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Ambirenae
A Gaulish goddess, also known as Ambirena: Around the Fast-flowing
This deity is known from two inscriptions found at Deutz in Germany and is probably a mother goddess of the region surrounding the Rhine. |
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Gaul: Around the Fast-[flowing]
The Ambirenae are known from two inscriptions found at Deutz, Germany. The first of is dedicated to a number of deities, amongst which is Ambiorenesibus (the Ambiorenses) the second comes from on a votive stone ; the main part of which invokes Hercules Magusanus. It is uncertain whether the second part of the inscription should be read as matronis Abirenibus or whether the name is simply an epithet of Hercules Magusanus. In his reading of the inscription Gutenbrunner was desirous to change the final name to Ambirenes (The people who live on the Rhine) but this in itself would be indicative of a goddess of the Rhine. This theory being supported by the recent discovery of the inscription to the Ambiorenses. Thus if the great mothers (the Matronae) were worshiped here they would be worshiped as the Ambirenae and not the Abirenae as many have thought.
The name of the Ambirenae may be derived from the reconstructed proto-Celtic elements *ambi- (around) and *renwo- (quick). As the region lies near the Rhine the name may be interpreted as 'Around the Fast-[flowing]' they may therefore be the mother goddesses of the region surrounding the Rhine.
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