218:, and she appears to have been active in the second half of the 1st c., after Veleda's time. Tacitus relates that the Germanic tribes ascribed prophetic powers to women, but the seeresses do not appear to have been just any women, but existing as an office, where Veleda was succeeded by Ganna. The political role that the seeresses played was always present when the Romans were dealing with the Germanic tribes, and Ganna's political influence so considerable that she was taken to Rome together with
1087:
28:
142:
350:
as a 'magic staff' and the 'insignia of her calling', but in a later work he adds that it meant 'magic object or being' and instead of referring to a wand as her tool or insignia, her name may instead have been a reference to her function among the
Germanic tribes (like Veleda's name). Sundqvist
430:. The Semnoni enacted the "horrific origins" of their nation with a human sacrifice, because each victim represented Tuisto ('twin') and he was cut up to repeat the "acts of creation", which can be compared to how Odin and his brothers cut up the body of the primordial giant
309:
in the meaning 'magical staff', and Ganna would mean the 'one who carries the magical staff' or 'she who controls the magical staff or something similar'. Her name is thus grouped with other seeresses who have staff names, or names that can be interpreted as such, like
402:(1986) discusses Tacitus' likely meeting with Ganna and what the Roman historian learnt of the mythological traditions of the early Germanic tribes, and of the Semnoni's ancestral relationships with the other tribes from
88:, but she also appears to have provided posterity with select information about the religious practices and the mythology of the early Germanic tribes, through the contemporary Roman historian
31:
It appears to have been Ganna herself, and her king Masyus, who informed
Tacitus of the Semnoni religious practices. An illustration of the Semnoni sacred grove, which is identified with the
183:
Masyus, king of the
Semnones, and Ganna, a virgin who was priestess in Germany, having succeeded Veleda, came to Domitian and after being honoured by him returned home. (Gary's translation).
178:
Masyos, king of the
Semnones, and the virgin Ganna, who had appeared as a seeress in Celtica after Veleda, came to Domitian, were treated honourably and were returned. (Simek's translation).
446:
that was their tribe's cradle and it could only be entered when they were fettered. The god who was worshiped was probably Odin, and being fettered may have been an imitation of
471:
Simek notes, however, that the early
Germanic seeresses were very secretive about their rituals when dealing with the Romans and we know very little of their practices.
171:ὅτι Μάσυος 1 ὁ Σεμνόνων βασιλεὺς καὶ Γάννα παρθένος ἣν μετὰ τὴν Οὐελήδαν 2 ἐν τῇ Κελτικῇ θειάζουσα ἦλθον πρὸς τὸν Δομιτιανόν, καὶ τιμῆς παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ τυχόντες ἀνεκομίσθησαν
398:
who reports that he discussed the
Semnoni religious practices with informants from that tribe, who considered themselves the noblest of the Suebi.
995:
908:
876:
857:
781:
1199:
1027:
226:
and were treated with honours, after which they returned home. This probably happened in 86 AD, the year after his final war with the
890:
966:
930:
835:
752:
730:
711:
1127:
464:
351:
suggests that the name may have referred instead to her abilities, like de Vries who connects her name directly to the
1219:
1214:
1204:
1142:
867:
Sundqvist, Olof (2020). "Cultic
Leaders and Religious Specialists". In Schjødt, J.P.; Lindow, J.; Andrén, A. (eds.).
84:
himself, and was received with honours, after which she returned home. She is only mentioned by name in the works of
1209:
886:
988:
Im
Inneren Germaniens – Beziehungen zwischen den germanischen Stämmen vom 1. Jh. v. Chr. bis zum 2. Jh. n. Chr.
762:
Reichert, Hermann; Timpe, Dieter (1998). "Ganna". In Beck, Heinrich; Geuenich, Dieter; Steuer, Heiko (eds.).
1020:
918:
292:
126:
38:
250:
115:
1137:
1132:
1086:
1075:
791:
1055:
1036:
455:
355:
305:
103:
57:
22:
1013:
27:
1178:
1101:
991:
962:
926:
904:
872:
853:
831:
777:
748:
726:
707:
311:
799:
394:
During their stay in Rome, Ganna and Masyos appear also to have met with the Roman historian
896:
811:
769:
451:
146:
130:
33:
795:
435:
129:, and the Romans always had to take their opinions into account when interacting with the
161:
The only mention of her name appears in a line in the works of the Roman historiographer
189:
49:
1193:
740:
399:
447:
845:
823:
439:
343:
141:
73:
956:
245:
She probably taught the craft of prophesying to a young fellow tribeswoman named
699:
459:
258:
162:
111:
85:
1106:
443:
848:(2020). "Encounters: Roman". In Schjødt, J.P; Lindow, J.; Andrén, A. (eds.).
