Luxovius
Encyclopedia
In Gallo-Roman religion
Gallo-Roman religion
Gallo-Roman religion was a fusion of the traditional religious practices of the Gauls, who were originally Celtic speakers, and the Roman and Hellenistic religions introduced to the region under Roman Imperial rule. It was the result of selective acculturation....

, Luxovios, Latinized as Luxovius was the god of the waters of Luxeuil
Luxeuil-les-Bains
Luxeuil-les-Bains is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.-History:Luxeuil was the Roman Luxovium and contained many fine buildings at the time of its destruction by the Huns under Attila in 451...

, worshipped in Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...

. He was a consort of Bricta
Bricta
In Gallo-Roman religion, Bricta or Brixta was a Gaulish goddess who was a consort of Luxovius, god of the waters of Luxeuil-les-Bains...

. The thermal spring sanctuary at Lexeuil produced evidence of the worship of other deities, including the sky-horseman who bears a solar wheel, and Sirona
Sirona
In Celtic mythology, Sirona was a goddess worshipped predominantly in East Central Gaul and along the Danubian limes. A healing deity, she was associated with healing springs; her attributes were snakes and eggs. She was sometimes depicted with Apollo Grannus or Apollo Borvo...

, another deity associated with healing springs.

Inscriptions

Luxovius is recorded in the following two inscriptions, both from Luxeuil-les-Bains :
[Lus]soio / et Brictae / Divixti/us Cons/tans / v(otum) s(olvit) (ibens) m(erito)

"To Lusso(v)ios and Bricta, Divixtius Constans freely and deservedly fulfilled his vow." (CIL 13, 05425)

Luxovio / et Brixtae / G(aius) Iul(ius) Fir/manus / v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)

"To Luxovios and Brixta, Gaius Julius Firmans freely and deservedly fulfilled his vow."
(AE 1951, 00231; CIL 13, 05426)

Etymology

The name Luxovios implies light symbolism. This may indicate that the god is a deity of both light, and of curative spring waters, two elements that were strong linked in the Celtic world.
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