Cocidius
Encyclopedia
In Romano-British
religion, Cocidius was a deity
worshipped in northern Britain. The Romans equated him with Mars
, god of war and hunting and with Sylvanus, god of forests, groves and wild fields. Like Belatu-Cadros
, he was probably worshipped by lower-ranked Roman soldiers as well as Britons.
coed), "woods" or "forest", making it a translation of Sylvanus, whose name also literally means god of the woods
place-name for a location close to the Solway Estuary. There are dedications to him around Hadrian's Wall
and Cumbria
, including the forts at Birdoswald
and Bewcastle
. Another inscription, at Ebchester
, specifically refers to him as Cocidius Vernostonus, Cocidius of the alder
tree. A 2000-year-old carving of Cocidius was recently found near Chesters Fort on Hadrian's Wall. This was dubbed the little man and shows a figure with its arms flung wide and legs braced firmly against the ground. Although the gender is not depicted, the shape and accessories are seemingly male, with a shield in the left hand, a sword in the right, and a scabbard hanging from the belt around his tunic. This is one of at least nine representations known in the Hadrian's Wall corridor, and a further 25 or so inscriptions dedicated to him. Most of these are along the western portion of the Wall, the most spectacular being found at Yardhope, where a figure in bas-relief brandishes spear and shield on a vertical rock-face at the entrance to a small shrine.
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Romano-British
Romano-British culture describes the culture that arose in Britain under the Roman Empire following the Roman conquest of AD 43 and the creation of the province of Britannia. It arose as a fusion of the imported Roman culture with that of the indigenous Britons, a people of Celtic language and...
religion, Cocidius was a deity
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
worshipped in northern Britain. The Romans equated him with Mars
Mars (mythology)
Mars was the Roman god of war and also an agricultural guardian, a combination characteristic of early Rome. He was second in importance only to Jupiter, and he was the most prominent of the military gods worshipped by the Roman legions...
, god of war and hunting and with Sylvanus, god of forests, groves and wild fields. Like Belatu-Cadros
Belatu-Cadros
In Celtic mythology, Belatu-Cadros, also rendered Belatucadros or Belatucadrus, was a deity worshipped in northern Britain, particularly in Cumberland and Westmorland. He may be related to Belenus and Cernunnos, and was equated in the Roman period with Mars...
, he was probably worshipped by lower-ranked Roman soldiers as well as Britons.
Etymology
Rivet and Smith, the authors of Place Names of Roman Britain, note that the name may be related to British Celtic cocco-, 'red', suggesting that statues of the god might have been painted red. However, this could simply be a Latinised version of Old Welsh coit (Modern WelshWelsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
coed), "woods" or "forest", making it a translation of Sylvanus, whose name also literally means god of the woods
Representations and dedications
Fanum Cocidius, meaning the temple of Cocidius, was a RomanAncient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
place-name for a location close to the Solway Estuary. There are dedications to him around Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall, lesser known of the two because its physical remains are less evident today.The...
and Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, including the forts at Birdoswald
Birdoswald
Birdoswald is a former farm in the civil parish of Waterhead in the English county of Cumbria . It stands on the site of the Roman fort of Banna.-Middle Ages:...
and Bewcastle
Bewcastle
Bewcastle is a large civil parish in the City of Carlisle district of Cumbria, England.According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 411. The parish is large and includes the settlements of Roadhead, Shopford, Blackpool Gate, Roughsike and The Flatt. To the north the parish extends...
. Another inscription, at Ebchester
Ebchester
Ebchester is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated to the north of Consett and to the south east of Whittonstall.The parish church, which is dedicated to St. Ebba is of ambiguous origin, being of partly Norman construction with a foundation, described as being pre-Conquest...
, specifically refers to him as Cocidius Vernostonus, Cocidius of the alder
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
tree. A 2000-year-old carving of Cocidius was recently found near Chesters Fort on Hadrian's Wall. This was dubbed the little man and shows a figure with its arms flung wide and legs braced firmly against the ground. Although the gender is not depicted, the shape and accessories are seemingly male, with a shield in the left hand, a sword in the right, and a scabbard hanging from the belt around his tunic. This is one of at least nine representations known in the Hadrian's Wall corridor, and a further 25 or so inscriptions dedicated to him. Most of these are along the western portion of the Wall, the most spectacular being found at Yardhope, where a figure in bas-relief brandishes spear and shield on a vertical rock-face at the entrance to a small shrine.
External links
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