Rudiobus

God of The Carnutes Tribe.

We don’t have much to go on with this Deuos, only a single inscription on a bronze figurine of a prancing horse. It reads “sacred to the god Rudiobus.” It was found at Neuvy-En-Sullias (Loiret).

Horses were linked to many Deuoi, including the sky gods and the Gallo-Roman Mars, Jupiter, and Apollo. For us here, we will be focusing on the animistic and the social understanding of the horse to help us connect to Rudiobus.

Horses were a symbol of the Aristocratic warrior elites. These warriors held high levels of power in Gaulish society and were very much connected to the Warband. The horse was revered because of its qualities of beauty, speed, sexual vigor, fertility, and travel. They had great economic importance as well. They also hold great significance in Gaulish spiritual belief. The horse is seen as a solar symbol.

The horseman or horsewoman was an important figure within the Gaulish society. We see them on Gaulish coins from the many tribes. Many sanctuaries were furnished with images of the mounted warrior as there seems to have been a very important horse cult among the Gauls. We can see how the horse played an essential part in Gaulish society.

The southern Gaulish war god Rudianus could be linked with our god Rudiobus only because of the name. The name “Rudiobus” may refer to red as Rudianus means red. So our god may have to do with the color red. 

Personal Gnosis

I don’t see him as just a war god. I see him as the essence of the horse—the balance between man and beast. To break, a horse took much courage as that in itself is a battle between you and the horse but a battle for both of you to understand one another. The horse was looked at in awe as it is such a majestic animal that we learned how to coexist in our day-to-day lives. We could travel to faraway places and experience new things. We learned to use them to help cultivate the lands and reduce our workloads. We could make the battlefields more fierce as the thundering of the hooves shooke the lands around as they went riding forwards.

As the horse remained free in our care but wild simultaneously.

To become a good horse rider in all things took time and dedication.

And I’m sure that for a tribe like the Carnutes as they were a central spot for gatherings and trade that many horses rode through there. The Carnutes may have been a horse training and trading location. So for me, he very much is the spirit of the horse itself.

Uediâ (Invocation)

I invoke Rudiobus

Great warrior

Loyal defender

Victorious knight

The eyes from upon the hill, fearless friend of the people

I give offering and thanks to you

Adbertâ (Offering)

Helps us to keep a steady flow

Cheer to you

Thanks to you

I praise you Rudiobus

I go in peace