Condatis
Template:Short description Condatis (Gaulish: 'confluence') was an ancient Celtic deity worshipped primarily in northern Britain but also in Gaul. He was associated with the confluences of rivers, in particular within County Durham in the North of England.[a] Condatis is known from several inscriptions in Britain and a single inscription found at Alonnes, Sarthe, France. In each case he is equated with the Roman god Mars.[b]
Name
The theonym Condatis derives from the stem condāt-, meaning 'confluence', itself from Proto-Celtic *kom-dati-, from an earlier *kom-dhh1-ti- ('put with, put together', i.e. 'grouping, reunion').Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found. According to Xavier Delamarre, his name may originally have meant '(He of the) Reunion' or 'The Reunited (?)' rather than 'The Confluence', a meaning likely connected to mythological elements that have not survived.[1]
The stem condāt- is also attested in personal names, including Condatus, Condatius, and Condatie, as well as in toponyms such as Condé, Condat, Candé, Conte, Condes, Candes, Cosnes, Condate (the old name of Rennes and Northwich), Condom, Condéon (both from *Condate-o-magos), Cond (< *Condate-dunum), Kontz, Conz (Trier), and Canstatt (Condistat).Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found.
Cult
The cult title is probably related to the place name Condate, often used in Gaul for settlements at the confluence of rivers.[2] The Celtic god Condatis is thought to have functions pertaining to water and healing.[3][4]
Roman altar-inscriptions to Mars Condates have been found near Roman forts in County Durham in the North of England that may suggest a 'confluence-deity' cult and the possibility that river confluences may have been used as pagan ritual sacrifice or human sacrifice sites.[c][d][e]
Archaeological evidence
British Isles
Roman altars with inscriptions to Mars Condates have been found in the Tees and Wear valleys of County Durham.[a] Altars are normally found at the confluence of rivers – for example, the Cong Burn–Wear confluence near Chester-le-Street – however others may have been disturbed or removed, especially by antiquarians and collectors.
The inscription Mars Condates is a conflation (joining) of deities:[f]
- Roman god Mars – god of war and father of Romulus, the founder of Rome.
- Gaulish deity Condatis – god of river confluences.
Altar inscriptions (British Isles)
List of altars with inscriptions to Mars Condates:
| Reference | Inscription | Translation | Type | Location | Confluence | Map [help 1] |
Ordnance Survey |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mars Condates RIB 3500.[rib 1] |
D(eo) M(arti) |C̣on|[dati][rib 1] | To the god Mars Condates...[rib 1] | Altar fragment |
Cramond Roman Fort, near Edinburgh.[web 1] |
Almond–Firth of Forth. | [map 1] [help 1] |
Script error: No such module "Ordnance Survey coordinates". |
| Mars Condates RIB 1045.[rib 2] |
Deo Marti |Condati V(alerius) |[P]rob[i]anus [pr]o |se et suis v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)[rib 2] | To the god Mars Condates, Valerius Probianus for himself and his household willingly and deservedly fulfilled his vow.[rib 2] | Altar | Concangis (Roman Fort), Chester-le-Street. |
Cong Burn–Wear. | [map 2] | Script error: No such module "Ordnance Survey coordinates". |
| Mars Condates RIB 1024.[rib 3] |
D(eo) M(arti) |Condati |Attonius |Quintianus | men(sor) eṿọc(atus) imp(eratum) |ex ius(su) sol(vit) l(ibens) a(nimo)[rib 3] | To the god Mars Condates, Attonius Quintianus, surveyor, evocatus, gladly fulfilled the command by order.[rib 3] | Altar | High Coniscliffe village.[g] Piercebridge Roman Fort, Dere Street |
? River Tees. | [map 3] | Script error: No such module "Ordnance Survey coordinates". |
| Mars Condates RIB 731.[rib 4] |
[M]arti |Condati |Arponat|us v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)[rib 4] | To Mars Condates Arponatus willingly and deservedly fulfilled his vow.[rib 4] | Altar | Bowes village.[h] Lavatrae (Roman Fort), Watling Street (North). |
? River Greta. | [map 4] | Script error: No such module "Ordnance Survey coordinates". |
| Mars Condates Brit.47.1.[rib 5] |
d(eo) Marti |Condati |Cunoba|cha | p(osuit)[rib 5] | To the god Mars Condates, Cunobacha set (this) up.[rib 5] | Altar | Moulton, North Yorkshire. Find date: 2015 |
Not known | [map 5] | Script error: No such module "Ordnance Survey coordinates". |
France
An example of an altar-inscription to Condatis has been found at Allonnes, Sarthe in France.
