Neto (deity)

Neto or Mars Neto is the name of one of the deities of ancient Iberia, revered by the Lusitanians and Celtiberians. He was probably a god of war.

Name and functions

Macrobius in his Saturnalia, calls Neto both a sun god and equivalent in Hispania to the Roman Mars and Apollo.[1] A name Neito appears on the Celtiberian Botorrita bronze plaque.[2] The name also recalls an Irish war god Neit whose name might be derived from the same Celtic root meaning passion or conflict.

References

  1. ↑ Macrobius, Saturnalia, Book I, XIX
  2. ↑ Contrebia Belaisca (Botorrita, Zaragoza) I. El bronce con alfabeto "ibérico" de Botorrita, Beltraan & Tovar (1982) Zaragoza: Universidad de Zaragoza