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Iambadoule is aThracian goddess, epigraphically testified together with the Thracian god Zberthourdos (Sbelsurdos).
The deity is attested in an inscription written in Ancient Greek. A male deity, identified asZberthourdos, is standing unclothed with a naked woman on a horse by his side.[1][2]
Translation:
According to Dimitar Detschew, the form Ἰαμβαδούλῃ appears in thedative, pointing to anominative Ἰαμβαδούλῃ (Iambadoule) or Ἰαμβαδούλῃς (Iambadoules).[3]
French archeologistPaul Perdrizet [fr] indicated that the particle "-δουλέ" is also attested in personal name Δουλέ-ζελμις, a Thracian mercenary.[4]
Detschew suggested that the deity's name is an epithet of a Thracian earth-mother goddess, translated as "the one that places the grain", with "iamba" meaning "wheat; wealthy, nutrition", and "doule" fromProto-Indo-European*dhe- 'to place', plus nomen agentis suffix-lo.[5]
Bulgarian linguistVladimir I. Georgiev proposed thatIambadoules means 'rainstorm, thunderstorm', fromDula 'the storm',[6] with relation to Old Iranianambhas 'water' and Greek θύελλα (thúella) 'storm'.[7]
According to researcher Dragoslav Antonijević, Dragojlovic argued that the South Slavic character of thesamovila (a fairy-like figure) is a continuation of this Thracian goddess.[8]