Celtic Gods: The Gaulish Mother Goddesses, Ambiomarcae, Encircling Steeds
Ambiomarcae
The Gaulish mother goddesses (also known as Ambiamarcis): Encircling Steeds

These mother deities are known from a single inscription found in the south-west of Germany and they seem to have been protective godeses, possibly in a military context.

Synonyms: Ambiomarcis, Ambiamarcis
Gaul: Encircling Steeds

The Ambiomarcis are Matronae, or mother goddesses known from four inscripions all from the south-west of modern-day Germany. The first of these (AE 1984, 671) was found at Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany and reads: Ambiamarci[s] Genio[q(ue)] loc[i] [3] Lucanius [S]ecundinus s[ig]nif(er) et Q(uintus) Iuli[us?] Firminus [ve]t(eranus?) leg(ionis) XXX U(lpiae) v(ictricis) v(otum) s(olverunt) l(ibentes) m(erito) Imp(eratore) Antonino c[o(n)s(ule)] (To Ambiamarcis, spirit of place [...] Lucanius [S]ecundinus standard-bearer and Quintus Iuli[us?] Firminus veteran of the XXXth 'Ulpis' legion willingly and deservedly fulfiled the vow of General Antonius, consul.). The next inscription (CIL XIII 07898) comes from Floisdorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany and reads: Matronis Abiamar C(aius) Iul(ius) Proculas l(ibens) m(erito) (To Matronis Abiamar(cis), Caius Julius, proconsul, willingly and deservedly). The next inscription (CIL XIII 7789) comes from Remagen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany and reads: I(ovi) O(ptimo) M(aximo) et genio loc[i] Marti Hercul[i] Mercurio Am/biomarcis milites leg(ionis) XXX U(lpiae) V(ictricis) M(arcus) Ulp(ius) Panno T(itus) Mans(uetius?) Marcu[s] M(arcus) Ulp(ius) Lellauvo(?) T(itus) Aurelius Lavinus v(otum) s(olverunt) l(ibentes) m(erito) (To Jupiter Greatest and Best and the spirit of place, Mars, Hercules, Mercury and Ambiomarcis the soldiers of the XXXth victorious Ulpian legion, Marcus Ulpius Ponno, Titus Mansuetius Marcus, Marcus Ulpius Lellauvo and Titus Aurelius Lavinus willingly and deservedly fulfiled their vow).

The final inscription (AE 1981, 660) derives from Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany and reads: In [h(onorem)] d(omus) d(ivinae) et Genio lo[ci] Ambiamarcis Ambiorenesibus Marti Victori Mercurio Neptuno Cereri diis deabusq(ue) omnibus Primini Octavius Ver(us) Felic(issimus?) Quartius Vetus et Mi[3 Vi]talis(?) v(otum) s(olverunt) l(ibentes) m(erito) Imp(eratoribus) d[d(ominis) nn(ostris) Ga]llo [I]I et V[olus]iano Aug(ustis) [c]o(n)s(ulibus) (In honour of the divine house and the spirit of place, Ambiamarcis Ambiorenae, Mars the Victor, Mercury, Neptune, Ceres and whe wealth of all the gods Primini Octavius, Verus Felicissimus, Quartius Vetus and Mi[...] Vitalis willingly and deservedly fulfilled their vow for the commander in chief, our lord of Gaul II and Volusiano Augustis the consul). Interestingly in this inscription the Ambiomarcae mothers are linked with another set of mother deities the Ambirenae. The goddess' name can be interpreted on the basis of the reconstructed proto-Celtic lexicon as being composed of the elements: *ambi- (around), the vocative particle -a/o- and *marko- (horse) giving us the meaning of 'Encircling Steeds'. This would indicate that the Ambiomarcian mothers are protective deities, possibly in a military context, which might explain the popularity of these deities in a military context.



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