Celtic Gods: The Gaulish god, Nemasus (Gift from the Gods)

Nemasus
A Gaulish God, also known as Nemausus (Gift from the Gods)

Nemasus (Nemausus) is a Gaulish god known from 15 inscriptions found primarily from Nîmes, France (Nîmes was originally called Nemasus after this god). He was the protective deity of the city's sacred spring, which can still be seen today.



Synonyms: Nemausus
Gaul: Gift from the Gods

Nemasus was a deity worshipped by the Gaulish tribe of the Volcae Arecomici who named their main settlement, Nemasus after their tutelary deity. Later in 28 BCE the Romans established a colony near the Celtic village, soon absorbing it. This was named Julia Augusta Nemasus Valcarum Aremecorum both to glorify the emperor Augustus whilst pacifying the local tribe. Over time the city became known as Nemasus and eventually became the modern city of Nîmes.

Fifteen inscriptions to Nemasus have been found, most within Nîmes itself and one Lansargues, Hérault. In the main Nîmes inscription (housed within the city's Museum of Antiquity Nemasus is invoked along with a number of deities, including IOM (Iupiter Optimus Maximus), Minerva, Urnia and Avicantus. A further inscription (upon an altar) is dedicated to: IOM HELIOPOLIAN ET NEMAVSO (To Jupiter Optimus Maximus of Heliopolis and Nemasus). This is not that surprising in that after the Egyptian war and the defeat of Mark Anthony many Egyptian galleys were stationed in Nemasus bringing their deities with them.

The original spring dedicated to Nemasus around which the original Celtic village and later the Roman city were founded can still be seen in Nîmes' Jardin de la Fontaine.

Nemasus' name is probably derived from the reconstructed proto-Celtic root: *nem-ā- (gift) and the name may also be related to *nemos- (heaven). Thus the name of Nemasus may be interpreted as 'A Gift from Heaven' or 'A Gift from the Gods' which a Mediterranean spring certainly would be.



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