706:. Loeb Classical Library 176. Vol. 8. William Heinemann; G.P. Putnam's.
125:
Ganna and the other
Germanic seeresses served an important political role in
154:
745:
Myth, Cosmos, and
Society; Indo-European Themes of Creation and Destruction
442:
notes that Tacitus also learnt that the Semnoni performed their rites at a
334:), and the same word is found in the name of North Germanic seeresses, the
222:, the king of her tribe, where they had an audience with the Roman emperor
900:
815:
1168:
1070:
374:
352:
315:
246:
231:
223:
210:
202:
194:
107:
94:
81:
1050:
395:
89:
65:
1158:
1111:
1065:
1005:
427:
423:
275:
227:
219:
77:
69:
1163:
407:
235:
198:
150:
140:
26:
747:. Harvard University Press Cambridge, Massachusetts, and London.
1173:
869:
The Pre-Christian Religions of the North, History and Structures
850:
The Pre-Christian Religions of the North, History and Structures
773:
431:
419:
254:
239:
215:
119:
99:
1009:
763:
72:
as the leader of a Germanic alliance in rebellion against the
187:
The manuscripts usually give the location where she lived as
98:. Her name may be a reference to her priestly insignia, the
450:. This grove has for a long time been identified with the
366:
320:
297:
372:('war'), or suggest that it may be related to the names
830:. Translated by Angela Hall. Boydell & Brewer Ltd.
364:
Other interpretations of her name derive it from PGmc *
558:
556:
507:
505:
503:
501:
499:
497:
495:
287:), which means 'someone making prophesies'. Her name
282:
169:
149:
reported by Graeco-Roman authors in the 1st century.
1151:
1120:
1094:
1043:
951:. 3. Auflage. Moritz Diesterweg, Frankfurt/M. 1944.
382:of possibly Celtic origin, and an attested Celtic
269:It is notable that Ganna is not referred to as a
958:Quellenbuch zur germanischen Religionsgeschichte
80:as envoys to Rome to discuss with Roman emperor
523:
486:
336:
328:
181:
176:
167:
949:Die Religion der Germanen in Quellenzeugnissen
586:
1021:
646:
8:
768:. Vol. 10 (2010 ed.). De Gruyter.
871:. Vol. II. Brepols. pp. 739–780.
765:Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde
1028:
1014:
1006:
852:. Vol. I. Brepols. pp. 269–288.
622:
800:"Une sorcière germaine aux bords du Nil"
704:Dio Cassius: Roman History (Books 61–70)
658:
634:
610:
923:Altnordisches Etymologisches Worterbuch
670:
598:
547:
479:
106:, and she probably taught her craft to
990:Verlag Franz Steiner, Stuttgart 2009,
234:, who were settled between the rivers
682:
574:
562:
535:
511:
208:Ganna belonged to a tribe called the
193:, but the context is the campaign in
7:
249:who would serve as a seeress at the
895:. Vol. I. Berlin: de Gruyter.
214:who were settled east of the river
892:Altgermanische Religionsgeschichte
145:The approximate positions of some
76:. She went together with her king
14:
230:, when he made a treaty with the
68:tribe, who succeeded the seeress
1085:
828:Dictionary of Northern Mythology
110:who would serve as a seeress in
458:was sacrificed to Odin in the
434:('twin') to form the world in
205:in the 80s of the 1st c. AD.
1:
955:Schröder, Franz Rolf (1933).
702:(1925). Cary, Earnest (ed.).
390:Possible meeting with Tacitus
303:and compared with Old Norse
276:
1200:1st-century Germanic people
524:Cassius Dio & Cary 1925
487:Cassius Dio & Cary 1925
1236:
804:Revue des Études Anciennes
587:Reinach & Jullian 1920
465:Helgakviða Hundingsbana II
291:is usually interpreted as
283:
170:
39:Scandinavian heroic legend
20:
1083:
647:Reichert & Timpe 1998
342:, who always had staffs.
53:
925:(2000 ed.). Brill.
984:Germanische Seherinnen.
961:. Leipzig: de Gruyter.
367:
337:
329:
321:
298:
92:who wrote them down in
1095:Early Mediaeval record
1000:Geographica Historica.
721:Enright, M.J. (1996).
538:, p. 279, note 5.
185:
180:
175:
165:in the early 3rd c.:
158:
42:
1121:North Germanic record
901:10.1515/9783110865486
816:10.3406/rea.1920.2105
725:. Four Courts Press.
448:Odin's self-sacrifice
359:- ('magical ability')
144:
30:
21:Further information:
723:Lady with a Mead Cup
314:('wand-bearer') and
1128:Þorbjörg Lítilvölva
1076:Woman of the Chatti
986:In: Klaus Tausend:
700:Cassius Dio, Lucius
133:east of the Rhine.
