Celtic Gods: The Brythonic Goddesses, Alaisiagae, Despatching Terrors
Alaisiagae
A Brythonic dual goddess: The Despatching Terrors

This paired deity is known from a three inscription found at Vercoviciivm fort on Hadrian's Wall, Housesteads, Northumberland, England and she represents a battle and war goddess.

Synonyms:
Bryth: Despatching Terrors

The Alaisiagae are a pair of goddesses, Beda and Boudihillia acting in concert. They represent burial and the righteousness of battle.

The following inscriptions to the Alisiagae were found in the Vercoviciivm fort on Hadrian's Wall, Housesteads, Northumberland: DEO MARTI ET DVABVS ALAISIAGIS ET N AVG GER CIVES TVIHANTI CVNEI FRISIORVM VER SER ALEXANDRIANI VOTVM SOLVERVNT LIBENTES M (To the god Mars the two Alaisagae and the divine spirit of the emperor, the German tribesmen from Tuihantis [serving in] the Frisian Formation, true servants of the Alexandrian, willingly and deservedly fulfill their vow) and DEABVS ALAISIAGIS BAVDIHILLIE ET FRIAGABI ET N AVGN HNAVDIFRIDI VSLM (To the Alaisagae goddesses Boudihillia and Friagabis, and to the divine spirit of the Emperor, the numerus of Hnaudifridius willingly and deservedly fulfills its vow) and DEO MARTI THINCSO ET DVABVS ALAISAGIS BEDE ET FIMMILENE ET N AVG GERM CIVES TVIHANTI VSLM (To the god Mars Thincsus and the two Alaisagae, Beda and Fimmilena, and the divine spirit of the emperor, the German tribesmen from Tuihantis willingly and deservedly fulfill their vow). It is interesting that we actually have four goddess names here: Boudihillia and Frigabis and Beda and Fimmilena. It seems that the Celtic goddesses Beda and Boudihillia became syncretized with the Germanic goddesses Frigabis and Fimmilena, respectively. Had an admixture of deities not been used we would never have known the native names of the Alisiagae.

Alaisiagae is probably derived from the proto-Celtic elements *ad- (to) *laī(j)-sījā- (sending) *agai (fears) which can be interpreted as 'Despatching Terrors' an apposite name for a pair of battle and burial goddesses.



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