Arentius and Arentia

Arentius (Portuguese: Arâncio) and Arentia (Portuguese: Arância) are considered to be a pair of indigenous deities that belong to the Lusitanian pantheon,[1][2] and attested mainly in epigraphy.

Epigraphy

Scholars report at least 13 epigraphies (14 inscriptions, as of 2022)[3] attesting either Arentius or Arentia, mostly located in central-eastern Lusitania,[4] and, according to scholar Juan Olivares Pedreño, "well represented" in Egitania.[5]

Both deities are attested either in isolation, or, rarely, as a pair.[6] Olivares Pedreño suggested that their attestation as a pair seems to hark back to similar votive altars of a male and female divine couple in Celtic areas.[7][8]

The pair is also alternatively attested as Arantius and Arantia, although this occurrence is rare.[9]

In two inscriptions from Beira Baixa, Arentius is attested as Arantio Tanginiciaeco and as Arentio Cronisensi.[10]

Etymology

Francisco Marco Simón suggested that the pair were aquatic deities, following Hans Krahe's study on Old European hydronymy that associates the stem *ar- with the names of bodies of water.[11]

Spanish historian José María Blázquez Martínez seems to support this interpretation.[12] Also, according to Blazquez, Blanca María Prósper believes that Arantio (another attested name for Arentius) refers to a river deity.[13]

See also

References
  1. Marco Simón, Francisco (1999). "Divinidades indígenas en la Hispania indoeuropea". Veleia. 16: 40. hdl:10810/35975..
  2. Olivares Pedreño, José Carlos (2000–2001). "Teónimos y fronteras étnicas: los Lusitani". Lucentum. 19–20 (19–20): 245–256. doi:10.14198/LVCENTVM2000-2001.19-20.16. ISSN 0213-2338..
  3. Olivares Pedreño, Juan Carlos (2022). "Una paradoja de la teonimia y la antroponimia lusitano-galaica: ¿Migraciones hacia el sur del Sistema Central y el valle del Tajo?". Complutum. 33 (1): 234, 235 (distribution map). doi:10.5209/cmpl.80893. hdl:10045/123692. S2CID 248955728..
  4. Olivares Pedreño, Juan Carlos; Ramajo Correa, Luis María (2013). "Un altar votivo procedente de Cilleros dedicado a los dioses lusitanos "Arentia" y "Arentius" y precisiones sobre otra inscripción votiva de Villamiel (Cáceres)". Veleia. 30: 201. hdl:10810/37246..
  5. Olivares Pedreño, Juan Carlos (1999). "Aportaciones al estudio de Arentius, Arentia y las divinidades indígenas masculinas de la religión de Egitania". Ilu. Revista de ciencias de las religiones. 4: 139. ISSN 1135-4712..
  6. Olivares Pedreño, Juan Carlos (1999). "Aportaciones al estudio de Arentius, Arentia y las divinidades indígenas masculinas de la religión de Egitania". Ilu. Revista de ciencias de las religiones. 4: 141–143. ISSN 1135-4712..
  7. Olivares Pedreño, Juan Carlos (1999). "Aportaciones al estudio de Arentius, Arentia y las divinidades indígenas masculinas de la religión de Egitania". Ilu. Revista de ciencias de las religiones. 4: 145, 152. ISSN 1135-4712..
  8. Pedreño, Juan Carlos Olivares (11 November 2005). "Celtic Gods of the Iberian Peninsula". E-Keltoi. Guimarães, Portugal: E-Keltoi: Journal of Interdisciplinary Celtic Studies. 6: 630–631, 635. ISSN 1540-4889.
  9. Salvado, Pedro; Guerra, Amílcar; Mendes Rosa, João (2004). "Um monumento votivo a Arância e Arâncio, proveniente de Castelejo (concelho do Fundão)". Revista portuguesa de Arqueologia. 7 (2): 239–240..
  10. Anderson, James M. (1985). "Preroman indo-european languages of the hispanic peninsula". Revue des Études Anciennes. 87 (3–4): 321. doi:10.3406/rea.1985.4212..
  11. Marco Simón, Francisco (1999). "Divinidades indígenas en la Hispania indoeuropea". Veleia. 16: 40. hdl:10810/35975.
  12. "El mismo caracter acuático tendrían Arentius y Arentia en la Beira Baja ..." Blazquez, José Mª. "La religión celta en Hispania". In: Celtas y Vettones: Torreon de los Guzmanes, Iglesia de Santo Tome el Viejo. Avila, Septiembre-Diciembre 2001. Avila; Diputacion Provincial de Avila, 2001. p. 175. ISBN 84-89518-76-9.
  13. Blázquez, José Mª. Arte Y Religión En El Mediterráneo Antiguo. Ediciones Cátedra, 2008. p. 129.

Bibliography
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