Belisama (GaulishBelesama; epigraphicallyBηλησαμα) is aCelticgoddess. She was identified by Roman commentators withMinerva byinterpretatio romana.
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The GaulishtheonymBelesama has been traditionally interpreted as meaning 'the very bright', stemming from theIndo-European root*bʰelH- ('white, shining'; cf. Lith.báltas 'white', Greek φαλόσphalós 'white', Arm.bal 'pallor', goth.bala 'grey') attached to the superlative suffix *-isamā. As forBelenos, however, this theory has come under increasing criticism in contemporary scholarship.[1][2]
Xavier Delamarre notes that the proposedcognates stemming from*bʰelH- do not seem to connote 'shining', but rather 'white, grey, pale', and proposes to derive the name from the Gaulish rootbelo- ('strong, powerful'), renderingBelesama as 'the very strong' (cf. Sanskritbaliṣṭhaḥ 'the strongest').[2] Alternatively,Peter Schrijver has conjectured a connection with the stem for 'henbane', *beles-, attached to an unknown suffix -ma, by comparing the name with the Gaulish theonymBelisa-maros. According to him, this is "formally attractive and semantically possible (if *Belesama = Lat.Minerva medica) but not supported by direct evidence".[3]
The toponymsBeleymas,Bellême,Balesmes,Blesmes,Blismes, andVelesmes are based on the theonym.[4][2] The name also appears in various river names of Gauls and Britain, includingBelisama (River Ribble) andLe Blima (Tarn).[2][5] TheGalatian personal nameBlesamius, from an earlier *Belesamios, may also be added to the comparison.[2]
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AGaulish inscription found atVaison-la-Romaine inProvence (RIG G-172) shows that anemeton was dedicated to her:[6]
The identification with Minerva inGallo-Roman religion is established in aLatin inscription fromSaint-Lizier (ancientlyConsoranni), Ariège department (CIL XIII, 8):[8]
The presence of the goddess inAncient Britain is more difficult to establish. Based onPtolemy's reference to a "Belisama estuary" (Βελισαμα),River Ribble in England seems to have been known by the nameBelisama inRoman times.[2][5][9]
The attestation of the theonym as a river name may indicate that she was a lake- and river-goddess.[5] Belisama has also been speculatively claimed as companion ofBelenos, whose name seems to contain the same root.[10]
