Cissonius
Relief of Mercury Cissonius from the Palatinate.
Map showing the distribution of inscriptions to Cissonius.
Cissonius (also Cisonius, Cesonius) was an ancient Gaulish/Celtic god. After Visucius, Cissonius was the most common name of the Gaulish/Celtic Mercury; around seventeen inscriptions dedicated to him extend from France and Southern Germany into Switzerland.[1]
The name has been interpreted as meaning "carriage-driver".[2] He was probably a god of trade and protector of travellers, since Mercury exercised similar functions in the Roman pantheon.
In one inscription from Promontogno in Switzerland, Cissonus is identified with Matutinus.[1]
A goddess is also recorded.[3]
References[]
- ^ a b Nicole Jufer & Thierry Luginbühl. 2001. Les dieux gaulois : répertoire des noms de divinités celtiques connus par l'épigraphie, les textes antiques et la toponymie. Editions Errance, Paris. pp.34-5
- ^ J.-J. Hatt (1989), Mythes et dieux de la Gaules, I : les grandes divinités masculines, Paris, p.217. Cited in William van Andringa (2002). La religion en Gaule romaine : Piété et politique (Ier-IIIe siècle apr. J.-C. Editions Errance, Paris. pp.135,155. Van Andringa thus summarizes Hatt's conclusions: "Cissonius dériverait du gaulois cissum, voiture." ("Cissonius would be derived from the Gaulish cissum, carriage.")
- ^ Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend, Miranda J. Green, Thames and Hudson Ltd, 1997
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| Gallia Aquitania | ||
| Gallia Belgica | ||
| Gallia Celtica | ||
| Gallia Cisalpina | ||
| Gallia Narbonensis | ||
| Germania Inferior | ||
| Gallaecia |
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Categories:
- Gaulish gods
- Commerce gods
- Mercurian deities
- Celtic mythology stubs