In
Gallo-Roman religion, Luxovios, Latinized as Luxovius, was the god of the waters of
Luxeuil
Luxeuil-les-Bains () is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France.
History
Luxeuil (sometimes rendered Luxeu in older texts) was the Roman Luxovium and contained many fine buildings ...
, worshiped in
Gaul
Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy (only during ...
. He was a consort of
Bricta. The thermal spring sanctuary at Luxeuil provided evidence of the worship of other deities, including the sky-horseman who bears a solar wheel, and
Sirona
In Celtic polytheism, Sirona was a goddess worshipped predominantly in East Central Gaul and along the Danubian limes. A healing deity, she was associated with healing springs; her attributes were snakes and eggs. She was sometimes depicted with A ...
, another deity associated with healing springs.
Inscriptions
Luxovius is recorded in the following two inscriptions, both from Luxeuil-les-Bains :
:''
usoio / et Brictae / Divixti/us Cons/tans / v(otum) s(olvit)
(ibens) m(erito)''
"To Lusso(v)ios and Bricta, Divixtius Constans freely and deservedly fulfilled his vow." (CIL 13, 05425)
: ''Luxovio / et Brixtae / G(aius) Iul(ius) Fir/manus / v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)''
"To Luxovios and Brixta, Gaius Julius Firmans freely and deservedly fulfilled his vow."
(AE 1951, 00231; CIL 13, 05426)
Etymology
The name Luxovios implies light symbolism. This may indicate that the god was a deity of both light and curative spring waters, two elements that were strongly linked in the Celtic world.[*]
References
Bibliography
* ''Année Epigraphique'' volume 1951
* ''Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum'' (CIL), volume 13, Tres Galliae
* ''Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend.'' Miranda Green. Thames and Hudson Ltd. London. 1997
{{Celtic mythology (ancient)
Gaulish gods
Water gods