From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Camulus or Camulos is a
Celtic
deity who was identified with
Mars via
interpretatio romana .
[1] Camulus was an important god of
Roman Britain and
Gaul , especially among the
Belgae and the
Remi ,
[1] a Gaulish people living in the region that is now modern
Grand Est around
Reims .
Name
The etymology of the name is uncertain. It has been compared with the
Old Irish cumall , meaning 'champion'.
Attestations
Evidence of Camulus' popularity can be seen in several place-names, notably
Camulodunum .
[1]
Camulus is named in combination with Mars in inscriptions coming from Reims,
[3]
Arlon ,
[4]
Kruishoutem ,
[5]
Rindern ,
[6]
Mainz ,
[7]
Bar Hill Fort near the
Antonine Wall ,
[8]
Sarmizegetusa ,
[9] and
Southwark, London .
[10]
[11]
The town
Camulodunum (now
Colchester ) in
Essex may have been named after him (and is the conjectured basis for the legendary city of
Camelot ).
[12] Camulodunum is a
Latinised form of the
Brittonic Camulodūnon from Camulos plus
dūnon "(hill)fort, stronghold", a reference to the town's extensive
Iron Age earthwork defences.
[13]
Theories
Attempts from the 20th century and earlier to link the name Camulus with the
nursery rhyme character
Old King Cole , and with Irish mythological
Cumhall , the hero
Fionn 's father, have been rejected by contemporary scholars.
[1]
References
^
a
b
c
d "Camulus". A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology . Oxford University Press. 2004 [1998].
^ ILTG 351; AE 1935, 00064 [In] honor[em d(omus) d(ivinae)] / [3] Martis Cam[uli 3] / [Iucundiniu[s 3] / [Laurenti]um Lavinat[ium
^
CIL 13 3980 : Marti / Camulo / Lellius / Settus / v(otum) [s(olvit)] l(ibens) m(erito)
^ AE 1992, 01244 : Deo Marti Camulo / Verecundus Fructi / v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)
^ CIL 13 8701 : Marti Camulo / sacrum pro / salute [Neronis] <<Tiberii>> / Claudi Caesaris / [A]ug(usti) Germanici Imp(eratoris) / [c]ives Remi qui / [t]emplum constitu/erunt
^ CIL 13 11818 : Marti / Camulo / sacrum / [ // Fronto / T[3]oni f(ilius) / d(onum) d(edit)
^ CIL 7 1103 : Deo Mar(ti) / Camulo / [m]ilites coh(ortis) [I] / Hamioru[m] / [2]CIV[1]SC[2] / [2]IVI[3]
^ AE 1998, 01100 : Invicto / Mithrae / Marti Camulo / Mercurio / Rosmertae / Q(uintus) Axius Aeli/anus v(ir) e(gregius) / proc(urator) Aug[g](ustorum) / Ioni(us)
^
"Moritix Londiniensium: A Recent Epigraphic Find in London" (PDF) . The British Epigraphy Society Newsletter (8): 10–13. Autumn 2002. Retrieved 9 July 2018 – via University College London.
^ AE 2002, 882: Num(inibus) Augg(ustorum) / deo Marti Ca/mulo Tiberini/us Celerianus / c(ivis) Bell(ovacus) / moritix / Londiniensi/um / primus [3] / [3]VA[
^ Arthur Cotterell (1997). The Encyclopedia of Mythology: Classical, Celtic, Norse . Anness Publishing Ltd.
^ Crummy, Philip (1997). City of Victory: The story of Colchester - Britain's first Roman town . Colchester Archaeological Trust.
ISBN
1 897719 04 3 .
Bibliography
Further reading
Lindsay, Jack (1961). "Camulos and Belenos". Latomus . 20 (4): 731–43.
JSTOR
41522086 . .