292:
283:, and his role as the patron-deity of the Batavian young warrior bands. A second reason for his success could have been Hercules' role as the keeper of cattle, particularly adapted to the pastoral values of a Lower Rhine society essentially relying on cattle and horse raising. A third argument may be the perception of Hercules as a bridge between the Germanic and Roman cultures, Hercules being seen as the mythical forebear of "barbarian" peoples and the first explorer of the Germanic frontier.
68:
221:, who entered the Rhine-Meuse delta from the east after the defeat of the Eburones, were "linguistically mixed, which might mean that they had shifted from Celtic-speaking to Germanic-speaking in recent times." Their elite language was likely Germanic, which led them to Germanicize the names of the region they took over. In this view, the Germanic name
278:
A reasonable explanation is that the military and sporting attributes traditionally associated with
Hercules, including masculine power and courage, possibly matched those associated with the native Magunasus. This view is supported by the number of votive inscriptions to the god that were dedicated
399:
Although no myth associated with
Hercules Magusanus has been preserved, the iconography is rather close to the Latin imagery surrounding Hercules. For instance, several Germanic figurines and statues depict him bearing a club and a lion’s skin over his shoulders, once with three-headed dog
236:
region before the 2nd century AD, which may suggest a progressive diffusion of the cult from the Batavi to their neighbours in the east. Since the Roman
Hercules was generally equated with the Germanic
111:
and
Cologne also bear his name. In 2022 a new site was discovered in nearby Herwen-Hemeling. It is a sanctuary with a Gallo-Roman temple where most altars were dedicated to Hercules Magusanus.
952:
Mata, Karim. (2013). Colonial entanglements and cultic heterogeneity on Rome's
Germanic frontier. Sidestone Press. Editors: Koutrafouri, Vasiliki G. and Sanders, Jeff, pp. 131–154.
792:
Roymans, Nico (2009). "Hercules and the construction of a
Batavian identity in the context of the Roman empire". In Roymans, Nico; Derks, Ton (eds.).
751:
Derks, Ton (1991). "The perception of the Roman pantheon by a native elite : The example of the votive inscriptions from Lower
Germany".
801:
760:
783:
349:
831:
87:. An altar from Ruimel (mid-1st c. AD), the earliest known which is devoted to Hercules Magusanus, shows the name in reverse order:
166:(now Nijmegen), the main settlement of the Batavi, in which the centre of Magusanus' local cult seems to have been located.
344:
The cult of
Hercules Magusanus must have been marginalized as a principal deity in the public cult among the Ubii and the
196:'old'). Lauran Toorians notes that, in this view, both Celtic and Germanic etymologies are possible, with the Germanic
965:
304:
As evidenced by the number of votive inscriptions and a cult associated with the monumental temple complex of
267:
Several reasons have been proposed to explain the popularity of the Roman hero among
Germanic peoples of the
309:
218:
141:
31:
23:
353:
291:
182:
243:
161:
683:
523:
232:
The earliest dedications to
Magusanus are found on Batavian territory and are not attested in the
924:
916:
807:
329:), the young male warriors involved as a class age in a public initiation ritual into adulthood.
937:
970:
908:
858:
827:
797:
779:
771:
756:
140:
The etymology of the name remains debated. According to Norbert Wagner, it may stem from the
900:
850:
373:
357:
279:
by soldiers, the practice of dropping off weapons in the sanctuary of Hercules Magusanus at
170:
656:
67:
332:
Nico Roymans argues that the cult of Herculus Magusanus played in a prominent role in the
841:
Toorians, Lauran (2003). "Magusanus and the "Old Lad": A Case of Germanicised Celtic".
376:
from the Lower Rhine area, most of them serving in the Roman army or to its influence.
252:
174:
76:
975:
959:
928:
891:
Buchholz, Peter (1968). "Perspectives for Historical Research in Germanic Religion".
384:
819:
333:
318:
248:
268:
157:
75:
The name is attested on votive stones, coins and arm rings principally found in
27:
295:
Altar dedicated to Hercules Magusanus found in Scotland, carved ca. 140–165 AD.
