Batavian Gods

An article by Adrian Wink (Peronis)

Donar was the chief of the Batavian Gods. The centre of the Batavian cultus was near present-day Nijmegen, where two temples dedicated to Donar were found. Another temple was found near Elst, in the centre of the Betuwe. The Batavians used to sing their war songs in his name, and he was worshipped in open temples. These temples were more like open places with just a small fence; the Batavians did not believe it was appropriate to limit their gods by using walls and ceilings.

The Romans named the Batavian chief god Hercules Magusanus. He resembled their mythological hero Hercules, who was, just as Donar, a protector of the people. The name Magusanus means 'the wealthy' and some even think that the capitals name Noviomagus was taken from this adjective. This, however, is not true. The name Hercules Magusanus is found on bracelets, coins and altars such as in Houten, Tiellandt and Ubbergen have been found. Inscriptions of this name were found by Ruimel, where St. Willibrord destroyed a temple, which was dedicated to Hercules Magusanus to put a church on the very same spot. They are also found in Westkappelle as well as in Rome, Vetera, Bonn and as far north as Hadrians Wall. The reason why his name travelled this far is because a lot of Batavians had entered the Roman service and spread it all over the Empire. And because Donar was a god of battle, he was particularly popular with the Batavian warriors. In Empel an inscription was found of a former Batavian soldier, which says: "For Hercules Magusanus. By Julius Genialis, the Just and the Faithful, has pleasantly and with reason paid a debt".

Many votive gifts have been found near the temple, especially old weapons. Because weapons are very uncommon gifts to the gods in the Roman world, it is reasonable to assume that Magusanus was venerated by the Batavian auxiliaries. Or, to be more precise, by retiring soldiers, who were grateful to the god for the protection they had received during their career in the army, and ritually laid down their weapons in this sanctuary. Unfortunately, this is all we know about the cult at Empel. What kind of processions took place, which myths circulated, whether the soldiers were the only people sacrificing, how the god appealed to those present, what kind of sacrifices were expected (and when), how the prayers and hymns sounded - we simply can not know.

The Batavians also worshipped Wodan, his Latin name would be Mercurius Friausius (of Eriasus). Friausius can be explained as 'free, loveable' and seems more applicable to Wodan's wife Frigga. In Ubbergen an altar dedicated to Wodan was found. In Nijmegen the name Mercurius Rex (king) has been found.

The Triple Goddess
The Batavians had a lot of goddesses. In the Rhine area between Nijmegen and Cologne the so-called 'Matrones' were worshipped. This was a group of three goddesses, whose functions were variable such as healing, justice and war. They can be compared to the Nornen (Germanic fate goddesses) as well as The Morrigan (the Celtic triple goddess). The cultus of the Matrones was extremely popular and was introduced into the Roman Empire by Germanic soldiers. The three goddesses were later replaced by three gods, among which were Donar and Wodan. The third is not known for sure.

By the time the former German tribes had become Christians, the belief in the triple gods/goddesses was so deep that they could not simply be discharged. That's why today we know several 'Christian' beliefs such as 'the father, the son and the holy ghost' as well as 'Faith, Hope & Love'. The most well known Batavian goddess would have been Hel, the goddess of the Underworld. Her name even refers to the name of present Elst, where several temples were found, as we saw above.

At Carrawburgh there was the small vicus occupied the low-lying marshy ground outside the southwest corner of the fort. They have found remains of no less than three temples; a Mithraeum dedicated to the god Mithras, a Nymphaeum dedicated to the local water deities, and a sacred well dedicated to the Celtic water goddess/ goddesses Coventina.

They have found a relief from the temple on which there are three of a kind. In Celtic three could symbolise three aspect of a process but normally they have different attributes then. In this case they are alike so maybe they should to be worshipped during three moon terms. The Morrigan?

All three of these temples are associated with a small tributary stream of Maggie's Dene Burn. The stream issues a spring consecrated to Coventina and runs beside the fort past the Mithraeum and the Nymphaeum to the southwest, to empty into the River South Tyne near the Stanegate fort at Newburgh, three miles to the south.

