Cissonius

Relief of Mercury Cissonius from the Palatinate.

Cissonius (also Cisonius, Cesonius) was an ancient Celtic god. After Visucius, Cissonius was the most common name associated with Mercury.^{[ citation needed ]}

Name

The name has been interpreted as meaning 'carriage-driver' (from Gaulish cissum 'carriage'), ^[1] or as 'dream-bringer' (from cit- attached to Gaulish souno- 'sleep, dream'). ^[2]

The forms Cissonius and Cissonia are also attested as personal names. ^[3]

Cult

Map showing the distribution of inscriptions to Cissonius.

Cissonius is attested in the province of Germania Superior (Königshofen, Creutzwald, Hohenburg, Cologne, Heddernheim) as well as in Promontogno, Avenches, Saintes, Besançon, where he is frequently associated with the Roman god Mercury. ^[4] This widespread pattern of veneration suggests that Cissonius was not a local topographical spirit. ^[5]

In one inscription from Promontogno (Switzerland), Cissonus is identified with Matutinus. ^[4]

Cissonius alone (without Mercury's name) is also mentioned on the Creuzwald dedication, implying that he may have existed as an independent Celtic deity and not simply as an epithet. ^[5]

References

1. J.-J. Hatt (1989), Mythes et dieux de la Gaules, I : les grandes divinités masculines, Paris, p.217. Cited in William van Andringa (2002). La religion en Gaule romaine : Piété et politique (I^er-III^e siècle apr. J.-C. Editions Errance, Paris. pp.135,155. Van Andringa thus summarizes Hatt's conclusions: "Cissonius dériverait du gaulois cissum, voiture." ("Cissonius would be derived from the Gaulish cissum, carriage.")
2. Delamarre 2003, p. 280.
3. Marrone, Giovanella Cresci (1984). Pisarum: le iscrizioni della colonia. Giardini Editori. p. 359.
4. Nicole Jufer & Thierry Luginbühl. 2001. Les dieux gaulois : répertoire des noms de divinités celtiques connus par l'épigraphie, les textes antiques et la toponymie. Editions Errance, Paris. pp.34-5
5. Green 1997, p. 149.

Bibliography

• Delamarre, Xavier (2003). Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise: Une approche linguistique du vieux-celtique continental. Errance. ISBN   9782877723695.

• Green, Miranda J. (1997). Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend. Thames and Hudson. ISBN   978-0-500-27975-5.