In Gallo-Roman religion, Damona was a goddess worshipped in Gaul as the consort of Apollo Borvo and of Apollo Moritasgus.
The theonym Damona is a derivative of the Proto-Celtic stem *damo-, meaning 'bull' or 'deer' (cf. Old Irish dam 'bull, deer'; also *damato- > Middle Welsh dafad 'sheep', Old Cornish dauat 'ewe'), itself from Proto-Indo-European *dmh2o- ('the tamed one'). The Latin noun damma, which is the source of French daim ('roe'), is probably a loanword from Gaulish. The root *dmh2- is also presumably reflected in the British tribal name Demetae , interpreted as meaning 'Tamers'. [1] [2]
Damona and Bormana have been described as the patron deities of the hot springs at Bourbonne-les-Bains and Saint-Vulbas, respectively. [3] [4] Some seventeen inscriptions dedicated to Damona have been recovered, including nine from Bourbonne-les-Bains and four from Bourbon-Lancy, both spa towns in eastern France. In one inscription from Saintes, she has the epithet Matubergini. [5]
There are several inscriptions relating to Damona, [6] including two inscriptions in Bourbon-Lancy (CIL 13, 02805), discovered in 1792.
and (CIL 13, 02806), where Damona is also included in dedications to Borvo, (CIL 13, 02807) and (CIL 13, 02808):
The other large site associated with Damona is Bourbonne-les-Bains, there are nine dedications to the goddess of the waters, including (CIL 13, 05911):
and (CIL 13, 05914):
with (CIL 13, 05921):
Damona also appears in dedications to Chassenay, associated with Albius and Alise-Sainte-Reine. An inscription was found bearing Damona's name in Alesia in 1962, where she was worshipped with Apollo Moritasgus [7] [8] [9] (CIL 13, 11233):
and (CAG-21-01):
Finally, there is an inscription in Rivières. [10]
Jullia Malla Malluronis fîl (ia) numinibus Augustorum et deae Damonae Matuherginni (?) Ob memoriam Sulpiciae Silvanae filiae suae de suo posuit
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