Other parts of the cultus.
Apart from the godesses, female seers had high places. The one most known to us is Valeda, the Bructerian seeress. Valeda played a significant role in the Batavian revolt. The word Veleda seems to be a title: it may be a Latin rendering of the Celtic word Veleta, 'seeress '. The Veleda we know about predicted the successes of the Batavians when they revolted against the Roman empire (69AD). It is not known whether she merely prophesied, or actively incited the rebellion. In March 70, the predicted successes became realities: the Batavian leader Julius Civilis captured the legionary base at Vetera. The commander of the Roman garrison, Munius Lupercus, was sent to Veleda. When describing this incident, the Roman historian Tacitus explained who she was:

"Veleda was an unmarried woman who enjoyed wide influence over the tribe of the Bructeri. The Germans traditionally regard many of the female sex as prophetic, and indeed, by an excess of superstition, as divine. This was a case in point. Veleda's prestige stood high, for she had foretold the German successes and the extermination of the legions".

Munius Lupercus never became her slave: he was killed on his way to Veleda. We do not know why. A few months later, the Batavians captured the flagship of the Roman navy, which they proceeded to tow up the river Lippe to present it to the prophetess, who lived in a large tower near the river.

It is certain that Veleda had great authority. For example, it is known that the inhabitants of the Roman city, Cologne accepted her arbitration in a conflict with the Tencteri, a tribe in 'free' Germany. After the suppression of the Batavian revolt, the Romans captured Vedela (or offered asylum to her). This happened in 77. She is said to have served the Roman interests by negotiating with the hostile Germans. It is not known to what incident(s) this refers, but it may be noted that in 83 or 84, the Romans forced the Bructeri to accept a new, pro-Roman king. A Greek epigram found at Ardea (a few kilometers south of Rome) ridicules Vedela's prophetic talents. It has been said that this epigram suggests that Ardea was her place of detention. However, this is far from certain. Vedela was not the only German seeress known to the Romans. Tacitus informs us about a colleague.

"They even believe that the female sex has a certain sanctity and prescience, and they do not despise their counsels, or make light of their answers. In [the emperor] Vespasian's days we saw Veleda, long regarded by many as a divinity. In former times, too, they venerated Aurinia, and many other women, but not with servile flatteries, or with sham deification."

The Batavians had great respect for nature, both flora and fauna. They had sacred groves, sacred stones, sacred hills and so forth, but also animals had their own spirituality.

Mithraism.

Although not a native god of the Batavian people, it would be remiss not to include the cult of Mithras as part of the worship of the Batavian cohorts. At Carrawburgh (Brocolitia) on Hadrians wall there are the remains of a Mithraeum with altar dedications made by the First cohort of Batavians stationed there in the third century AD.
The god Mithras came from India via Persia. In the west, Mithras was said to have sprung from a tree or a rock fully grown. The worship of Mithras and the associated cult became very important to soldiers because he represented the victory of the soul over death. The Romans elevated him to the position of a supreme deity, making him the centre of a complex mythology. This included a monstrous being, Kronos (or Aeon), portrayed as a lion-headed winged figure, encircled by a serpent and holding a sceptre and a thunderbolt.

In Sanskrit, Mithras means 'friend'. In the Vedas he is a divinity of light, subordinate to Ahura or Varuna, in the Avesta, a spirit of light or fertilising warmth, also associated with truth and the oath. He is not the sky god, nor is he the Sun, which is described as the eye of Mithra and Varuna; the assimilation of the Sun (Persian Mihr) comes later. He is more probably the firmament, god of the upper air mediating between heaven and earth. The Assyrian Metru means 'rain'.

The relation between Mithras emerging from a rock is analogous to the Sun rising from behind the mountains. A god of the air, like the Sun and the sky would see all things and therefore naturally become the enforcer of oaths and compacts. Although Mithras and the Sun are separate in the myth, their figures tend to merge and blend. The Sun was Ahura-Mazda's chief representative in the battle of light against darkness. Mithras both shares the struggle with him and ousts him from his supremacy.