Verbeia

Verbeia is a female Celtic deity, which is brought into connection with the River Wharfe in Yorkshire.

Mythology

Verbeia was possibly a river goddess and perhaps a local deity of the tribe of Lingones who supported Caesar and whose members were later stationed in the Roman fort at Ilkley in West Yorkshire. Birkhan and Cunliffe see in it also a healing deity.

An altar, dressed in a standing female figure with a toga and each a snake in his hands shows, with the inscription VERBEIAE SACRVM CLODIVS fronto PräF COH II Lingon was found in Ilkley. The inscription is the only indication for the existence of Verbeia and means German: " Clodius Fronto, prefect of the second cohort of Lingones [ consecrated ] the holy Verbeia [ the altar ] ." A derived also from Ilkley relief, which also shows a figure with snakes, Verbeia can not be attributed with certainty because this portrait is not accompanied by an inscription.