Abandinus

Abandinus

Abandinus was a name used to refer to a Celtic god or male spirit worshipped in Godmanchester in Cambridgeshire during the Romano-Celtic period.

Epigraphic evidence

Abandinus is represented in Britain on a single altarstone. He is unknown throughout the rest of the Roman Empire and is therefore thought to have been a local god of the Roman fort at Godmanchester in Cambridgeshire, possibly associated with either a natural spring or a stream in the neighbourhood [ [http://www.roman-britain.org/rbgods.htm The Gods Of Roman Britain ] ]

The Roman fort at Godmanchester, a strategic site on Ermine Street at the crossing of the River Great Ouse, is thought to have been called Durovigutum [ [http://www.roman-britain.org/places/durovigutum.htm#rib230a Dvrovigvtvm ] ] . The god is known only from an inscribed bronze feather, very likely some sort of votive object, dedicated to him [ [http://www.roman-britain.org/places/durovigutum.htm#rib230a Dvrovigvtvm ] ] .The inscription on the bronze feather reads:

"DEO ABANDINO VATIAVCVS D S D"

*‘To the god Abandinus, Vatiacus dedicates this out of his own funds’ [ [http://www.roman-britain.org/places/durovigutum.htm#rib230a Dvrovigvtvm ] ] .

Semantics of the theonym

The semantics of the theonym are unknown. All the same, linguistic knowledge of Proto-Celtic lexis permits a narrowing of the likely possibilities of the theonym’s semantics. The name could be interpreted as an extended form of a stem composed of Proto-Celtic elements deriving from Proto-Indo-European roots *"ad"- ‘to’ [Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch:entry 7, Indogermanisches Wörterbuch, 2.] + either *"bʰend"- ‘sing, rejoice’ [Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch:entry 226, Indogermanisches Wörterbuch, 118.] or *"bʰendʰ"- ‘bind’ [Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch:entry 227, Indogermanisches Wörterbuch, 118.] . Along these lines, the name would mean ‘(the god) who sings to (something/someone)’ or ‘(the god) who binds (something/someone) to (something/someone).’ However, it is also possible to see the name as an extended form of a variant form of the Proto-Celtic word *"abon"- ‘river,’ derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *"ab"-, *"h₂eb-" ‘water, river’ [Indogermanisches etymologisches Wörterbuch:entry 2, Indogermanisches Wörterbuch, 1.] . The Romano-Celtic name for the Humber is documented as having been "Abus" [(q.v. History section of the Wikipedia article on the Humber) ] which suggests that a shorter element *"abo"- existed in the Proto-Celtic lexicon as a word for ‘river’ or ‘water.’ This *"abo"- element could have been the source of the "Ab-"- element in the theonym "Abandinus". So the name can also be analysed as *"Ab-Andinus" ‘Andinus of the River,’ Andinus being a theonym attested elsewhere in the ancient Roman Empire.

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Celtic mythology — Series on Celtic mythology Celtic polytheism Celtic deities (list) Gaelic mythology …   Wikipedia

  • Cernunnos — The Cernunnos type antlered figure on the Gundestrup Cauldron. Cernunnos is the conventional name given in Celtic studies to depictions of the horned god of Celtic polytheism. The name itself is only attested once, on the 1st century Pillar… …   Wikipedia

  • Imbolc — Observed by Gaels, Britons (Irish people, Scottish people) Welsh people Neopagans (Celtic Reconstructionists, Wiccans) Type Gaelic, Celtic, Pagan Date …   Wikipedia

  • Dis Pater — Dis Pater, or Dispater was a Roman god of the underworld, later subsumed by Pluto or Hades. Originally a chthonic god of riches, fertile agricultural land, and underground mineral wealth, he was later commonly equated with the Roman deities Pluto …   Wikipedia

  • Epona — This article is about the goddess. For the character, see Epona (The Legend of Zelda). Epona, 3rd c. AD, from Freyming (Moselle), France (Musée Lorrain, Nancy) In Gallo Roman religion, Epona was a protector of horses, donkeys, and mules. She was… …   Wikipedia

  • Artio — The goddess Artio as depicted in the Muri statuette group, presumably in bear and in human form. Artio (Dea Artio in the Gallo Roman religion) was a Celtic bear goddess. Evidence of her worship has notably been found at Bern (Switzerland) whose… …   Wikipedia

  • Arvernus — In Gallo Roman religion, Arvernus was an epithet of the Gaulish Mercury. Although the name refers to the Arverni, in whose territory Mercury had at important sanctuary at the Puy de Dôme, all of the inscriptions to Mercury Arvernus are found… …   Wikipedia

  • Clota — In Celtic mythology, Clota was the patron goddess of the River Clyde. Perhaps worshiped by the local Welsh speaking Damnonii tribe who held the territory which later was to become the Kingdom of Strathclyde. The Damnonii allied themselves with… …   Wikipedia

  • Cocidius — In Romano British religion, Cocidius was a deity worshipped in northern Britain. The Romans equated him with Mars, god of war and hunting and with Sylvanus, god of forests, groves and wild fields. Like Belatu Cadros, he was probably worshipped by …   Wikipedia

  • Condatis — In Celtic mythology, Condatis ( waters meet ) was a deity worshipped primarily in northern Britain but also in Gaul.[1] He was associated with the confluences of rivers, in particular the Tyne and the Tees. In Roman times he was equated with Mars …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”