Rosmerta is a Celtic goddess worshipped in Gaul and Britain. She was most often accompanied by “Gaulish Mercury” as consort, a god identified by the Romans with their own god Mercury, who in some but not all cases was the Gaulish god Lugus; however, she was also honored independently, on her own. She is a goddess of abundance and prosperity and was sometimes depicted in art carrying the cornucopia.

Myth
unknown

Cult
Rosmerta received votive and dedicatory offerings from her worshippers; otherwise little is known of the specifics of her cult.

Etymology
Rosmerta’s name is believed to derive from the Proto-Celtic *[p]ro- or “great” and *smer- or “to give or provide”; thus her name probably means “great provider,” which certainly reflects her role as a goddess of plenty.

Other Gaulish deity names based on *smer include Smertrios, Cantismerta and Atesmerta.

Tribal and other associations
Rosmerta was worshipped far and wide throughout Gaul, including the territories of Gaulish tribes such as the Treveri, the Lingones, the Mediomatrici, the Leuci and the Bellovaci. She was also honored by Germanic tribes such as the Vangiones.

Region
Most evidence of Rosmerta’s worship was found in north-central Gaul and parts of Germania, although her worship extended as far east as Romania and as far north as England.

Literary evidence
Unknown

Archaeological evidence
Rainbach, Austria; Sankt Michael am Zollfeld, Austria; Bath, England; Gloucester, England; Champoulet, France; Dompierre-sur-Authie, France; Escolives-Sainte-Camille, France; Genainville, France; Gissey-la-Vieil, France; Grand, France; Langres, France; Magny-Lambert, France; Metz, France; Morelmaison, France; Saxon-Sion, France; Soulosse-sous-Saint Elophe, France;Alzey, Germany; Andernach, Germany; Baden, Germany (temple); Bierstadt, Germany; Eisenberg, Germany; Ihn-Niedaltdorf, Germany; Kleinich, Germany; Mannheim, Germany; Niederemmel, Germany; Spechbach, Germany; Trier, Germany; Uess, Germany; Wiesbaden, Germany; Worms, Germany; Wasserbillig, Luxembourg; Burgort/Sarmizegetusa, Romania