References
Citations
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- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Delamarre, Xavier (2021). Noms de lieux celtiques de l'Europe ancienne (-500 / +500). Errance. p. 26. ISBN 978-2-87772-787-7.
- ^ Maier, Dictionary of Celtic Religion and Culture, p. 80.
- ^ Ross, Anne (1967). Pagan Celtic Britain. Routledge & Kegan Paul. Template:ISBN.
- ^ Jones, Barri & Mattingly, David (1990). An Atlas of Roman Britain (p. 275). Oxford: Basil Blackwell. Template:ISBN.
Web
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- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Cramond Vicus – The Gods of Roman Cramond". Roman Britain. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
RIB
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- ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."RIB 3500. Fragmentary altar dedicated to Mars Condates (?)". Roman Inscriptions of Britain. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
- ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."RIB 1045. Altar dedicated to Mars Condates". Roman Inscriptions of Britain. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
- ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."RIB 1024. Altar dedicated to Mars Condates". Roman Inscriptions of Britain. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
- ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."RIB 731. Altar dedicated to Mars Condates". Roman Inscriptions of Britain. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
- ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Brit.47.1. To the god Mars Condates, Cunobacha set (this) up". Roman Inscriptions of Britain. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
Maps
Page Template:Reflist/styles.css has no content.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."MAGiC MaP: Cramond Roman Fort". Defra.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."MAGiC MaP: Cong Burn – River Wear confluence". Defra.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."MAGiC MaP: High Coniscliffe". Defra.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."MAGiC MaP: Bowes village". Defra.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."MAGiC MaP: Moulton, North Yorkshire". Defra.
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- ^ a b MAGiC MaP – Help
- Use Table of Contents for Colour mapping.
- There may be intermittent problems with the magic.defra.gov.uk website, if so then try again another time.
Notes for citations
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- ^ a b MacKillop – Celtic Mythology...
Condatis ..."A god worshipped in Roman occupied Britain, much associated with the confluence of rivers...His shrines have been found between the Tyne and Tees rivers...His name is commemorated in many place names ...Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found. - ^ See also: Mars (mythology)
- Name and cult epithets
- Provincial epithets
- Celtic Mars
- Mars Condatis...
- Celtic Mars
- Provincial epithets
- Name and cult epithets
- ^ SPNS – Brittonic Language...
Aber ..."On the possibility that confluences and estuaries may have been pagan ritual sites...The altar-inscriptions to Condatis found in the Tyne-Tees region may be evidence of a 'confluence-deity' cult in that area ...Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found. - ^ See also: Paganism ..."Ritual sacrifice was an integral part of ancient Graeco-Roman religion and was regarded as an indication of whether a person was pagan or Christian...
- ^ See also: Persecution of pagans in the late Roman Empire ..."Despite official threats...paganism remained widespread into the early fifth century continuing in parts of the empire into the 600s...
- ^ Neil Oliver – Ancient Britain...
..."Twinning of gods and goddesses was a tactic the Romans employed all across the Empire ...Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found. - ^ Found at High Coniscliffe, which lies about 1.6 km. east of Piercebridge.
- ^ Found on the north side of the main road about 180 m. east of Bowes fort.
Bibliography
- Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Delamarre, Xavier (2003). Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise: Une approche linguistique du vieux-celtique continental. Errance. ISBN 9782877723695.
- Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.James, Alan G. (2020). "The Brittonic Language in the Old North, A Guide to the Place-Name Evidence, Volume 2" (PDF). Scottish Place-Name Society. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.MacKillop, James (2004). Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-860967-1.
- Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Matasović, Ranko (2009). Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic. Brill. ISBN 9789004173361.
- Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Nègre, Ernest (1990). Toponymie générale de la France (in français). Librairie Droz. ISBN 978-2-600-02883-7.
- Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Oliver, Neil (2012). A History of Ancient Britain. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 978-0753828861.
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