Alaisiagae facts for kids

Imagine ancient goddesses who were believed to bring victory! Long ago, in Roman Britain and among the Germanic peoples, there was a special group of four goddesses called the Alaisiagae. (It's pronounced al-ee-uh-SIGH-uh-jee). Their name might mean "sending away fears" or "always winning." These goddesses mixed Celtic and Germanic traditions. They were truly all about winning battles and challenges.

Where Were the Alaisiagae Worshipped?

The Alaisiagae were important gods and goddesses in Roman Britain. This was especially true in places where Roman soldiers and local people lived together.

Housesteads Roman Fort: A Key Spot

One main place where people worshipped the Alaisiagae was a Roman fort called Vercovicium. Today, we know it as Housesteads Roman Fort. It is located right on Hadrian's Wall in England. This wall was a huge barrier built by the Romans. It protected their territory, and many soldiers lived there. Archeologists have found special stone altars at Housesteads. These altars were dedicated to these goddesses.

Bitburg: Another Possible Worship Center

Another place that might have been important for their worship is the town of Bitburg. This town is close to the border between Germany and Belgium. In Roman times, it was called "Beda Vicus." This means "Village of Beda" in Latin. The name "Beda" itself comes from an old Celtic word. This suggests a link to one of the Alaisiagae goddesses named Beda.

Messages from the Past: Votive Inscriptions

How do we know about the Alaisiagae? We know because people carved messages onto stone altars. These messages are called votive inscriptions. They were like promises or thank-you notes to the gods and goddesses. People made them when a wish came true or when they wanted good luck.

First Altar Message: Mars Thincsus and Two Alaisiagae

One very interesting inscription found says:

DEO MARTI THINCSO ET DVABVS ALAISAGIS BEDE ET FIMMILENE ET N AVG GERM CIVES TVIHANTI VSLM

This long Latin sentence means:

"To the god Mars Thincsus and the two Alaisiagae, Beda and Fimmilena, and the divine spirit of the emperor, the German tribesmen from Tuihantis willingly and deservedly fulfill their vow."

This message tells us a few things:

• It names two of the Alaisiagae: Beda and Fimmilena.
• It connects them with a god called Mars Thincsus. This god is linked to the Germanic war-god Týr. Týr was a god of war. He was also important for making oaths (serious promises) and for the Thing.
• The Thing was a special meeting place. Free men would gather there to discuss important issues. They also made decisions and held religious ceremonies.
• The message also mentions "German tribesmen from Tuihantis." Experts think these people might have come from a region called Twenthe in the Netherlands today.

Second Altar Message: Baudihillia and Friagabis

Another important inscription reads:

DEABVS ALAISIAGIS BAVDIHILLIE ET FRIAGABI ET N(umini) AVG(usti) N(umerus) HNAVDIFRIDI V(otum) S(olvit) L(ibens) M(erito)

This translates to:

"To the goddesses the Alaisiagae, Baudihillia and Friagabis, and to the Divinity of the Emperor the unit of Hnaudifridus gladly and deservedly fulfilled its vow."

This message introduces the other two Alaisiagae goddesses: Baudihillia and Friagabis. So, now we know all four names: Beda, Fimmilena, Baudihillia, and Friagabis!

Blending Beliefs: Syncretism of the Alaisiagae

The Alaisiagae are a great example of something called syncretism. This is when different cultures and their beliefs mix together. The altar stones found along Hadrian's Wall show us this. These goddesses were worshipped by both Celtic and Germanic people.

Celtic and Frisian Connections

These goddesses are not known in Roman mythology. However, they were similar to goddesses from the Frisian people. The Frisians are a Germanic group. It's possible that these ideas traveled from Gaul (ancient France) to Germanic lands. For example, the goddess Beda might have been a shorter name for a goddess called Ricagambeda. Their names have similar meanings.

Roman Soldiers and Spreading Worship

Many Roman soldiers serving along Hadrian's Wall were actually Celts. When they met their Roman comrades, they likely shared their beliefs. This helped spread the worship of these victory goddesses. It spread throughout the Roman army and beyond.

Digging Up History: Archeological Discoveries

The altar stones dedicated to the Alaisiagae were found in a special place. This was the Temple of Mars at Vercovicium (Housesteads).

The Temple of Mars

This temple was a roughly circular building. It was located on top of Chapel Hill, just south of the main fort. Its walls were made of rough stones. Earth and rubble filled the gaps. It measured about 17¼ feet across. The foundations were not very strong. This suggests the upper part of the temple might have been made of wood.

A Temple Built on Ruins

The temple was built in the early 200s AD. It was constructed on top of the remains of an older workshop. That workshop had been destroyed during attacks by barbarian tribes around 196 AD. Inside the temple, archeologists found altars. These altars were dedicated by the commanders and soldiers of three different army units. They were dedicated to Mars Thincsus. He was the Roman version of a Teutonic (Germanic) god. It was common for Roman auxiliary units (soldiers from non-Roman areas) to worship their own gods. They worshipped them alongside Roman ones.

Many altars found here were dedicated to Mars. Others were dedicated to the Celto-Germanic Alaisiagae goddesses. As we saw from the inscriptions, some altars named Beda and Fimmilena. Others named Baudihillia (also spelled Boudihillia) and Friagabis.

What Do Their Names Mean?

The names of these goddesses give us clues about their ancient meanings:

• Baudihillia (or Boudihillia) likely comes from an ancient Celtic language. It means "victory's fullness." This fits perfectly with her role as a goddess of victory!
• Beda comes from an ancient Celtic word that means "burial." This might seem a bit different from victory. But sometimes goddesses of victory also had links to death or the afterlife. This is because battles involved both.
• Alaisiagae itself probably comes from an ancient Celtic phrase. It means "sending fears." This could be another way of saying "dispatching terrors." It suggests they were powerful goddesses who could strike fear into enemies. This would lead to victory.