Lusitanian mythology

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Lusitanian mythology is the mythology of the Lusitanians, the Indo-European people of western Iberia, in the territory comprising most of modern Portugal south of the Douro river.

Lusitanian deities heavily influenced all of the religious practices in western Iberia, namely also in Gallaecia. They mingled with Roman deities after Lusitania was conquered.[1]

Contents

Main pantheon

Of particular importance and popularity, especially following the Roman conquest, were a number of deities among whom were Endovelicus, Ataegina, Nabia and Trebaruna. Endovelicus was a god of healing and also had oracular functions. With ninety-four separate dedications,[2] he appears to have been the most important of all. Ataegina is less well defined; her name has been derived from Celtic *atte-gena perhaps meaning "reborn". Nabia may have been two separate deities, the consort of the Lusitanian equivalent of the Roman Jupiter and another associated with earth and sacred springs[3] while Trebaruna's name appears in inscriptions in the Lusitanian language associated with another, presumably male deity named Reve, whom Witczak[4] suggests may be the equivalent of the Roman Iovis or Jupiter, both names ultimately deriving from Proto-Indo-European *diewo-.

Bandua or Bandi is another with numerous dedications: the name is male in most inscriptions and yet the only depiction being female, it seems the name referred to numerous deities, especially since Bandi/Bandue often carries an epithet associating the name with that of a town or other location such as Bandua Roudaeco, Etobrico or Brealiacui. The god or goddess was probably the protector of the local community and is often associated with the Roman Mars.[5] Bandua is considered the god or goddess of wars and of flags[6][7]

Deities

Main article: List of Lusitanian deities

Dii, Lares, Nymphs and Genii, were the main types of divinity worshiped, known from the Latin epigraphy, although many names are recorded in the Lusitanian or Celtiberian languages.

See also

References and bibliography

  1. ^ Syncrétisme Religieux dans la Lusitanie Romaine, Katia Maia-Bessa (1999)
  2. ^ ibid.
  3. ^ Leroux & Tranoy, Contribution a l'etude des regions rurales del Nor-ouest hispanique au Haut-Empire: deux inscriptions de Penafiel. III Congresso Nacional de Arqueología (1974)
  4. ^ On The Indo-European Origin Of Two Lusitanian Theonyms (Laebo and Reve), Krzysztof Tomasz Witczak, Lódz (1999)
  5. ^ E-Keltoi Journal of Inter-disciplinary Celtic Studies, vol. 6, Celtic Gods of the Iberian Penninsula, Juan Carlos Olivares Pedreño - http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/celtic/ekeltoi/volumes/vol6/6_12/olivares_6_12.html
  6. ^ [1]
  7. ^ [2]
Bibliography

External links

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