Suleviae

The Suleviae or Suleiviae are a group of goddesses who were worshiped by the Celts. Of them, about 40 epigraphic testimonies are known, especially in eastern Gaul, inferior in the provinces of Gallia Belgica, Germania, Germania superior, but also in Britain, Noricum and a large number in Rome. The Suleviae be reconciled with the Matres ( matrons ) was contacted and seen as solar and healing goddesses, as well as the mother - country and goddesses.

Worship

In the Helvetii was the formula spreads " its Suleviae " and once in Rome " my Suleviae ", suggesting personal protective goddesses. They are also called " his domestic Suleviae ", sisters or mothers. All this points to a familial familiarity of the goddesses. Sometimes they wear epithets like " Iunonibus " ( after the Roman goddess Juno ) or " Atumarae ".

In a southern Gaul inscription only a single Sulevia occurs, which was equated with the Roman goddess Minerva, the Roman Spa Aquae Sulis while in the (now Bath, England ) was the goddess Minerva Sul worshiped. It is interesting inscription from the same place as it has been donated by the sculptor Sulinus the Suleviae.

Etymology

The name Suleviae is probably linked to the goddess Sulis (possibly as a plural form) and the Irish word Suil together ( " eye"). Suleviae could also be due to the regular plural form of a U- stem * Sûleu̯es, likely the plural form of the i- stem * Sûlei̯es underlies that appears as Sulevis in Gallo-Roman pronunciation and orthography.