Celtic Gods: The Gaulish god, Caturix (King of Battle)

Caturix
A Gaulish God: King of Battle

CAturix is a Gaulish god known from a number of inscriptions found in Germany and Switzerland. He is equated with both Mars and Jupiter and may also be the titular deity of the Caturiges tribe. As such he is both a martial deity and a deity of the 'father of the tribe' type.



Synonyms:
Gaul: King of Battle

Caturix is a deity known from an inscription found at Boeckingen, Germany (CIL XIII 06474, which reads: I(ovi) O(ptimo) M(aximo) / et Marti Ca/turigi Gen/io loci C(aius) / Iul(ius) Quietus / b(ene)f(iciarius) co(n)s(ularis) / v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) l(aetus) m(erito)) where he is equated with Mars and associated with Jupiter and described as the genius locus (spirit of place) of the region and is equated with Mars by Interpretato Romana. However, the greatest concentration of inscriptions originate in Switzerland the inscription from Aventicum, modern Avenches, Vaud (AE 1946, 238) reads Marti Catur(igi) Iul(ius) Silvester lapidar(ius) v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito) (To Mars Caturix, Julius Silvester, stone mason, willingly, gladly and deservedly fulfilled a vow). Other Swiss inscriptions to Caturix were found at Pomy (CIL XIII 05054), Nonfoux (CIL XIII 05046), Riaz (CIL XIII 05035) and Yverdon (CIL XIII 11473/AE 1908, 0145) and in each of these he is equated with Mars. The Yverdon inscription reads: Marti Caturici et Apollini C(aius) Iul(ius) Belatullus d(e) s(uo) d(onum) d(edit) also associates Caturix with Apollo.

Thus it would seem clear that Caturix is a warrior deity with some connotations of the 'father of the tribe' type. If this is the case then the tribe in question may be the Caturiges. A name that seems to imply that they were the people of Caturix ie Caturix was the tutelary deity of the Caturiges. Indeed, Caesar describes these people as an alpine tribe between Cisalpine and Transalpine Gaul (where modern Switzerland borders with Italy), so the general location makes sense.

A final tantalizing clue as to the nature of Caturix comes from a votive hatchet fround in Switzerland bearing the inscription CAIVS YSPOLEUS CA[... ] V(otum) S(olvit) L(ibens) M(erito) (To Ca(...?) on behalf of Caius Hyspoleus, willingly and deservedly in fulfillment of a vow). Could the Ca... in this reference be Caturix? It would certainly make sense to offer a weapon to a god of war.



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