104:spiritual abilities
1220:Germanic seeresses
1215:1st-century people
1205:1st-century clergy
1143:Þuríðr Sundafyllir
1056:Cimbrian seeresses
1037:Germanic seeresses
159:
153:in red, and other
137:Historical account
43:
23:Seeress (Germanic)
1210:1st-century women
1187:
1186:
1179:Witch (etymology)
996:978-3-515-09416-0
910:978-3-11-002678-8
878:978-2-503-57491-2
859:978-2-503-57491-2
783:978-3-11-045562-5
1227:
1089:
1044:Roman era record
1030:
1023:
1016:
1007:
982:Sabine Tausend:
979:
977:
975:
936:
914:
882:
863:
841:
819:
787:
758:
736:
717:
686:
680:
674:
673:, p. 45―50.
668:
662:
656:
650:
644:
638:
632:
626:
620:
614:
608:
602:
596:
590:
584:
578:
572:
566:
560:
551:
545:
539:
533:
527:
521:
515:
509:
490:
484:
452:Grove of Fetters
370:
340:
332:
324:
301:
286:
285:
279:
173:
172:
147:Germanic peoples
131:Germanic peoples
127:Germanic society
58:Germanic seeress
55:
34:Grove of Fetters
16:Germanic prophet
1235:
1234:
1230:
1229:
1228:
1226:
1225:
1224:
1190:
1189:
1188:
1183:
1147:
1116:
1090:
1081:
1039:
1034:
973:
971:
969:
954:
947:Walter Baetke:
944:
939:
933:
917:
911:
885:
879:
866:
860:
844:
838:
822:
790:
784:
761:
755:
739:
733:
720:
714:
698:
694:
689:
681:
677:
669:
665:
657:
653:
645:
641:
633:
629:
621:
617:
609:
605:
601:, p. 186f.
597:
593:
589:, p. 105f.
585:
581:
573:
569:
561:
554:
546:
542:
534:
530:
522:
518:
510:
493:
485:
481:
477:
436:Norse mythology
422:), the sons of
392:
326:-, 'staff' (ON
267:
151:Suevian peoples
139:
25:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1233:
1231:
1223:
1222:
1217:
1212:
1207:
1202:
1192:
1191:
1185:
1184:
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1181:
1176:
1171:
1166:
1161:
1155:
1153:
1149:
1148:
1146:
1145:
1140:
1138:Heimlaug Völva
1135:
1133:Þordís Spákona
1130:
1124:
1122:
1118:
1117:
1115:
1114:
1109:
1104:
1098:
1096:
1092:
1091:
1084:
1082:
1080:
1079:
1073:
1068:
1063:
1058:
1053:
1047:
1045:
1041:
1040:
1035:
1033:
1032:
1025:
1018:
1010:
1004:
1003:
998:, S. 155–174 (
980:
967:
952:
943:
940:
938:
937:
931:
915:
909:
883:
877:
864:
858:
842:
836:
820:
810:(2): 104–106.
788:
782:
759:
753:
741:Lincoln, Bruce
737:
731:
718:
712:
695:
693:
690:
688:
687:
685:, p. 280.
675:
663:
661:, p. 678.
651:
639:
637:, p. 321.
627:
625:, p. 747.
623:Sundqvist 2020
615:
613:, p. 319.
603:
591:
579:
567:
565:, p. 280.
552:
550:, p. 210.
540:
528:
526:, p. 347.
516:
514:, p. 279.
491:
489:, p. 346.
478:
476:
473:
391:
388:
293:Proto-Germanic
266:
263:
251:First Cataract
197:, east of the
138:
135:
116:First Cataract
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1232:
1221:
1218:
1216:
1213:
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1113:
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1031:
1026:
1024:
1019:
1017:
1012:
1011:
1008:
1001:
997:
993:
989:
985:
981:
970:
968:9783112019337
964:
960:
959:
953:
950:
946:
945:
941:
934:
932:90 04 05436 7
928:
924:
920:
919:de Vries, Jan
916:
912:
906:
902:
898:
894:
893:
888:
887:de Vries, Jan
884:
880:
874:
870:
865:
861:
855:
851:
847:
846:Simek, Rudolf
843:
839:
837:9780859915137
833:
829:
825:
824:Simek, Rudolf
821:
817:
813:
809:
805:
801:
797:
793:
789:
785:
779:
775:
771:
767:
766:
760:
756:
754:0-674-59775-3
750:
746:
742:
738:
734:
732:1-85182-188-0
728:
724:
719:
715:
713:9780674991958
709:
705:
701:
697:
696:
691:
684:
679:
676:
672:
667:
664:
660:
659:de Vries 2000
655:
652:
648:
643:
640:
636:
635:de Vries 1970
631:
628:
624:
619:
616:
612:
611:de Vries 1970
607:
604:
600:
595:
592:
588:
583:
580:
577:, p. 99.