811:
272:
124:
912:
862:
854:
233:
321:. He may also have played a role as a patron and protector of the Batavian
379:
An altar to Hercules Magusanus was found near the site of a Roman fort at
413:
401:
380:
129:
100:
92:
35:
920:
753:
Images of the Past: Studies on Ancient Societies in Northwestern Europe
368:
Dedications to Hercules Magusanus are also known from Rome, Britain or
345:
313:
251:
has suggested that Magusanus was originally an epithet attached to the
96:
47:
43:
388:
326:
51:
26:
deity or hero worshipped during the early first millennium AD in the
904:
942:
Collection de l'Institut des Sciences et Techniques de l'Antiquité
369:
356:
in 50–60 AD, when his role was likely taken over by the Roman god
305:
280:
104:
84:
418:
238:
108:
39:
794:
Ethnic Constructs in Antiquity: The Role of Power and Tradition
636:
634:
336:
of the Batavi during the second part of the first century BC.
83:
in a inscription dated ca. 100 AD, found near the village of
71:
Altar stone for Hercules Magusanus from Bonn, dated 226 AD.
478:
476:
474:
472:
470:
468:
466:
717:
715:
609:
607:
605:
493:
491:
453:
451:
449:
436:
434:
308:, Hercules Magusanus was probably the main deity of the
181:('Old Lad', or 'old of the servant''), ultimately from
217:
According to Lauran Toorians, it is probable that the
148:('the one with strength, the powerful one'; cf. Goth.
79:, but also in Rome, Britain, and Dacia. It appears as
938:"Le culte d'Hercule Magusanus en Germanie Inférieure"
387:), dedicated by Valerius Nigrinus, an officer in the
91:. Additionally, two Roman coins of the Roman Emperor
404:, echoing foreign myths involving the Roman hero.
843:NOWELE: North-Western European Language Evolution
657:"RIB 2140. Altar dedicated to Hercules Magusanus"
870:Wagner, Norbert (1977). "(Hercules) Magusanus".
796:. Amsterdam University Press. pp. 219–238.
774:, in Beck, H.; Geuenich, D.; Steuer, H. (eds.),
8:
772:"Germani cisrhenani — die Aussage der Namen"
173:proposed an alternative connection with the
225:may have arisen from the original Celtic *
99:in 261 AD, as well as four arm rings from
684:"Altar from near Mumrills, Stirlingshire"
584:
572:
560:
548:
524:"Het Romeinse heiligdom Herwen-Hemeling"
509:
497:
372:. In all instances, they are related to
290:
66:
733:
721:
706:
640:
613:
596:
457:
440:
430:
536:
200:('boy, servant') attached to the root
678:
676:
651:
649:
625:
482:
160:has also proposed to compare it with
127:between the Graeco-Roman divine hero
7:
824:Lexikon der germanischen Mythologie
776:Germanenprobleme in heutiger Sicht
350:Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium
14:
936:Genèvrier, Marie-Louise (1986).
348:following the foundation of the
755:. University of Chicago Press.
275:with the local god Magunasus.
1:
661:Roman Inscriptions of Britain
688:National Museums of Scotland
526:. Rijksmuseum voor Oudheden.
133:and the local deity or hero
992:
50:, and probably among the
770:Neumann, Günter (1999),
522:Jasper de Bruin (2022).
340:Other Lower Rhine tribes
263:Syncretism with Hercules
855:10.1075/nowele.42.02too
364:Outside the Lower Rhine
229:suggested by Fleuriot.
192:'young lad; servant' +
551:, pp. 14, 16, 19.
296:
72:
778:, Walter de Gruyter,
354:Colonia Ulpia Traiana
294:
70:
893:History of Religions
643:, pp. 231, 233.
244:interpretatio romana
485:, pp. 172–173.
391:cavalry regiment.
297:
121:Hercules Magusanus
73:
20:Hercules Magusanus
872:Bonner Jahrbücher
803:978-90-8964-078-9
762:978-90-70319-15-1
563:, pp. 16–17.
512:, pp. 15–16.
30:region among the
983:
966:Germanic deities
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885:Further reading
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117:
89:agusa o Herculi
65:
60:
24:Romano-Germanic
17:
12:
11:
5:
989:
987:
979:
978:
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968:
958:
957:
954:
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905:10.1086/462579
899:(2): 111–138.
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812:j.ctt46n1n2.13
802:
789:
785:978-3110164381
784:
767:
761:
747:
745:
742:
739:
738:
736:, p. 228.
726:
724:, p. 235.
711:
709:, p. 233.
699:
672:
645:
630:
628:, p. 255.
618:
616:, p. 231.
601:
599:, p. 234.
589:
577:
565:
553:
541:
529:
514:
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487:
462:
460:, p. 227.
