Epona – The Celtic Divine Equine Figure
Dedicated to you, Sacred Mother, it has been presented. We offer to you, Atanta, this sacrificial horse, meticulously acquired for you, goddess Epona. Let it bring you satisfaction, mighty Potia, as we devote it to you. Through this offering, swift Ipona, alongside a filly, goddess Epotia, we seek your blessing. You are invoked, Catona of the battlefield, accompanied by a filly, for the purification of the horses we cleanse for you, Dibonia. This vibrant mare, this vessel of plenty, and craftsman’s creation, is presented with offerings of fat and more to honor you.
(This dedication was unearthed in 1887 in Rom (Deux-Sèvres) on a thin lead plate inscribed in Latin, dated around the first century BCE. Dr. Garrett Olmsted, who provided the most recent translation of this inscription, notes that the closest parallel is found in a Vedic hymn to Indra.)
Epona, also revered as the Great Mare, is primarily recognized as a goddess of horses, predominantly linked to the Gauls. Despite her widespread reverence, there remains a scarcity of detailed information about her origins and characteristics.
Regrettably, the tales of the Gaulish Celts have been largely obscured. The narratives and myths of the British Celts were documented by early Christian scholars. Nevertheless, the Gauls and other cultures have left a significant amount of inscriptions and monuments, from which the bulk of our understanding of Epona is derived.
One particular story about Epona’s beginnings has endured through time. A later Greek author, Agesilaos, recounted that Epona was conceived from the union of a mare and a man named Phoulonios Stellos, who renounced women in favor of a mare. This mare gave birth to a charming and spirited daughter, Epona, who ascended to the status of horse goddess. The process of naming carries profound significance in Celtic legends, suggesting that Epona’s name was imbued with future importance, hinting at her mother’s divine heritage and Epona’s own legacy as a goddess.
Small effigies of Epona have been discovered in stables and barns all across Europe. Often, a niche carved into the walls housed a statue of the goddess, frequently adorned with roses and occasionally featuring a mare’s head. The German legions created plaques illustrating Epona in a divine form, typically with a foal or engaged in nurturing young horses. In iconography, Epona is frequently depicted as a woman either mounted on or surrounded by horses. She may represent another aspect of the Great Mother Goddess, as she is sometimes shown bearing a Cornucopia—an emblem of abundance and fertility. Additionally, Epona has been illustrated with keys, perhaps signifying a connection to the underworld, and frequently accompanied by birds, which symbolize an idyllic afterlife. The imposing Uffington White Horse in the British Isles stands as one of the grandest extant tributes to Epona, although their creators’ identification as her worshippers remains uncertain.
Epona is among a select group of Gaulish deities whose veneration transcended into the broader Roman Empire. This likely began with Roman cavalry units stationed in Gaul, who adopted her as their protective goddess, particularly since many of these cavalrymen hailed from Gaul and were distinguished horse riders. The Romans carried Epona with them, including to Rome, where she was honored with her own feast day on December 18. They recognized her as Epona Augusta or Epona Regina and called upon her to intercede for the Emperor. Her standing was such that a shrine was established within the barracks of the Imperial Bodyguard.
Evidence suggests a possible association between Epona, sovereignty, and the themes of land and fertility intertwined with her identity as a horse goddess. The invocation of her name on behalf of the Roman Emperor implies a connection to authority. Horse imagery recurrently represents sovereignty, and in certain kingship rites, a king would first mate with a mare, followed by its sacrifice, and in some traditions, he was even required to immerse himself in a broth made from the mare. While numerous deities regard the horse as sacred, few align as closely as Epona does with themes of land and fertility. She evolved from a divinity centered around horses to a goddess associated with land, fertility, rulership, and possibly the underworld.
For me, Epona embodies the guardian of all journeys, be they physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual. She represents the essence of the land and its cycles, symbolizing fertility in multiple facets. Epona resonates with me as Mother, Sister, and Friend. I perceive her presence guiding me, providing the strength I need daily. Her essence is visible in the vibrant green shoots of spring and the ripened fruits of autumn. I hear her whispers in the winds rustling through the trees and in the gentle murmur of rivers. She is indeed the Great Mare!
