The adjoining wood-cut represents a small altar found at Rutchester, VINDOBALA, and now in the Castle of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The inscription reads—To the gods of the mountains, Julius Firminus, the decurion,[141] erected this. Epona, to whom the next [Illustration: Altar to Epona, Magna] altar is dedicated, was the protectress of horses; images of her were to be seen in most stables. Juvenal’s dandy jockey swore by her alone. This altar was found at Carvoran, and is now in the High School of Edinburgh. The accompanying example [Illustration: Altar, sculptured with a Toad, Cilurnum] is not the only instance of a toad being represented on an altar. This was found at Chesters, CILURNUM, where it is still preserved. Did the Romans stoop so low as to worship reptiles? If so, the superstitious practice has probably been derived from the east. Dr. Kitto remarks, ‘The importance attached to the frog, in some parts of Egypt, is shewn by its being embalmed, and honoured with sepulture in the tombs of Thebes. In the Egyptian mythology, the frog was an emblem of man in embryo.’ [Illustration] [Sidenote: VITERES.] Many altars have been found on the line dedicated to gods unknown to Rome’s Pantheon, and supposed to have a purely local celebrity. The engraving exhibits one of a numerous class.[142] It was discovered near Thirlwall Castle about 1757, in the course of the formation of the military road, and shortly after presented to the Society of Antiquaries. Vitres, or Viteres, or Veteres, is a god whose name is confined to the north of Britain. Hodgson remarks, that Vithris was a name of Odin, as we find in the death-song of Lodbroc—'I will approach the courts of Vithris, with the faltering voice of fear.' If Viteres and the Scandinavian Odin be identical, we are thus furnished with evidence of the early settlement of the Teutonic tribes in England. The altar given on page 395 is [Illustration: Altar to Viteres, Condercum] also dedicated to Viteres. The occurrence of the name of this god in a plural form, as in the annexed example, which was found at CONDERCUM, and is now at Somerset-house, has suggested the idea, that Viteres is not the proper name of a god, but that _diis veteribus_—the ancient gods—is the inscription intended. Most probably, however, Viteres was the name of a local deity. [Illustration: Altar to the Dea Hamia, Thirlwall-castle] [Sidenote: LOCAL DEITIES.] The next altar is also dedicated to a local goddess; at least it is not easy to give any more satisfactory account of the _Dea Hamia_. The altar was found near Thirlwall castle, and belongs to the Society of Antiquaries, London. [Sidenote: DEÆ MATRES.]