445:
443:, p. 125.
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409:
406:
396:
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365:
362:
341:
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301:
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288:
285:
264:
261:
253:Proto-Germanic
214:
211:
209:
206:
177:personal name
142:Proto-Germanic
116:
113:
77:Lower Germania
64:
61:
59:
56:
16:Germanic deity
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
988:
977:
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948:(1): 371–378.
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833:3-520-36801-3
829:
826:. A. Kröner.
825:
821:
820:Simek, Rudolf
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627:
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619:
615:
610:
608:
606:
602:
598:
593:
590:
587:, p. 23.
586:
585:Toorians 2003
581:
578:
575:, p. 22.
574:
573:Toorians 2003
569:
566:
562:
561:Toorians 2003
557:
554:
550:
549:Toorians 2003
545:
542:
538:
533:
530:
525:
518:
515:
511:
510:Toorians 2003
506:
503:
500:, p. 14.
499:
498:Toorians 2003
494:
492:
488:
484:
479:
477:
475:
473:
471:
469:
467:
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431:
424:
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411:
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403:
394:
392:
390:
386:
385:Stirlingshire
382:
377:
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363:
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171:Léon Fleuriot
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25:
21:
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896:
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875:
871:
849:(1): 13–28.
846:
842:
823:
793:
775:
752:
744:Bibliography
734:Roymans 2009
729:
722:Roymans 2009
707:Roymans 2009
702:
691:. Retrieved
687:
664:. Retrieved
660:
641:Roymans 2009
621:
614:Roymans 2009
597:Roymans 2009
592:
580:
568:
556:
544:
532:
517:
505:
458:Roymans 2009
441:Neumann 1999
398:
378:
367:
343:
334:ethnogenesis
331:
322:
319:Roman period
312:
303:
277:
266:
256:
249:Rudolf Simek
242:
231:
226:
222:
216:
201:
197:
193:
189:
185:
183:Proto-Celtic
178:
168:
162:
153:
149:
145:
139:
134:
128:
120:
118:
88:
80:
74:
63:Attestations
19:
18:
537:Wagner 1977
317:during the
269:Lower Rhine
163:Novio-magus
158:Rudolf Much
28:Lower Rhine
960:Categories
878:: 417–422.
693:2020-05-05
666:2020-05-05
626:Derks 1991
483:Simek 1984
425:References
273:syncretism
239:Donar/Thor
186:*magusenos
146:*Magus-naz
125:syncretism
95:minted in
929:144271212
913:0018-2710
863:0108-8416
395:Depiction
234:Rhineland
227:Magusenus
223:Magusanus
213:Magusanus
204:('old').
169:In 1984,
152:, German
135:Magusanus
119:The name
115:Etymology
971:Hercules
822:(1984).
414:Hercules
408:See also
402:Cerberus
389:Tungrian
381:Mumrills
323:iuventus
310:Batavian
271:and his
130:Hercules
101:Tongeren
93:Postumus
48:Baetasii
921:1061883
374:Germani
346:Cugerni
314:civitas
255:deity *
97:Cologne
81:Magusen
44:Cugerni
36:Marsaci
927:
919:
911:
861:
830:
810:
800:
782:
759:
327:koryos
300:Batavi
257:Þunraz
219:Batavi
208:Origin
198:*magus
179:Mavohe
52:Tungri
32:Batavi
925:S2CID
917:JSTOR
808:JSTOR
370:Dacia
306:Empel
281:Empel
202:*sen-
194:senos
190:magus
175:Welsh
154:Macht
150:mahts
144:name
123:is a
105:Neuss
85:Empel
22:is a
976:Thor
909:ISSN
859:ISSN
828:ISBN
798:ISBN
780:ISBN
757:ISBN
419:Thor
358:Mars
352:and
287:Cult
241:via
109:Bonn
58:Name
40:Ubii
946:329
901:doi
876:177
851:doi
156:).
962::
944:.
940:.
923:.
915:.
907:.
895:.
874:.
857:.
847:42
845:.
806:.
714:^
686:.
675:^
659:.
648:^
633:^
604:^
490:^
465:^
448:^
433:^
360:.
259:.
247:,
137:.
107:,
103:,
54:.
46:,
42:,
38:,
34:,
931:.
903::
897:8
865:.
853::
836:.
814:.
765:.
696:.
669:.
539:.
383:(
325:(
188:(
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