Celtic Gods: The Gaish god/goddess, Latis (God/Goddess of [drunk-inducing] Liquor)

Latis
A Brythonic God/Goddess: God/Goddess of [drunk-inducing] Liquor

Latis is a Gaulish god/goddess known from two inscriptions found in Britain. The deity is invoked in martial context and is undoubtedly a god of war but the name could be either masculine or feminine (and may be both, depending on context).



Synonyms:
Gaul: God/Goddess of [drunk-inducing] Liquor

Latis is a deity known from two inscriptions in Britain. The first of these comes from the Stanegate Forts and Watchtower Hadrian's Wall Fort and Settlement Burgh-by-Sands, Cumbria (ABALLAVA in Latin) and reads: DEO LATI LVCIVS VRSEI (To the god Latis, Lucius Ursei [dedicates this].). The second inscription comes from the Hadrian's Wall Fort and Settlement Birdoswald, Cumbria (Camboglanna in Latin) and reads DIE LATI (For the Goddess Latis). Thus we have two dedications; the first to a male Latis and the second to a female Latis. The name itself does not help us in this respect as it could be either masculine or feminine and this might account for the confusion in the inscriptions. What is fairly obvious is that the deity is invoked in martial contexts.

The martial nature of this god is also supported by the etymology of the god's name. Latis being derived from the reconstructed proto-Celtic root *lati- (beer, liquor). Like the deities Dyfed, Brâg/Braciaca and the Irish deity Maev, which are all gods named after beer/drunkenness/intoxication and are warrior deities it would seem that Latis is also a deity celebrating the ancient Celtic practice of becoming drunk before engaging in battle.



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