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, and attested mainly in epigraphy.

Epigraphy

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

Both deities are attested either in isolation, or, rarely, as a pair. 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.

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

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

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.

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

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 (inactive 11 July 2025). hdl:10045/1208. ISSN 0213-2338.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link).
  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. 6. Guimarães, Portugal: E-Keltoi: Journal of Interdisciplinary Celtic Studies: 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