogmios (the god of
the furrow) given by Lucian, but not found on any inscription. The
following gods too, among others, are identified with Jupiter: Aramo (the
gentle), Ambisagrus (the persistent), Bussumarus (the large-lipped),
Taranucus (the thunderer), Uxellimus (the highest). It would seem from
this that in historic times at any rate Jupiter did not play a large part
in Celtic religious ideas.
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