Celtic Gods: The Brythonic God, Viridius (The Verdant/The Truth)

Viridius
A Brythonic god: The Verdant or The Truth

Viridius is a Brythonic god known from two inscriptions found Ancaster, England. He seems ot have been an important local deity and could either represent a god of truth and judgement or an agricultural deity.



Synonyms: Viridios
Gaul: The Verdant/The Truth

Viridius is a Brythonic deity known from two inscriptions found at the Romano-British town of Causennae (Ancaster, Lincolnshire). The first inscription [RIB 245a] comes from an inscribed stone found in the grounds of a local church. From its shape this would once have formed part of an arch that was undoubtedly sited within the boundaries of the settlement itself. The inscription reads: DEO VIRIDIO TRENICO ARCVM FECIT DE SVO DON (For the god Viridius; Trenico made this arch, donated from his own funds). The second inscription was discovered in 2005 by the UK Channel 4 Time Team programme. On a dig in Ancaster they discovered a late Roman cist (stone-lined) burial of an aged male who was aligned east-west (an accepted indicator of Christina belief). However, one of the cist's uprights, when excavated, was found to bear the following fragmentary inscription DEO VRIDI[...] SANCTO[...] (To the holy god Viridius). As one commentator on the programme mentioned, the old warrior interred in the grave may well have been 'hedging his bets' for the afterlife. Being buried as a Christian whilst including a pagan inscription as a 'just in case' measure.

Unfortunately the two inscriptions given above represent everything we know about Viridius. This would indicate that he was a local deity of the Ancaster region. However, having an arch dedicated to him indicated that he was considered a deity of some import; though none of his attributes, save his name have survived. Etymologically, the name of the deity is generally derived from the reconstructed proto-Celtic element: *wird- (green, the root that gives the Cymric gwyrddni [verdancy]) and thus his name has been interpreted as 'the Verdant'. However, it's also possible to derive the name from wīrjā- (tuth, which gives the Cymric gwir) along with *dī- (from, has) thus the name could also be interpreted as 'he who comes from truth/he who has the truth' ie 'the truthful' which might make Viridios a god of judgement.



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