Vagdavercustis
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An altar found at Cologne (Köln), Germany is dedicated to the goddess Vagdavercustis. The front has an inscription above a carved relief scene of several toga'ed men performing a ritual sacrifice. The inscription reads as follows:
-
- Deae
- Vagdavercusti
- Titus Flavius
- Constans Praef
- Praet EMV
- Deae
Roughly, that is "The Goddess / Vagdavercustis / [dedicated by] Titus Flavius / Constans (or Constantius?), Prefect / of the Praetorians, to his distinguished memory." [1] Although the altar was dedicated by a Roman, Vagdavercustis was most likely a native Germanic or Celtic goddess, who may have had a link with trees or woods. [2] There is some evidence that Vagdavercustis was worshipped by the Batavians[2] (a Germanic tribe reported by Tacitus to have lived around the Rhine delta, in the area that is currently the Netherlands) in the region between present-day Netherlands and Cologne (Köln).[3] She may be related to Virtus, the Roman god of military virtue. [3]
The stone dates from around the 2d century CE and is now in a museum in Cologne (Köln).
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "EMV" = "egregiae memoriae vir," see Peck, Harry Thurston. Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities. New York:Harper and Brothers, 1898
- ^ a b Ansuharijaz (2003) Forgotten Gods, on the Reginheim website.
- ^ a b Religiöse Kulte im römischen Köln: Vagdavercustis
