i would like to learn more about Sulis...

[StormVixen]

does anyone have any personal experiance? ive been to the Roman baths in Bath alot of times... i like the *feeling* there but the amount of tourists sucks...!

does anyone know any good information sorces? ive done a bit of googling but i didnt find much!

thanx

[Agaliha]

Info I can give, but not experience with her :)

Here are some sites: (she seems to be linked to Minerva as well as other names)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulis
http://thaliatook.com/sulis.html
http://vassun.vassar.edu/~jolott/clas217/projects/bath_project/Sulis_Minerva_2.htm
http://www.bambooweb.com/articles/s/u/Sulis.html

Sulis | goddess of healing, she presided over hot springs in Aquae Sulis (modern Bath); often conflated with the Roman goddess Minerva (http://www.loggia.com/myth/minerva.html) (http://www.loggia.com/myth/britain.html (http://www.loggia.com/myth/britain.html))

http://roxanne.typepad.com/rantrave/2004/10/deity_of_the_we_1.html
http://www.mcfly.org/Sulis
http://www.kernunnos.com/deities/Minerva.html
http://www.ambrosii.com/deities/sulis.html
http://sulisminerva.com/domus.html <-- an online "Temple" ...looks good
http://www.hranajanto.com/GoddessGallery/GGF-all.html
http://www.open2.net/romans/location/locs12.htm
http://departments.vassar.edu/~jolott/clas217/projects/bath_project/Temple.htm

Also try looking up--
1. Sulis Minerva
2. Sul or Sulla (original Celtic name, I believe)
3. Aquae Sulis "Waters of Sul"

That seems to be the best of the sites, everything just repeats the Wikipedia website and things.
Hope it help you out.

[Nantonos]

Here are the dedications to Sulis (sorry about the German headings) listed by Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby. I happen to know there are other inscriptions, such as inscriptions on the handles of paterae, not listed here. I don't have a list of them however. There is also an inscription from Cirencester, I am fairly sure.

Of the inscriptions below, only one is to Sulis Minerva. And note that it is not Minerva Sulis - Minerva is the epithet, not the deity name. There is also an inscription from a priest of the goddess Sulis (sacerdos deae Sulis).


Belegstelle: AE 1982, 00660 = Bath-04, 00010
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

Docilianus / Bruceri / deae sanctissim(a)e / Suli / devoveo eum [q]ui /
caracellam(!) meam / involaverit si / vir si femina si / servus si liber
/ ut [3]um dea Sulis / maximo letum / [a]digat nec ei so/mnum
permit//tat nec natos nec / nascentes do/[ne]c caracallam / meam ad
tem/plum sui numi/nis per[t]ulerit


Belegstelle: AE 1982, 00661 = Bath-04, 00094
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

Uricalus Do[c]ilosa ux[or] sua / Docilis filius suus et Docilina /
Decentinus frater suus Alogiosa / nomina {a}eorum qui iuraverunt / {qui
iuraverunt} ad fontem deae Suli(s) / prid(i)e Idus Apriles quicumque
illic per/iuraverit deae Suli facias illum sanguine suo illud
satisfacere


Belegstelle: AE 1984, 00620 = Bath-04, 00044
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

A[e]n[um me]um qui levavit [e]xc/on(f)ic[tu]s [e]st templo Sulis / dono
si mulier si baro si ser/vus si liber si pure(!) si puella / et qui hoc
fecerit san/gu(in)em suum in ipsmu(!) aen/mu(!) fundat // Dono si
mul[ie]r si / ba(ro) si servus si lib/er si puer si puel/la eum
latr[on]/em qui rem ipsa/m involavi[t] d/eus [i]nvenia[t]


Belegstelle: AE 1987, 00739 = Bath-04, 00062
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

[3]eocorotis perdedi(!) la[enam] / [pa]lleum sagum paxsam(!) do[navi] /
[3 S]ulis ut hoc ante dies novem / [si li]ber si ser(v)us si [li]bera si
serva / [si] pure(!) si puell[a i]n rostr[o] s[uo] / defera[t 3] /
caballarem s[i ser(v)us si liber si] / serva si libera si puer [si
puella] / in suo rostro defer[at]


Belegstelle: Bath 00021
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

dea] Sulis t[ibi 3] / [3]en[


Belegstelle: Bath 00049
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

] qu[i involvavi]t cab[al]/lar[e]m si [vir si f]emin[a] / si serv(u)s
[si libe]r / [3] dea Sul[is


