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Segomo
A Gaulish God: The Victorious One/The Forceful One
Segomo is a Gaulish god known from a half dozen inscriptions, all found in France. In all but one of these inscriptions he is equated with Roman Mars and seems to be a martial dity with a function as a transporter of souls. The same deiy may also have been part of the early Irish pantheon of gods. |
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Gaul: The Victorious One/The Forceful One
Segomo is a god known from six inscriptions found at a number of sites in Frnace. At Nuits-Saint-Georges , Côte d'Or (CIL XIII 02846); Arinthod (CIL XIII 05340), Jura (AE 1994, 1224) and Lyon (CIL XIII 01675) he is invoked as Mars Segomo. Whereas at Cimiez he is invoked as Segomo Cuntinus (CIL V 7868). He is also invoked at Culoz, Ain (CIL XIII 02532), as Mars Segomo Dunatus. Segomo is also associated with equines; a mule dedicated to him having been found at Neuvy-en-Sullais in the Loire valley. A magnificent bronze horse, part of the Boland hoard found at Nuits-Saint-Georges may also be solely dedicated to Segomo. The mule is an animal normally dedicated to Mars, but the horse (in Celtic mythos at least) is an animal associated with psychopomps and the transmigration of souls. Interestingly, the early Irish personal name Nia Segamoin [literally 'servant of Segomo'] suggests that this deity once existed in the Irish pantheon though his mythos is now lost to us.
Most of these inscriptions assimilate Segomo with the cult of the warrior deity, Mercury by Interpretato Romana. Thus it would seem likely that Segomo was a warrior deity. A probability that is bourne-out by the interpretation of his name which can be derived from the reconstructed proto-Celtic element *sego(s)- (force/vicory). Thus his name can be interpreted as: 'The Victorious One' or 'The Forceful One'. Segomo's female counterpart may be the goddess Segommana whose name is the etymological counterpart of his own.
If you would like to try the foods of the time of the ancient Celts, then why not have a look at the ancient recipes section of this site. For the foods of the time when some of these tales were written down, take a look at the Medieval recipes section of the site and, in particular, the recipes from The Forme of Cury.
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