Belenus

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Belenus , Latinized form of Belenos , Belinos , was a Celtic god who, according to the Interpretatio Romana, was equated with the Roman Apollo . After Epona he is the Celtic deity most mentioned by ancient authors. Because of the widespread use of dedicatory inscriptions, it is assumed that Belenus was part of the original Celtic religion .

Etymology and Mythology

For the interpretation of Belenus as a healing deity speaks the etymology as "source god" ( Celtic * Guelenos to Indo-European * g u elH- ; compare also Low High German "source" ). The older research derived the name from the root * bhel- ("bright", "shine"). However, a derivation from the Celtic word for the hallucinogen henbane belenuntia , bellinuncium , bellenium also applies . Another argument in favor of the connection with henbane is that it is called apollinaris herba ("Apollo herb") in Latin . The developed root * belenio- can still be found today in Spanish beleño and in Portuguese velenho (both means " henbane "). In the compound names Cunobelinus and Lugobelinos ( Cymrian Cynfelyn or Llywelyn) the first part of the word is a metaphor for "warrior", the second can mean henbane as a drug to increase the fighting spirit, the first can also mean "Belinus' dog".

The early Christian writer Tertullian (around 200) wrote that each province had its own deity, in Noricum this was Belenus. An inscription was also found here in Virunum . Most of the inscriptions dedicated to Belenus come from the eastern Alps , northern Italy and southern Gaul . Several inscriptions have come down to us from the northern Italian region of Venetia , especially around the city of Aquileia . The emperors Diocletian (284–305) and Maximian (286–305) each donated one of these inscriptions to Belenus (Beleno) . When Emperor Maximinus Thrax (235–238) besieged the city of Aquileia in 238, his soldiers claim to have seen how Belenus ( Βέλεν ) seemed to defend the city from the air. Six other inscriptions from northern Italy were found in Iulium Carnicum , Iulia Concordia and Altinum .

In southern Gaul there is a dedication in Greek on a gem from Nîmes (Nemausis, province of Gallia Narbonensis ) and in Latin on a stone from Narbonne (Narbo, also Gallia Narbonensis). The poet Ausonius (4th century) also reported on a temple of Belenus in Burdigala (today: Bordeaux ). However, modern research suggests that he chose the god's name purely for poetic reasons. Further mentions are on a Gallic inscription in Greek letters from Saint-Chamas (RIG I G-28) and probably on two partially destroyed tablets from Marseille (Massilia) (RIG I * G-24) and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence ( Glanum ) (RIG I G-63).

Connections with other Celtic deities and heroes such as the Gallic goddess Belisama , the Cymrian Beli Mawr and the Irish Bile are suspected but cannot be proven. The term bel-fire in the Beltane ceremonies could refer to Belenus and Beli Mawr.

Belenus probably gave the name to several localities, such as Beligna near Aquileia and possibly also Biel / Bienne in Switzerland . (a.1142: Belna * Belena ).

Belenus will u. a. still speculatively connected with the five Belchen , with the idea that the Belchen might have been observation points for winter and summer solstices as well as the equinox .

See also

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Helmut Birkhan: Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. P. 583.
  2. ↑ a b c Bernhard Maier: Lexicon of the Celtic religion and culture . P. 40 f.
  3. ↑ Bernhard Maier: Small lexicon of names and words of Celtic origin. Keyword henbane, p. 35.
  4. ↑ Helmut Birkhan: Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. P. 717.
  5. ↑ Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus: Apologeticum 24, 8; Ad Nationes 2, 8, 5.
  6. ↑ CIL III, 4774 Belino / Aug (usto) sac (rum) / C (aius) / Marius / Severus / d (onum) d (edit)
  7. ↑ CIL V, 732 [Apollini] Beleno / [Imperatore] s Caesares / [C (aius) Aur (elius) Val (erius) D] iocletianus et / [M (arcus) Aur (elius) M] aximianus / [P ( ii) F (elices) Invi] cti Augg (usti) / [lib (entes) animo] dedicaverunt
    CIL V, 733 ] iola / Bel (eno) voti / solvere lib (entes)
    CIL V, 755 Fonti B (eleni?) / sacr (um) / T (itus) Kanius / Ianuarius / [v (otum)] s (olvit) l (ibens) m (erito) et al.
  8. ↑ Herodian : Ab Excessu Divi Marci 8, 3, 8; Historia Augusta : Maximini duo 22, 1.
  9. ↑ CIL XII, 5958 Beleno O [3] / Turpio v (otum) s (olvit) l (ibens) [m (erito)]
  10. ^ Ausonius: Commemoratio Professorum Burdigalensium. 4, 7-9; 10, 22-24; Helmut Birkhan: Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. P. 908.
  11. ↑ Helmut Birkhan: Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. P. 792.
  12. ^ Felix Staehelin : Switzerland in Roman times ; 3. Edition. Basel 1948.