Condatis (Gaulish: 'confluence') was an ancientCeltic deity worshipped primarily in northernBritain but also inGaul. He was associated with the confluences of rivers, in particular withinCounty Durham in theNorth of England.^[a]Condatis is known from several inscriptions in Britain and a single inscription found at Alonnes, Sarthe, France. In each case he is equated with the Roman godMars.^[b]

ThetheonymCondatis derives from the stemcondāt-, meaning 'confluence', itself fromProto-Celtic *kom-dati-, from an earlierkom-d^hh₁-ti- ('put with, put together', i.e. 'grouping, reunion').^[2][3]

The stemcondāt- is also attested in personal names, includingCondatus,Condatius, andCondatie, as well as in toponyms such asCondé,Condat,Candé,Conte,Condes,Candes,Cosnes,Condate (the old name ofRennes andNorthwich),Condom,Condéon (both from *Condate-o-magos),Cond (< *Condate-dunum),Kontz,Conz (Trier), andCanstatt (Condistat).^[4][2]

The cult title is probably related to the place nameCondate, often used inGaul for settlements at theconfluence of rivers.^[5] The Celtic godCondatis is thought to have functions pertaining to water and healing.^[6][7]

Roman altar-inscriptions toMars Condates have been found near Roman forts inCounty Durham in theNorth of England that may suggest a 'confluence-deity'cult and the possibility that riverconfluences may have been used aspaganritual sacrifice orhuman sacrifice sites.^[c][d][e]

Roman altars with inscriptions toMars Condates have been found in theTees andWear valleys ofCounty Durham.^[a] Altars are normally found at theconfluence of rivers – for example, theCong Burn–Wear confluence near Chester-le-Street – however others may have been disturbed or removed, especially byantiquarians and collectors.

The inscriptionMars Condates is aconflation (joining) of deities:^[f]

1. Roman godMars – god of war and father of Romulus, the founder of Rome.
2. GaulishdeityCondatis – god of river confluences.

List of altars with inscriptions toMars Condates:

An example of an altar-inscription toCondatis has been found atAllonnes, Sarthe in France.

• Delamarre, Xavier (2003).Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise: Une approche linguistique du vieux-celtique continental. Errance.ISBN 9782877723695.
• James, Alan G. (2020)."The Brittonic Language in the Old North, A Guide to the Place-Name Evidence, Volume 2"(PDF).Scottish Place-Name Society. Retrieved1 October 2024.
• MacKillop, James (2004).Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology.Oxford University Press.ISBN 0-19-860967-1.
• Matasović, Ranko (2009).Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic. Brill.ISBN 9789004173361.
• Nègre, Ernest (1990).Toponymie générale de la France (in French). Librairie Droz.ISBN 978-2-600-02883-7.
• Oliver, Neil (2012).A History of Ancient Britain.Weidenfeld & Nicolson.ISBN 978-0753828861.

• Gaulish gods
• Gods of the ancient Britons
• Health gods
• Sea and river gods
• Personifications of rivers

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Articles with OS grid coordinates
• CS1 French-language sources (fr)