Latin crossroads deities: two three four

[Nantonos]

I came across a wierd inscription, not sure how to interpret this dedication.

Citation: CIL 13, 06437 (4, p 98)
Province: Germania superior
Findspot: Bad Cannstatt

In h(onorem) d(omus) d(ivinae) /
Biviis(!) Trivis Qu/
adrivis Satto/
nius Iuvenilis /
b(ene)f(iciarius) co(n)s(ularis) pro sa/
[l]ute sua et suor/
um posuit v(otum) s(olvit) /
l(ibens) l(aetus) m(erito) Id(ibus) Dec(embris) Gra/
to et Seleuco co(n)s(ulibus)

The date is 13 January 221, by mention of the consuls:
221 C. Vettius Gratus Sabinianus, M. Flavius Vitellius Seleucus

The dedicant is Sattonius Iuvenilis, who is on a consular staff.

Biviis Trivis Quadrivis - two-roads, three-roads and four-roads (crossroads?)


Anyone come across something like this before?

[KellyP]

Supposedly there are inscriptions to what are termed "Celtic goddesses of the crossroads" using the name Quadruviae near Cologne.

*goes to search*

[Nantonos]

I came across a footnote
A distinction should be made between the Roman Deae Triviae and the non-Roman, provincial (Deae) Biviae, Triviae and Quadruviae, goddesses of the crossroads. For the latter: Heichelheim 1963.

Living And Working With The Gods: Studies Of Evidence For Private Religion and its Material Environment in Ostia (100 BC - 500 AD)
by JAN THEO BAKKER

This was in chapter 8, on the compita: shrines at crossroads where the Lares Compitales and, from the time of Augustus, the Lares and Genius Augusti were worshipped. Its available online
http://home.wanadoo.nl/~jantheob/privrel/chapter8.pdf (http://home.wanadoo.nl/~jantheob/privrel/chapter8.pdf)

The reference seems to be to HEICHELHEIM F.M. (1963) s.v. 'Quadruviae', PW XXIV (1963), 714-718. I don't know what journal PW refers to.

I also came across a passing reference to a dedication by a woman at Westerwood. The dedicant is Vibia Pacata and its to to Silvanae and Quadruviae (typical of Pannonia, it says on the page) with epithet Caelestis (African).
http://www.lamp.ac.uk/~noy/roman15.htm (http://www.lamp.ac.uk/~noy/roman15.htm)

[Nantonos]

For those who read German, another couple of quotes:

Weitere, typisch gallo-römische Gottheiten sind in Augusta Raurica nur durch einzelne Belege vertreten: die bereits erwähnte Quellgöttin Sirona, die Kreuzweggöttinnen (Quadruviae) und die Pferdegöttin Epona, die vor allem in Nord- und Ostgallien sowie entlang des Rheinlimes verehrt wurde. Im Gebiet der Schweiz sind bisher sieben Zeugnisse des Kultes der Pferdegöttin bekannt; aus Augst ist nur gerade eine Bronzestatuette überliefert, die von ihrer plastischen Qualität her zu den überdurchschnittlichen Stücken gehört, auch wenn sie provinzielle Züge trägt. Der Grund für diese Seltenheit der gallo-römischen Götter dürfte darin zu suchen sein, dass in Augusta Raurica nur wenige Weihinschriften überliefert sind; diese könnten das heutige Bild mit Bestimmtheit verändern und auch in der Frage nach den Gottheiten, denen die gallo-römischen Vierecktempel geweiht waren, Aufschluss geben.
http://www.baselland.ch/docs/kultur/augustaraurica/glossar/g/goetter-einh.htm (http://www.baselland.ch/docs/kultur/augustaraurica/glossar/g/goetter-einh.htm)


and



-Muttergöttinnen (Vertault, Côte d'Or)
-stillende Muttergöttin (Allier)
-Biviae Triviae Quadruviae(sigillata)
-Rosmerta neben Merkur
-Göttin im Schiff (Sequana?) (Sources de la Seine)
http://www.restena.lu/caw/372.htm (http://www.restena.lu/caw/372.htm)

[mucgwyrt]

...and for those of us who dont read german but are terribley curious as to what the first inscription means...? :whistle:

[Nantonos]

...and for those of us who dont read german but are terribley curious as to what the first inscription means...? :whistle:

Then we have to make do with rubbish like


Further, typical gallo-roman deities are in Augusta [augusta] Raurica [Rauri - approx] only through single vouchers represent: the already mentioned Quellgöttin [source - goddess] Sirona [sir - ona], the Kreuzweggöttinnen [cross - off - goddesses] (Quadruviae [Quadruvi - A (amp)]) and the Pferdegöttin [horses - goddess] Epona, the before all in north- and Ostgallien [easterly - galli - en] as soon as along of Rheinlimes [rhine - limit] adored became. In district the Switzerland are till now seven testimonials of cults the Pferdegöttin [horses - goddess] known; from Augst [aug - hr] is only straight an Bronzestatuette [bronze - statuette] traditional, the from hers plastically quality here to the überdurchschnittlichen [surpassing - en] patch up heard, also when she provincial rein carries. The ground for this rareness the gallo-römischen [roman - en] gods may therein to seek is, that in Augusta [augusta] Raurica [Rauri - approx] only few Weihinschriften [votive - inscriptions] traditional are; this could the todays image with certainty change and also in the question to the deities, those the gallo-römischen [roman - en] Vierecktempel [quadrangle - temple] consecrate were, Aufschluss [to - chlu - braised] give.

[TYRRHENUS]

Another curious find by Nantonos!
At first I thought it was idiomatic... 'Street-corners, crossroads, and intersections,' ("here, there and everywhere").1 Anyway, the BIVIAE are goddesses worshiped at the crossroads, in particular, where two roads meet. So, you can figure out the other two.

1) You could also translate ' trivii ' as "the gutters," btw.