576:
571:
568:
564:
559:
557:
553:
549:
544:
541:
537:
532:
529:
525:
520:
517:
513:
508:
506:
504:
502:
500:
498:
496:
492:
488:
483:
480:
474:
472:
469:
467:
466:
461:
457:
453:
449:
445:
441:
437:
433:
429:
426:, the son of
425:
421:
417:
413:
409:
405:
401:
400:Bruce Lincoln
397:
389:
387:
385:
381:
377:
376:
371:
369:
362:
360:
358:
354:
349:
345:
341:
339:
333:
331:
325:
323:
317:
313:
308:
307:
302:
300:
294:
290:
280:
278:
272:
264:
262:
260:
256:
252:
248:
243:
241:
237:
233:
229:
225:
221:
217:
213:
212:
206:
204:
200:
196:
192:
191:
184:
179:
174:
166:
164:
156:
152:
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143:
136:
134:
132:
128:
123:
121:
117:
113:
109:
105:
101:
97:
96:
91:
87:
83:
79:
75:
71:
67:
63:
60:(also called
59:
51:
47:
40:
36:
35:
29:
24:
19:
1060:
999:
987:
983:
972:. Retrieved
957:
948:
922:
891:
868:
849:
827:
807:
803:
792:Reinach, Th.
764:
744:
722:
703:
678:
671:Lincoln 1986
666:
654:
642:
630:
618:
606:
599:Enright 1996
594:
582:
570:
548:Enright 1996
543:
531:
519:
482:
470:
463:
440:Rudolf Simek
415:
411:
403:
393:
383:
379:
373:
365:
363:
356:
353:ablaut grade
347:
335:
327:
319:
304:
296:
288:
274:
270:
268:
244:
209:
207:
188:
186:
182:
177:
168:
160:
124:
102:, or to her
93:
74:Roman Empire
61:
45:
44:
32:
18:
942:Other works
796:Jullian, C.
774:10.1515/gao
201:by Emperor
163:Cassius Dio
112:Roman Egypt
86:Cassius Dio
1194:Categories
1107:Haliurunas
683:Simek 1996
575:Simek 1996
563:Simek 2020
536:Simek 2020
512:Simek 2020
475:References
460:Eddic poem
444:holy grove
277:theiázousa
157:in purple.
64:), of the
1078:(alleged)
1002:Band 25).
380:Gannascus
346:analyses
284:θειάζουσἀ
273:, but as
265:Etymology
155:Irminones
62:priestess
1152:See also
1071:Waluburg
921:(1962).
889:(1970).
826:(1996).
798:(1920).
743:(1986).
456:the hero
454:, where
375:Gannicus
316:Waluburg
247:Waluburg
238:and the
232:Cherusci
224:Domitian
211:Semnones
203:Domitian
195:Germania
108:Waluburg
95:Germania
82:Domitian
56:) was a
1102:Gambara
1051:Albruna
692:Sources
396:Tacitus
312:Gambara
271:sibylla
253:of the
190:Celtica
118:of the
114:at the
90:Tacitus
66:Semnoni
1159:Freyja
1112:Thiota
1066:Veleda
994:
974:8 July
965:
929:
907:
875:
856:
834:
780:
751:
729:
710:
428:Tuisto
424:Mannus
368:gunþjō
299:Gan-nō
228:Chatti
220:Masyos
78:Masyus
70:Veleda
1169:Seiðr
1164:Galdr
1061:Ganna
416:Irmin
408:Yngvi
348:gandr
344:Simek
338:vǫlur
318:from
306:gandr
289:Ganna
259:Egypt
236:Weser
199:Rhine
54:Γάννα
50:Greek
46:Ganna
1174:Wand
992:ISBN
976:2017
963:ISBN
927:ISBN
905:ISBN
873:ISBN
854:ISBN
832:ISBN
778:ISBN
749:ISBN
727:ISBN
708:ISBN
432:Ymir
420:Odin
414:and
384:Gana
357:ginn
330:vǫlr
322:walu
255:Nile
240:Elbe
216:Elbe
120:Nile
100:wand
897:doi
812:doi
770:doi
412:Ist
410:),
404:Ing
386:-.
378:or
257:in
37:in
1196::
903:.
808:22
806:.
802:.
794:;
776:.
555:^
494:^
468:.
462:,
438:.
361:.
261:.
242:.
122:.
52::
1029:e
1022:t
1015:v
978:.
935:.
913:.
899::
881:.
862:.
840:.
818:.
814::
786:.
772::
757:.
735:.
716:.
649:.
418:(
406:(
295:*
281:(
48:(
41:.
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