Celtic Gods: The Gaulish God, Toutenus (He who Belongs to the Tribe)

Toutenus
A Gaulish God, also known as Teutanus: He who Belongs to the Tribe

Toutenus (Teutanus) is a Gaulish god known from a two inscriptions found at Bingen and Hohenburg in Germany where he is associated with Roman Mercury. He is also invoked in Bulgaria and Hungary where he is associated with Roman Jupiter. He is a deity of the 'protector of the tribe' type.



Synonyms: Teutanus
Gaul: Blind Sleeper

Toutenus is a god known from Bingen (AE 1927, 70) and Hohenburg (CIL XIII 06122) in Germany where he is syncretized by Interpretato Romana with Mercury. The same diety, invoked as Teutanus is also invoked at Böleske in Bulgaria and Obuda in Hungary where he is syncretized by Interpretato Romana with Jupiter Best and Greatest. A further fragmentary inscription probably dedicated to Jupiter Optimus Maximus Teutanus comes from Alt Ofen, Hungary.

Etymologically this deity's name is very closse to that of Toutatis/Toutates and whilst Teutates' name can be interpreted as: 'Father of the Tribe' whereas Toutenus' name can be derived from the reconstructed protot-Celtic elements: *teutā- (people, tribe) and *en (in, belonging to) along with the Latinized masculine ending -os giving us 'He who Belongs to the Tribe'. Toutenus is likened both with Marcury and Jupiter and could be considered, like Toutates to be a deity of the 'Father/Protector of the Tribe' type.



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