Bringing together the wisdom of the Earth found in nature, science, mythology and spirituality
Introduction
Horses have long fascinated human kind. They have had a rich and varied role in the development of human civilization over the ages, fading back into the mists of time beyond collective memory. They have been a part of the working world, the military, the pursuit of hobbies, and in religion. It is hard to think of anything else that holds such a diverse place in human society and consciousness.
Horses have certainly fascinated me all of my life. As a young child, as a teenager, as an adult, horses have had a special place and meaning to me. Horses opened up the wide open prairies to exploration and imagination. Horses opened up a sense of touching history on the land, in finding a long forgotten pioneer cabin, or following a deer track through old woods. A horse was the vehicle that transported me into a new world of time and place, and in developing an intimate connection with the land. Perhaps this was the first way that I began to develop a sense of being EarthWise.
Walking to the Roman Barrows
I walked into the mellow landscape, on my way again to visit the Roman Barrows. The land had changed in the course of two weeks. The ripened grain fields were now shorn of their rich offerings. In their place were the golden stubblefields, the short stalks of what was left behind making a crackling noise in the breeze that swept through now and again.
Yet there was not a sense of anything gone, anything lost, in the fields. The footpath that I wanted to walk was easier to see in the stubble, with the dry dark earth showing in patches across the golden blanket. This time I was travelling with a specific purpose and new knowledge of this site. I wanted to explore the significance it had in relation to a nearby temple that was said to have originally been dedicated to a local pagan river god (no name given) and then later to the goddess Epona.
I found the presence of Epona to be an enigma. It was not what I was expecting to find at all in this landscape.
Epona: an enigma in the landscape
Just who is Epona? And is what you think you know about her all that there is in the story? Come along on this EarthWise journey, in getting to know Epona.
She is popularly seen as the Goddess of Horses, an Irish or Celtic Goddess, sometimes depicted astride a white horse. There are some that also associate her as the same or similar goddess to Rhiannon.
But understanding Epona goes beyond understanding a Celtic or Irish pantheon of deities.
Celtic Goddess and Focus of a Military Cult
Epona apparently also held a special fascination for Roman martial society. Indeed, she was part of a Roman military cult. The worship of Epona extended far beyond the British Isles. There is evidence of Epona worship as well of course in the British Isles.
But this widespread worship of Epona begs the question. Why is the Celtic Goddess Epona, goddess of horses, being worshipped in Roman society and in particular in the Roman military?
It is a fascinating tale that speaks to the importance of the horse in both Celtic and Roman societies.
Memories in the landscape
The local temple near me is not the only Roman temple in Britain thought to be dedicated to Epona. There are the remains of another in the town of Winchester. The “chester” suffix on the name of Winchester is a sure clue of this being at one point a Roman town. And these sorts of clues lay throughout the modern landscape. For instance, the A road which now trundles past the barrows and the temple remains near me travels onto another town with a “chester” or “cester” suffix.
Of course, I think. Of course. Perhaps so obvious a clue sitting there literally within the landscape and the names of towns, one that speaks of the former presence of Romans, even if the memory seems otherwise obliterated.
So how was it that Epona was absorbed into Roman culture and society?
Seeking Epona
The answer lies in the special place that the horse held in both Celtic and Roman society. We are told that “Horses were revered by the Celts for their speed and beauty, as well as their bravery.” The association of Epona as the goddess of horses in a culture that valued the horse so highly leaves no question as to why she would have been a popular and prominent goddess in Celtic society.
And it was this popularity that perhaps was influential in her spread into Roman society. For Epona holds unique qualities, as “one of only a few deities, not originally Roman, to be worshiped in the Roman Empire.”
The worship of Epona was as Epona, retaining her Celtic name, became part of Roman society. There are small artifacts which suggest she was incorporated into religious worship in homes.
She was especially attractive to the Roman military. The horse-based military branch of the Roman army, the military, has an obvious attraction to the horse. It takes no leap of imagination to suppose why the goddess Epona then became the focus of military worship.
And so it is that Epona had a multifaceted place within the Roman empire, worshipped in daily life at home, and within the Roman military.
Silence of the land
But as I walked across the land, it was hard to feel anything at all. I wanted to feel the presence of Epona, to use my imagination to transform the golden harvested fields into a place where people had gathered in the worship of Epona.
But in the quiet of the afternoon, nothing stirred. True, the countryside was beautiful. The sun beaming down cast warm shadows, and now and again a soft wind blew over the dried stalks. But that was the only rustling and stirring in the land. I could not imagine the place as it would have been in its Roman times. But if I stopped to listen more closely, the enduring presence of Epona could still be felt, could still be hear. I should not have been searching for her lingering in the Roman presence on the land. She was before that– and she was after that. Listening more closely, I could hear and sense Epona after all.
Conclusion
And so it is that Epona speaks across the ages, into the modern landscape. She speaks with a subtle whisper, present among the rustling of the bright golden stalks of harvest. “I am still here,” she whispers. “I have not left. I am and always have been the Celtic goddess of the horse. I am changing and not changing. The Romans adapted me to suit their needs, but I remain Epona. Look closer, explore more, and see me here in the landscape. Look past the barrows, and the temple remains. Look into the golden landscape itself to see what I have to say.”
Epona managed to survive incorporation into the Roman culture and yet today in the modern world stands identified as a Celtic goddess, not a Roman one. This speaks to her enduring powers, her presence on the sleeping land of the barrows. Perhaps this explains why I feel no energy at all in the land when thinking about Romans. In connecting her with the Romans, I am not connecting with the right thing at all. The focus needs to be on Epona, herself, shorn of any Roman association. There are further explorations to come.
Continuing to explore the messages in the land
My local journey to find Epona also points out how much there is to know about the land that is literally right under my feet. There is a hidden history, and there are stories deep within the land, waiting to be heard, waiting to be remembered. I would not have thought there would be an Epona temple so nearby. The remains of the once thriving Roman civilization around me have been all but erased into the present-day landscape, with only a few clues scattered here and there to say the Romans were ever here.
And that is perhaps another chapter in learning the ancient land around me and becoming EarthWise. There is always a deeper connection to find, another story to hear. And learning to find and listen to those connections from times long ago and yet still present in the land are part of the fascinating journey in becoming and being EarthWise.
An EarthWise Challenge
Do you have remnants of Romano-Britain and Celtic culture in the land near you? What can you do to learn more about the local history of your location and in so doing, become more EarthWise? These few steps can lead you to an adventure of your own on what might seem like familiar territory. You can easily find out that there is so much more depth and history in the area around you. These few steps can lead you on your own EarthWise journey.
- What clues are there for a Romano-British presence? Is there anything in the names of towns or villages that hint at this presence?
- Are there any remains of Roman roads? These could now appear as modern roads, or nearly forgotten footpaths.
- Have there been any local finds of Romano-British remains? These might have been found through metal detecting, through local archaelogy or even existing remnants of buildings or walls.
- What was life like in Romano-Britain in your area? Can you imagine what it would have been like? Was there a mix of Celtic and Roman culture? What clues can you find?
These few steps in the EarthWise challenge can take you into a fascinating voyage of discovery. I would love to hear your experiences in the comments.