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The goddess Vagdavercustis is known from a dedicatory inscription on an altar found at Cologne (Köln), Germany. The stone dates from around the 2nd century CE and is now in a museum in Cologne. The inscription appears on the front of the altar above a carved relief of five male figures carrying out a ritual. The officiant in the center is wearing a toga and has his head covered ''(capite velato)''. He extends his hand toward an altar in order to burn incense, a box of which is held by a boy to the left. Behind them is an aulos-player, whose music would be intended to "drown out inauspicious noises." The figure between the aulist and the officiant is worn and reveals little. The fifth, to the far right, is bearded and wearing a garment that is not a toga; he carries something slung over his right shoulder.〔Janet Huskinson, ''Experiencing Rome: Culture, Identity and Power in the Roman Empire'' (Routledge, 2000), p. 248.〕 The inscription reads as follows: ::Deae ::Vagdavercusti ::Titus Flavius ::Constans Praef ::Praet EMV Roughly translated into English, the inscription can be read as: ::To the Goddess ::Vagdavercustis, ::Titus Flavius ::Constans, Prefect ::of the Praetorians, (this ) in his distinguished memory." 〔"EMV" is a conventional abbreviation for "egregiae memoriae vir," see (Peck, Harry Thurston. ''Harpers Dictionary of Classical Antiquities''. New York:Harper and Brothers, 1898 )〕 The altar was dedicated by a Roman citizen,〔As indicated by the use of the ''tria nomina''; see Roman naming conventions.〕 and the iconography is that of a traditional Roman sacrifice,〔Compare the relief of Marcus Aurelius sacrificing before the Temple of Capitoline Jove.〕 but Vagdavercustis was most likely a native Germanic or Celtic goddess.〔(Ansuharijaz (2003) ''Forgotten Gods'', on the Reginheim website. )〕 It was not unusual, and perhaps even customary, for Roman officials in the provinces to honor local gods as a way to maintain local goodwill.〔Huskinson, ''Experiencing Rome'', p. 261.〕 There is some evidence that Vagdavercustis was worshipped by the Batavians〔 (a Germanic tribe reported by Tacitus to have lived around the Rhine delta, in the area that is currently the Netherlands) in the region〔For a map, see (Livius.org. )〕 between the present-day Netherlands and Cologne (Köln).〔(Religiöse Kulte im römischen Köln: Vagdavercustis )〕 The paucity of evidence pertaining to Vagdavercustis has led to abundant interpretations of her significance. Trees are depicted on the side panels of the altar, suggesting a vegetative function.〔Miranda Green, ''Symbol and Image in Celtic Religious Art'' (Routledge, 1989, 1992), p. 40 (Green takes Vagdavercustis as a Germanic deity).〕 She may be related to Virtus, the Roman god of military virtue.〔 Since she occurs only at Cologne, she may be a localized deity of place.〔Green, ''Symbol and Image'', p. 40.〕 The name has been taken to mean "protectress of war dancers," with Vagdavercustis characterized as a war goddess.〔Michael Speidel, ''Ancient Germanic Warriors: Warrior Styles from Trajan's Column to Icelandic Sagas'' (Routledge, 2004), p. 102, citing Jan de Vries, ''Religionsgeschichte'' II, 1957, 325.〕 ==References== 〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Vagdavercustis」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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