What is the significance of Sulis Minerva for both Romans and the Celts?

University Degree Historical and Philosophical studies

BY Saori Yoshimoto 10 Bru

Both Rome and Britain had many religions, in which a selection of gods could be worshipped at many levels. At one end of the scale were the official cults of the emperor and the ‘Capitoline Triad Jupiter, Juno and Minerva’, linked to other Olympian gods like Mars. At the other end, every spring, every river, every crossroads, lake or wood had its own local spirit with its own local shrine. The Romans had no problem in combining these with their own gods, simply associating them with the god(s) or goddess (es) who most resembled them.

Bath is a big town of 84,200 inhabitants, on the River Avon. In the 1st century AD, the Celtic way of life faced a huge turning point, when the Romans conquered the British Isles. Yet even when they conquered the British Isles they did not force the Celtics to convert their beliefs and allowed them to continue respecting their gods. In fact after they arrived, the romans began to see a connection between the Celtic gods and the old roman gods. They also had similar beliefs in formless, vague spirits known as the “numina”. These made the Romans decidet to combine some of the roman and Celtic gods.

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The Romans discovered that there was a hot mineral spring. Yet, long before the Romans conquered the British Isles, the Celts found the hot springs coming from the ground. Linking spiritual significance to the site, the Celts dedicated it to their goddess Sullis-who was the goddess of reason and health- by building a temple. The Romans identified the Celtic goddess Sulis- worshipped by the Celts at this site- with their own goddess Minerva, who was often seen with weapons for her martial powers and an owl for wisdom. Thus, the shrine to the goddess Sulis-Minerva was built upon the Avon, in an attempt to combine the two cultures instead of destroying one, which led to the development of the city of Aquae Sulis. But the connection between Celtic and Roman cultures were not the only purpose behind the creation of the great city. The Romans greatly publicized the reputed healing powers of the river Avon, and it became a well-known place of pilgrimage. Romans from all over the empire came to Aquae Sulis in order to be healed of sickness or injury by bathing in the mystical waters of the Avon - now made into the Roman equivalent of a spa with the building of heated baths. The sick would also pray to the goddess Sulis-Minerva in desperate hope of a cure, at the shrine of Aquae Sulis. The Romans built their social lives around the bathhouses, that were a little like a modern day health farm. They created 'hypocausts', a complex heating system, under the baths. Treatment rooms became the social meetinghouses, and the entrance hall was the area in which people would congregate, with its enormous windows overlooking Sulis-Minerva the sacred spring. On passing, many people would throw money and trinkets into the waters as a gift to Aquae Sulis, the Celtic Goddess. This in turn led to the growth of shops and stalls around the shrine, where merchants would sell all manners of charms and offerings to pilgrims.

Within the temple, guarded by the image that looks like a Gorgon's head, stood the cult statue of the goddess Sulis Minerva. Although torn from its body in ancient times, unbelievably the head has survived. Rivet holes are still visible where a proud Corinthian helmet was once attached. This life-size gilt bronze head once glowed golden before a sacred flame tended by temple priests within the dark sanctuary of the inner temple. Like the Celts, the Romans believed that the goddess guards this entrance to the Underworld. Not only was Minerva known for the healing powers- ny throwing offerings in to the spring, pilgrims believed that they could communicate directly with the Underworld the visual and symbolic

The Temple Not only was Minerva's water renowned for its healing powers; by throwing their offerings into the spring, pilgrims believed that they could communicate directly with the Underworld the visual and symbolic focus of the temple was the sacrificial altar. The great mass of stone stood nearly 2m high; its top was carved smooth and slightly dished to hold the animals that were slaughtered for augury.

CELTIC SUN GOD AT BATH.
Among the most remarkable Celtic works of art of Roman Europe is the exceptional sun god's head that welcomed pilgrims to the temple of Sulis Minerva in Bath. Inside its headdress where leaves, surrounded by big snake like hair. This was the difference between the Celts and the Romans. The Romans had subtle calm and elegant sculptures and statues whereas the Celts had very strong meaningful sculptures and statues. Having the Celtic sun god on the entrance of the temple shows that the Romans were really combining the two religions together as there is also an owl and a war helmet, which represents Minerva on the temple pediment next to the sun gods head. Some have even said it looks like a gorgon, and not only does it look like the sun; it’s also associated with water, i.e. the face of the ocean.

Curses and offerings

Over 6,000 coins were cast as offerings into the waters of Bath, along with vast quantities of lead or bronze curse tablets, asking Sulis-Minerva to intercede on behalf of the worshipper. These were also nailed up on poles within the temple quarter and provide an interesting glimpse into the everyday (and not so everyday) lives of the people who visited the shrine: Some curse spells were thought more binding -- especially the ones written backwards. Victims whose clothes were taken while bathing in the baths, victims of mugging, death, robbery and being cheated usually made these curses. Explaining to their gods their problems and asking them to punish the criminals. There were cases when people made a curse saying “death to all thieves”.

These lead tablets were usually 6-12cm long and 3½-8cm wide when unrolled.

Some examples of the curses:

domine Neptune, / tibi dono hominem qui / (solidum) involavit Mu- / coni et argentiolos / sex. ideo dono nomina / qui decepit, si mascel si / femina, si puuer si puue- / lla. ideo dono tibi, Niske, / et Neptuno vitam, vali- / tudinem, sanguem eius / qui conscius fueris eius / deceptionis. animus / qui hoc involavit et / qui conscius fuerit ut / eum decipias. furem / qui hoc involavit sanguem / eiius consumas et de- / cipias, domine Nep- / tune.

Translation

Lord Neptune, I give you the man who has stolen the solidus and six argentioli of Muconius. So I give the names who took them away, whether male or female, whether boy or girl. So I give you, Niskus, and to Neptune the life, health, blood of him who has been privy to that taking-away. The mind which stole this and which has been privy to it, may you take it away. The thief who stole this, may you consume his blood and take it away, Lord Neptune.

in conclusion, I believe that Sulis Minerva was a goddess that brought the romans and the celts together. Not only through uniting their beliefs but through socializing i.e. coming to the baths and making offering and bathing. Sulis Minerva was very important to the romans and the celts in their own way as the celts were devoted to sulis and the romans were devoted to Minerva. Bothe very powerful gods. They were soo important to the people that they were willing to sacrifice animals and give expensive gifts or travel thousands of miles just to get healed or have their wishes granted.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://www.csad.ox.ac.uk/RIB/RIBIV/jp4.htm