Condatis

Condatis (Gaulish: 'confluence') was an ancient Celtic deity worshipped primarily in northern Britain but also in Gaul. He was associated with the confluences of rivers, in particular within County Durham in the North of England. ^{[lower-alpha 1]} Condatis is known from several inscriptions in Britain and a single inscription found at Alonnes, Sarthe, France. In each case he is equated with the Roman god Mars.^{[lower-alpha 2]}

Name

The theonym Condatis derives from the stem condāt-, meaning 'confluence', itself from Proto-Celtic *kom-dati-, from an earlier kom-d^hh₁-ti- ('put with, put together', i.e. 'grouping, reunion').^[2][3]

The stem condāt- is also attested in personal names, including Condatus, Condatius, and Condatie, as well as in toponyms such as Condé, Condat, Candé, Conte, Condes, Candes, Cosnes, Condate (the old name of Rennes and Northwich), Condom, Condéon (both from *Condate-o-magos), Cond (< *Condate-dunum), Kontz, Conz (Trier), and Canstatt (Condistat).^[4][2]

Cult

The cult title is probably related to the place name Condate, often used in Gaul for settlements at the confluence of rivers.^[5] The Celtic god Condatis is thought to have functions pertaining to water and healing. ^{[6] [7]}

Roman altar-inscriptions to Mars Condates have been found near Roman forts in County Durham in the North of England that may suggest a 'confluence-deity' cult and the possibility that river confluences may have been used as pagan ritual sacrifice or human sacrifice sites.^{[lower-alpha 3][lower-alpha 4][lower-alpha 5]}

Archaeological evidence

British Isles

Roman altars with inscriptions to Mars Condates have been found in the Tees and Wear valleys of County Durham. ^{[lower-alpha 1]} Altars are normally found at the confluence of rivers – for example, the Cong Burn–Wear confluence near Chester-le-Street – however others may have been disturbed or removed, especially by antiquarians and collectors.

The inscription Mars Condates is a conflation (joining) of deities:^{[lower-alpha 6]}

1. Roman god Mars – god of war and father of Romulus, the founder of Rome.
2. Gaulish deity Condatis – god of river confluences.

Altar inscriptions (British Isles)

List of altars with inscriptions to Mars Condates:

Reference	Type	Find location	Confluence	Map [help 1]	Latitude N – S
Mars Condates RIB 3500.[rib 1]	Altar fragment	Cramond Roman Fort, near Edinburgh.[web 1]	Almond–Firth of Forth.	[map 1] [help 1]	676800
Mars Condates RIB 1045.[rib 2]	Altar	Concangis (Roman Fort), Chester-le-Street.	Cong Burn–Wear.	[map 2]	551570
Mars Condates RIB 1024.[rib 3]	Altar	High Coniscliffe village.[lower-alpha 7] Piercebridge Roman Fort, Dere Street	? River Tees.	[map 3]	515300
Mars Condates RIB 731.[rib 4]	Altar	Bowes village.[lower-alpha 8] Lavatrae (Roman Fort), Watling Street (North).	? River Greta.	[map 4]	513430
Mars Condates Brit.47.1.[rib 5]	Altar	Moulton, North Yorkshire. Find date: 2015	Not known	[map 5]	503830

France

An example of an altar-inscription to Condatis has been found at Allonnes, Sarthe in France.

References

Citations

1. MacKillop 2004, pp. 100.
2. Delamarre 2003, pp. 123–124.
3. Matasović 2009, p. 204.
4. Nègre 1990, pp. 109–112.
5. Maier, Dictionary of Celtic Religion and Culture, p. 80.
6. Ross, Anne (1967). Pagan Celtic Britain. Routledge & Kegan Paul. ISBN 0-902357-03-4.
7. Jones, Barri & Mattingly, David (1990). An Atlas of Roman Britain (p. 275). Oxford: Basil Blackwell. ISBN 1-84217-067-8.
8. James 2020, pp. 4–5.
9. Oliver 2012, p. 347.

Web

1. "Cramond Vicus – The Gods of Roman Cramond". Roman Britain. Retrieved 28 September 2024.

RIB

1. "RIB 3500. Fragmentary altar dedicated to Mars Condates (?)". Roman Inscriptions of Britain. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
2. "RIB 1045. Altar dedicated to Mars Condates". Roman Inscriptions of Britain. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
3. "RIB 1024. Altar dedicated to Mars Condates". Roman Inscriptions of Britain. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
4. "RIB 731. Altar dedicated to Mars Condates". Roman Inscriptions of Britain. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
5. "Brit.47.1. To the god Mars Condates, Cunobacha set (this) up". Roman Inscriptions of Britain. Retrieved 28 September 2024.

Maps

1. "MAGiC MaP: Cramond Roman Fort". Defra.
2. "MAGiC MaP: Cong Burn – River Wear confluence". Defra.
3. "MAGiC MaP: High Coniscliffe". Defra.
4. "MAGiC MaP: Bowes village". Defra.
5. "MAGiC MaP: Moulton, North Yorkshire". Defra.

1. MAGiC MaP – Help

   1. Use Table of Contents for Colour mapping.
   2. There may be intermittent problems with the magic.defra.gov.uk website, if so then try again another time.

Notes for citations

1. MacKillop – Celtic Mythology...
   Condatis ..."A god worshipped in Roman occupied Britain, much associated with the confluence of rivers...His shrines have been found between the Tyne and Tees rivers...His name is commemorated in many place names ...^[1]
2. See also: Mars (mythology)

   • Name and cult epithets
     • Provincial epithets
       • Celtic Mars
         • Mars Condatis...
3. SPNS – Brittonic Language...
   Aber ..."On the possibility that confluences and estuaries may have been pagan ritual sites...The altar-inscriptions to Condatis found in the Tyne-Tees region may be evidence of a 'confluence-deity' cult in that area ...^[8]
4. See also: Paganism ..."Ritual sacrifice was an integral part of ancient Graeco-Roman religion and was regarded as an indication of whether a person was pagan or Christian...
5. See also: Persecution of pagans in the late Roman Empire ..."Despite official threats...paganism remained widespread into the early fifth century continuing in parts of the empire into the 600s...
6. Neil Oliver – Ancient Britain...
   ..."Twinning of gods and goddesses was a tactic the Romans employed all across the Empire ...^[9]
7. Found at High Coniscliffe, which lies about 1.6 km. east of Piercebridge.
8. Found on the north side of the main road about 180 m. east of Bowes fort.

Bibliography

• Delamarre, Xavier (2003). Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise: Une approche linguistique du vieux-celtique continental. Errance. ISBN 9782877723695.
• James, Alan G. (2020). "The Brittonic Language in the Old North, A Guide to the Place-Name Evidence, Volume 2" (PDF). Scottish Place-Name Society. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
• MacKillop, James (2004). Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-860967-1.
• Matasović, Ranko (2009). Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic. Brill. ISBN 9789004173361.
• Nègre, Ernest (1990). Toponymie générale de la France (in French). Librairie Droz. ISBN 978-2-600-02883-7.
• Oliver, Neil (2012). A History of Ancient Britain. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 978-0753828861.