VOL. XLVIII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 317 



Marcus Minucius ^nde. Jfi 



miles legionis sexl<e victricis, -.^ 



gubernator legionis sextae, 

 votum solvit libentissime merito. 

 By this inscription, and many others of the like sort, found in Britain and 

 other countries, it appears that these female deities, under the name of Matres, 

 were worshipped in most parts of the Roman territories. Writers are not agreed 

 in their opinion concerning these female deities, who were worshipped under the 

 character of Matres. Spon supposes they were deified women, who, while liv- 

 ing, were thought to have the gift of prophecy. The reasons for which opinion 

 have been given at large in Horsley, p. 201. But Selden applies them all to 

 the Dea Syria, or Mater Deorum ; whom St. Augustin, as he observes, takes 

 for Juno, and says. Tot esse Junones, quot sunt simulacra. Agreeably to 

 which notion, we find several altars in Gruter inscribed Junonibus, in the plural 

 number. And Plutarch takes notice of the worship paid to the Deum Matri at 

 Enguium in Sicily ; which Cicero seems to allude to, when he says, Matris 

 magnae fanum apud Enguinos est. As we meet with several inscriptions, which 

 have on them the title of Matronae, to whom they are addressed, Spon thinks, 

 not improbably, that these Matronae were the same deities as the Matres, or 

 Matrae, as they are sometimes written, who were indifferently worshipped by 

 each of those titles, of which he has given a variety of instances. 



The first two names of the person who dedicated this altar, were doubtless 

 Marcus Minucius ; but the third, as here abbreviated, is uncertain. This 

 Marcus Minucius describes himself by 1 characters or employments; first, as a 

 soldier of the 6th legion, which was honoured with the title of victrix; and then 

 as pilot of the same legion, the epithet victrix not being repeated the 2d time, 

 as unnecessary. The title of gubernator, or pilot. Dr. W. does not remember 

 to have met with in any other Roman inscription. And notwithstanding the 1st 

 line is placed at some distance from the rest ; yet it may, he thinks, connect 

 with them, without supplying the word sacrum. It appears, by an inscription 

 in Gruter, and republished by Dr. Gale, that this legion was transported from 

 Germany to Britain in the reign of the Emperor Adrian, under the command 

 of Marcus Pontius; who is there called, Tribunus militum legionis sextae victri- 

 cis, cum qua ex Germania in Britanniam transiit. The inscription therefore on 

 this altar at York, may refer to that voyage ; and intimate to us, that Marcus 

 Minucius, by whom it was erected, was then pilot to the legion. It is probable 

 indeed, as Horsley observes, that on its first arrival it made no stop in the 

 south, but marched directly by the usual route to Adrian's vallum ; since there 

 are several inscriptions on and near the wall, both in Northumberland and Cum- 

 berland, where this legion is mentioned. And in the following reign of Ante- 



