Latis
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2008-07-12T13:36:49Z
Dposte46
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Link to Aballava
In ancient [[Celtic polytheism]], '''Latis''' is the name of two [[Celtic polytheism|Celtic deities]] worshipped in [[Roman Britain]]. One is a goddess (Dea Latis), the other a god (Deus Latis), and they are both known from a single inscription each.
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==Dea Latis==
The dedication to Dea Latis was found at [[Banna (Birdoswald)|Birdoswald Roman Fort]] in [[Cumbria]], [[England]], in 1873. It reads simply:
:<small>DIE LATI</small>
:"For the goddess Latis"<ref>Collingwood, R.G. and Wright, R.P. (1965) ''The Roman Inscriptions of Britain'' (RIB) ''Vol.I Inscriptions on Stone''. Oxford. [http://www.roman-britain.org/places/camboglanna.htm#rib1897 RIB 1897, online at www.roman-britain.org]</ref>
The E is written as a ||. The stone is now in the Carlisle Museum.
She is known as the goddess of water and beer. <ref>[http://folkloreandmyth.netfirms.com/gods_goddesses.html Folklore and Legend - Gods and Goddesses<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> She may have been associated with the nearby rivers.<ref>Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend, Miranda J. Green, Thames and Hudson Ltd, London, 1997</ref>
==Deus Latis==
The dedication to Deus Latis, recovered on an altar-stone at the Roman fort of [[Aballava]], [[Burgh-by-Sands]] (also in [[Cumbria]]) reads:
:<small>DEO LATI LVCIVS VRSEI</small>
:"To the god Latis, Lucius Ursei [dedicates this]."<ref>''Ibid.'' [http://www.roman-britain.org/places/aballava.htm#rib2043 RIB 2043, online at www.roman-britain.org]</ref>
The altar-stone to Deus Latis was found near an image of a horned god named [[Belatucadros]].
==Etymology==
The name 'Latis' may conceivably be related to the [[Proto-Celtic language|Proto-Celtic]] words *''lati-'' meaning 'liquor', *''lat-'' 'day', or *''lāto-'' 'lust'.<ref>Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies, [[University of Wales]]. "[http://www.wales.ac.uk/documents/external/cawcs/pcl-moe.pdf Proto-Celtic—English lexicon]." (See also [http://www.wales.ac.uk/newpages/EXTERNAL/E4504.asp this page] for background and disclaimers.)</ref>
==References==
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*ABALLAVA museum, Burgh by Sands, Cumbria, [[England]].
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[[Category:Ancient Gaulish and British gods]]
[[Category:Ancient Gaulish and British goddesses]]
[[Category:Drinking culture]]
[[Category:Water deities]]