Viridios
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Viridios, or Viridius is the supposed deified masculine spirit of verdure, in ancient Celtic polytheism.
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[edit] Centres of worship
Viridios was worshipped in Roman Britain and altar-stones raised to him have been recovered in the United Kingdom, such as those at Ancaster.
[edit] Etymology
Viridios may be derived from the Proto-Celtic Wirdjos meaning 'Green Man', from which the Welsh word Gwrddni meaning Verdure is also derived.
[edit] The Ancaster inscriptions
An inscribed stone, found in a Ancastrian church and originally part of an archway, says:
DEO VIRIDIO TRENICO ARCVM FECIT DE SVO DON
"For the god Viridius, Trenico made this arch, donated from his own funds."
Channel 4's Time Team uncovered a second inscription, part of a late Roman or early Dark Age burial:
DEO VRIDI SANCTO
"To the holy god Viridius ..."
[edit] Sources
- British Museum, London, England.
- Lancaster museum, Lancaster, England.
- Newcastle Museum of Antiquities, Newcastle, England.
- Penrith Museum, Penrith, England.
- Verovicium Roman Museum, Housesteads Fort, Northumberland, England.
- York Castle Museum, York, England.
