La dea domina sancta Turibrigensis Ataecina y las nuevas evidencias epigráficas de Alcuéscar (Cáceres)

Abstract

The excavation and restoration works carried out at the temple of Santa Lucía del Trampal in Alcuéscar (Cáceres) have provided us with 31 Roman inscriptions, 15 of which correspond to altars dedicated to the native goddess Ataecina. This epigraphic series, together with a high number of anepigraphical materials which have been also found at and near the same place, indicate the localization of the greatest sanctuary devoted to that goddess. This sanctuary is the only one close in importance to that of Endovellicus, the Lusitanian god. After having checked every known inscriptions related to Ataecina which has been found in Hispania, we came to the conclusion that his worship spread over the eastern areas of Lusitania, and that it was there sometimes mixed with that of Proserpina. The main Ataecina’s worshipping place seems to have been Turibriga/Turobriga, wich may have belonged to the territorium of Emerita Augusta, not far from the temple of Santa Lucía and the place called “Las Torrecillas”.