Damona
Template:Short description In Gallo-Roman religion, Damona was a goddess worshipped in Gaul as the consort of Apollo Borvo and of Apollo Moritasgus.
NameEdit
Template:Sister project The theonym Damona is a derivative of the Proto-Celtic stem *damo-, meaning 'bull' or 'deer' (cf. Old Irish dam 'bull, deer'; also *damato- > Middle Welsh dafad 'sheep', Old Cornish dauat 'ewe'), itself from Proto-Indo-European *dmh2o- ('the tamed one'). The Latin noun damma, which is the source of French daim ('roe'), is probably a loanword from Gaulish. The root *dmh2- is also presumably reflected in the British tribal name Demetae, interpreted as meaning 'Tamers'.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn
CultEdit
Damona and Bormana have been described as the patron deities of the hot springs at Bourbonne-les-Bains and Saint-Vulbas, respectively.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>William van Andringa (2002). La religion en Gaule romaine : Piété et politique (Ier-IIIe siècle apr. J.-C.) Editions Errance, Paris. p.165</ref> Some seventeen inscriptions dedicated to Damona have been recovered, including nine from Bourbonne-les-Bains and four from Bourbon-Lancy, both spa towns in eastern France. In one inscription from Saintes, she has the epithet Matubergini.<ref>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.36-7.</ref>
Inscriptions and dedicationsEdit
There are several inscriptions relating to Damona,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> including two inscriptions in Bourbon-Lancy (CIL 13, 02805), discovered in 1792.
- C (aius) Iulius Eporedirigis f (ilius) Magnus / pro L (ucio) Iulio Caleno filio / Bormoni and Damonae / vot (um) sol (vit)
and (CIL 13, 02806), where Damona is also included in dedications to Borvo, (CIL 13, 02807) and (CIL 13, 02808):
- Borvoni and Damonae / T (itus) Severius Mo / destus [o] mnib (us) / h [o] n [orib (us)] and offi [ciis]
The other large site associated with Damona is Bourbonne-les-Bains, there are nine dedications to the goddess of the waters, including (CIL 13, 05911):
- Deo Apol / lini Borvoni / et Damonae / C (aius) Daminius / Ferox civis / Lingonus ex / voto
and (CIL 13, 05914):
- Borvoni / and Damon (ae) / Aemilia / Sex (ti) fil (ia) / M [3] S
with (CIL 13, 05921):
- Damonae Aug (ustae) / Claudia Mossia and C (aius) Iul (ius) Superstes fil (ius) / l (ocus) d (atus) ex d (ecreto) d (ecurionum) v (otum) s (olverunt) l ( ibentes) m (erito)
Damona also appears in dedications to Chassenay, associated with Albius and Alise-Sainte-Reine. An inscription was found bearing Damona's name in Alesia in 1962, where she was worshipped with Apollo Moritasgus<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> (CIL 13, 11233):
- Aug (usto) sacr (um) / deo Albio and Damonae Sex (tus) Mart (ius) / Cocillus ex iussu eius v (otum) s (olvit) l (ibens) m (erito)
and (CAG-21-01):
- Deo Apollini Moritasgo [and] / Damonae P (ublius) Pontius Apolli [naris]
Finally, there is an inscription in Rivières.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Jullia Malla Malluronis fîl (ia) numinibus Augustorum et deae Damonae Matuherginni (?) Ob memoriam Sulpiciae Silvanae filiae suae de suo posuit