Belegstelle: Bath 00054
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

B // [3]AT[3]AD[3]ITAMO[3] / conq[u]{a}er[or] tibi Sulis Arminia /
Verecundinum Ter[en]ti c[ons]umas / qui argentiolos duos mihi /
[3]revavit no[n il]l[i p]er/mittas nec sedere nec iacere [ne]c / [3]
a[m]bulare n[ec] / somn[um nec] sanitatem [cu]m(?) / quantocius consumas
et iter[u]m / [6] / [6] / [no]n perveniat


Belegstelle: Bath 00066
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

Exsuperius / donat pannum ferri / qui illi innoc[entiam(?) 3]nfam /
tusc[3] Su/lis si vir [si femin]a s[i] ser(v)us / si liber ho[c] /
ill[3] / et [3]er[3] / suas inv[o]la[veru]n[t] s[i] vir / si femina
s[ati]sfecerit / sanguin[e] ill[o]rum hoc / devindices [si(?)] q[u]is
aenum mi/hi involav[i]t


Belegstelle: Bath 00069
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

]ia / [3] dea Suli[s 3] / [3]nem d[


Belegstelle: RIB 00141d
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

G(aius) Protaciu[s 3] / deae Sulis M[inervae


Belegstelle: RIB 00155 = AE 1953, 00133b
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

D(is) M(anibus) / C(aius) Calpurnius / [R]eceptus sacer/dos deae Su/lis
vix(it) an(nos) LXXV / Calpurnia Trifo/sa l[i]bert(a) coniunx /
f(aciendum) c(uravit)


Aha ok here is the Cirencester one. The reading has been corrected by the insertion of an assumed missing "v" to make it a dedication to the Matres Suleviae, which may or may not be correct. It could equally be Suleis as a variant spelling of Sulis. Note the name of the dedicant too, Sulinus Bruceti.

Belegstelle: RIB 00105
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Cirencester / Corinium

Sule(v)is / Sulinus / Bruceti / v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)

[Nantonos]

There were a couple of threads earlier about personal experiences with Sulis:

http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=87510&highlight=sulis (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=87510&highlight=sulis)
http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=85764&highlight=sulis (http://www.mysticwicks.com/showthread.php?t=85764&highlight=sulis)

For background, I would recommend:

Cunliffe, Barry (2000) Roman Bath Discovered. Stroud, Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-1902-1

[StormVixen]

WOW!!! thanx... that'll keep me going for a bit!!!

[mucgwyrt]

Here are the dedications to Sulis (sorry about the German headings) listed by Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss/Slaby. I happen to know there are other inscriptions, such as inscriptions on the handles of paterae, not listed here. I don't have a list of them however. There is also an inscription from Cirencester, I am fairly sure.

Of the inscriptions below, only one is to Sulis Minerva. And note that it is not Minerva Sulis - Minerva is the epithet, not the deity name. There is also an inscription from a priest of the goddess Sulis (sacerdos deae Sulis).


Belegstelle: AE 1982, 00660 = Bath-04, 00010
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

Docilianus / Bruceri / deae sanctissim(a)e / Suli / devoveo eum [q]ui /
caracellam(!) meam / involaverit si / vir si femina si / servus si liber
/ ut [3]um dea Sulis / maximo letum / [a]digat nec ei so/mnum
permit//tat nec natos nec / nascentes do/[ne]c caracallam / meam ad
tem/plum sui numi/nis per[t]ulerit


Belegstelle: AE 1982, 00661 = Bath-04, 00094
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

Uricalus Do[c]ilosa ux[or] sua / Docilis filius suus et Docilina /
Decentinus frater suus Alogiosa / nomina {a}eorum qui iuraverunt / {qui
iuraverunt} ad fontem deae Suli(s) / prid(i)e Idus Apriles quicumque
illic per/iuraverit deae Suli facias illum sanguine suo illud
satisfacere


Belegstelle: AE 1984, 00620 = Bath-04, 00044
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

A[e]n[um me]um qui levavit [e]xc/on(f)ic[tu]s [e]st templo Sulis / dono
si mulier si baro si ser/vus si liber si pure(!) si puella / et qui hoc
fecerit san/gu(in)em suum in ipsmu(!) aen/mu(!) fundat // Dono si
mul[ie]r si / ba(ro) si servus si lib/er si puer si puel/la eum
latr[on]/em qui rem ipsa/m involavi[t] d/eus [i]nvenia[t]


