Celtic Minerva is mentioned by Caesar in his testimony on Gaulish gods (Caes. BG., VI, 17). According to Caesar, Minerva teaches the rudiments of crafts and arts. Scholars attempt to find the Celtic goddess disguised under the name of Roman Minerva in Caesar's text. For this purpose they consider the other sources of information: dedicatory inscriptions and figurative monuments. The cult of Minerva was widespread in Roman Gaul, but the figurative monuments always depicted Minerva as a goddess of war, not as a protectress of crafts and arts. Thus for scholars attempting to discover the Celtic Minerva of Ceasar in Gaul, she remains «an enigmatic Gaulish goddess». In Roman Britain Minerva depicted also as a goddess of the classical type. Yet it is clear that at least in certain instances a native goddess disguised under this strict classical figure. For example, in the case of Minerva Brigantia, represented on the relief from Birrens, an inscription reveals that the native goddess Brigantia and not the orthodox Roman Minerva is invoked. But she is depicted as a goddess of war and victory, not as the Minerva Worker from Caesar's testimony. The most famous Minerva of Roman Britain was Minerva who was worshiped in the splendid temple complex comprising the magnificent classical temple, large set of sumptuous bathbuildings, great altar and reservoir for the sacred spring water (Bath). Minerva was equated there with the Celtic goddess Sulis, the personified spirit of the healing water. Sulis Minerva was a healer, but her healing beneficence was counter-balanced by her role as an avenger of wrongs. She is not Caesar's Minerva Worker. Scholars believe that the function of a protector of crafts and arts could have belonged to one of the Mother-Goddesses. Their cult was popular in the whole Celtic world. Caesar could have faced this unknown to us goddess or have met the similar function among the goddesses who are known but in some different capacities.
Translated title of the contributionCELTIC (GAULISH) MINERVA OF CAESAR
Original languageRussian
Pages (from-to)163-180
JournalМнемон. Исследования и публикации по истории античного мира
Issue number18-2
StatePublished - 2018

ID: 43040313