Belegstelle: AE 1987, 00739 = Bath-04, 00062
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

[3]eocorotis perdedi(!) la[enam] / [pa]lleum sagum paxsam(!) do[navi] /
[3 S]ulis ut hoc ante dies novem / [si li]ber si ser(v)us si [li]bera si
serva / [si] pure(!) si puell[a i]n rostr[o] s[uo] / defera[t 3] /
caballarem s[i ser(v)us si liber si] / serva si libera si puer [si
puella] / in suo rostro defer[at]


Belegstelle: Bath 00021
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

dea] Sulis t[ibi 3] / [3]en[


Belegstelle: Bath 00049
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

] qu[i involvavi]t cab[al]/lar[e]m si [vir si f]emin[a] / si serv(u)s
[si libe]r / [3] dea Sul[is


Belegstelle: Bath 00054
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

B // [3]AT[3]AD[3]ITAMO[3] / conq[u]{a}er[or] tibi Sulis Arminia /
Verecundinum Ter[en]ti c[ons]umas / qui argentiolos duos mihi /
[3]revavit no[n il]l[i p]er/mittas nec sedere nec iacere [ne]c / [3]
a[m]bulare n[ec] / somn[um nec] sanitatem [cu]m(?) / quantocius consumas
et iter[u]m / [6] / [6] / [no]n perveniat


Belegstelle: Bath 00066
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

Exsuperius / donat pannum ferri / qui illi innoc[entiam(?) 3]nfam /
tusc[3] Su/lis si vir [si femin]a s[i] ser(v)us / si liber ho[c] /
ill[3] / et [3]er[3] / suas inv[o]la[veru]n[t] s[i] vir / si femina
s[ati]sfecerit / sanguin[e] ill[o]rum hoc / devindices [si(?)] q[u]is
aenum mi/hi involav[i]t


Belegstelle: Bath 00069
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

]ia / [3] dea Suli[s 3] / [3]nem d[


Belegstelle: RIB 00141d
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

G(aius) Protaciu[s 3] / deae Sulis M[inervae


Belegstelle: RIB 00155 = AE 1953, 00133b
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Bath / Aquae Sulis

D(is) M(anibus) / C(aius) Calpurnius / [R]eceptus sacer/dos deae Su/lis
vix(it) an(nos) LXXV / Calpurnia Trifo/sa l[i]bert(a) coniunx /
f(aciendum) c(uravit)


Aha ok here is the Cirencester one. The reading has been corrected by the insertion of an assumed missing "v" to make it a dedication to the Matres Suleviae, which may or may not be correct. It could equally be Suleis as a variant spelling of Sulis. Note the name of the dedicant too, Sulinus Bruceti.

Belegstelle: RIB 00105
Provinz: Britannia
Ort: Cirencester / Corinium

Sule(v)is / Sulinus / Bruceti / v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)
So Sulis wasn't as localised to Bath as people say then, if there's an inscription in Cirencester?

[Nantonos]

So Sulis wasn't as localised to Bath as people say then, if there's an inscription in Cirencester?

If it is, yes. It could be to Sulis, it could be to the Matres Suleviae (which I think is less likely).

[mucgwyrt]

If it is, yes. It could be to Sulis, it could be to the Matres Suleviae (which I think is less likely).
Oh, I didn't realise they were seperate; who is Matres Sulivae?

If it is Sulis in Cirencester, then that suggests she was more than the goddess of some local spring, doesn't it? Unless it was just that famous...?

[Nantonos]

Oh, I didn't realise they were seperate; who is Matres Sulivae?

The Sulevian mothers were Germano-Celtic (Rhineland) mother goddesses.


If it is Sulis in Cirencester, then that suggests she was more than the goddess of some local spring, doesn't it? Unless it was just that famous...?
Yes, it does.

[mucgwyrt]

The Sulevian mothers were Germano-Celtic (Rhineland) mother goddesses.


Yes, it does.
I see... I remember researching the "Matres" briefly when I was looking into the anglo-saxon calendar, but I didn't realise there were different types. (I realise this is wildly off topic, but -) are the different types of matrae based on region alone?