Mars, Lenus, Celtic Gods.  Mars is thought of today as the brutal ‘God of War', but to the Celts he was a peaceful protector, a healer, and God of their Tribe. This had been the way the original Italian Mars God had been seen, a guardian of their fields and the boundaries of their lands, and in some cases a storm God. It was much later in Imperial Rome that he was associated with the Greek God Ares, that he changed to a God of Battle or War. Mars Albiorix was the protector mountain spirit God of the Celtic Albici in Southern Gaul, Albiorix meaning ‘King of the World'. Mars Camulos was a Celtic War God well known in both Britain and Gaul in pre Roman times. Mars Alator was a Celtic God , he is known from an inscription on an alter found in South Shields, Yorkshire England, and also from a silver-gilt votive plaque discovered at Barkway, Hertfordshire, England. The Celtic Alator is translated as ‘Huntsman' or ‘He who Cherishes', it is not known whether his identification was in any way connected to a ‘God of War'. Lenus Mars was a great healer Celtic God of the Treveri Tribe, who presided over a large  temple complex and medical springs at Trier, where there is an inscription to ‘Lenus Mars' rather than ‘Mars Lenus' showing the god was already well established before Roman times, although there was a large Romano-Celtic Temple with a huge alter. At Trier Mars Lenus's Divine partner was the Celtic Goddess Ancomna, the mother goddess of healing of the Treveri. Ancomna was paired with Mars Smertius, the Celtic God of abundance, the name Smertrius seeming to mean ‘The Provider'. A shrine was dedicated to the Celtic Goddess Ancamma and to the Celtic God Smertrius at Mohn near Trier.  Trier is said to be the oldest City in Germany, with first traces of human habitation and evidence of linear pottery dating from the early Neolithic period, the City itself was, according to legend, founded by Trebeta, the son of the Assyrian King Ninus around 2000 BC, the Treveri later settled, an were subdued by the Romans under Julius Caesar in 58-50 BC, and became an important Roman Centre, with many fine buildings. Lenus Mars also presided over a sanctuary at Pommern in Germany on the German Polish border, an area occupied by a number of Germanic Tribes, including migrants from Scandinavia, called the Rugians. Dedications were also found to Lenus in Britain. Lenus used his warrior strength as a protector against illness and death, and when equated with the Celtic God Iovantucarus has a special role as protector of youth and the young.
Mars Loucetius, With Loucetius meaning ‘Lightening', ‘Brilliant' or ‘Bright and Shining', there is some doubt as to  whether Loucetius was an actual Celtic God in his own right or the Celtic name for Mars. He is famous for his dedication found at Bath Somerset England, where he and the Celtic Goddess Nemetona, ‘The Goddess of the Grove' were worshipped as a divine couple. Mars Loucetius may have been a healing God, as the particular dedication was on an alter in the temple of Sulis Minerva at the medicinal springs at Bath. Loucetius is also known from several other places in Germany and Europe, and is paired with the ‘War Goddess Bellona, Mars Mullo The Cult of the Celtic God Mars Mullo was very popular in northern and north western Gaul, particularly in Normandy and Brittany. There is evidence that there was a centre of this cult at Rennes, Brittany, which was the tribal capital of the Redones. At Allones, France, Mars Mullo was worshipped as a healer of eye afflictions, where there was a shrine for the pilgrims to come to have their eyes cured, many votive scultures of the ailing part have been found there. The importance of the cult is shown by an inscription linking Mars Mullo to the Roman Emperor Augustus.  The Celto-German Goddess Alaisiagae was linked to Mars in dedications at Hadrian's Wall in England, thought to have been a ‘Goddess of War', possibly Valkyries.
Mars Barrex was a Celtic God known from a dedicatory inscription found at Carlisle, England. An alternative reading of the name ‘Barrex' or ‘Barrecis probably means ‘Supreme'. Mars Caturix was a Celtic God worshipped in Gaul, and was possibly the tribal God of the Caturiges. Mars Cocidius was a Celtic God known in the area of North and West Cumbria, and around Hadrian's Wall. Usually a ‘God of Hunting and Woodland', he often became a ‘God of War' when equated with Mars, depicted with a shield and a spear. AT Ebchester there was an inscription to Cocidius Vernostonus, a Celtic God whose name means ‘Alder Tree'. Cocidus was sometimes equated with the Roman God Silvanus, and at other times with Mars. A ‘Fanum Cocidi', sanctuary of Cocidius, is mentioned in ‘The Ravenna  Cosmography'; it was probably somewhere near the valley of the Irthing River, near Hadrian's Wall. Mars Condatis; Condatis was the Celtic ‘God of the Confluence of Rivers' in the Tyne and Tees region of North East England, and a ‘God of Water and Healing'. He is known from inscriptions found at Piercebridge, Bowes and Chester-le-street, near Hadrian's Wall England. Mars Latrobius was a ‘Celtic God of the Mountains and the Sky, and was worshipped in Austria, He equated with both Mars and Jupiter. A dedication to Mars Lattobius has been found 6,651 feet above see level, on the highest peak of Mount Koralpe, Austria. Mars Lenumius was a Celtic God known from a dedication to him found at the fort of Benwell on Hadrian's Wall, England. Mars Belatucadrus was a Celtic God known from five inscriptions found in the area of Hadrian's Wall.  Mars Braciaca was a Celtic God known from an inscription found at Bakewell, Derbyshire, England.
Mars Corotiacus was a Celtic God and was known from an inscription on a fragmentary bronze sculpture of a warrior riding a horse over a prostrate enemy found in Suffolk England. Mars Mediocus was a Celtic God known from an inscription found on a bronze panel found at Colchester, England. Mars Nabelcus was a Celtic Mountain God who was worshipped in the Vaucluse Moutains of Provence , as well as in other mountain areas of Southern France. Mars Nodens also known as Nodens or Nudens, a Celtic God of healing found only in Britain. There is no actual known portrayal of Nodens in human form, but representations of a dog occur, which may portray the God or an associated attribute. Dedications to Mars Nodens at an important Temple Complex and Healing Sanctuary at Lydney, Gloucestershire, and another dedication at Lancaster, Lancashire. Mars Ocelus, also known as Ocelus was Celtic God, with two inscriptions in Caerwent, Wales, in one he is identified  with the Celtic God Vellaunus in a dedication to ‘the god Mars Lenus or Ocelos Vellaunus. There is a further dedication to Mars Ocelus at Carlisle, Cumbria, England. Mars Olloudius was a Celtic God worshipped in Britain and in Gaul, and was a God of Peaceful Protection, and of fertility, prosperity and healing. There is a known image of Mars Olloudius from Custom Scrubs, Gloucestershire, England, the image is with a paterna and a double cornucopia, symbols of abundance. Mars Rigas was a Celtic God known by a single inscription found at Malton North Yorkshire, England. Mars Rigisamus was a Celtic God known for his dedications in England and Gaul. In Somerset England, there is evidence suggesting that there may have been a shrine dedicated to him, the name Rigisamus means ‘King of Kings' or ‘Most Kingly' and implies a very high status for this God, far beyond the usual role of Mars.  Mars Rigonemetis the Celtic God known as ‘Mars King of the Sacred Grove', and is known from an inscription found at Nettlesham, Lincolnshire, England, where he is linked to the ‘Numen' of the emperor in the dedication, This association with the emperor implies a high status of the God, but no other dedications to him are known, it is possible that the stone on which this inscription was found was once part of the arch of a temple.
Mars Rudianus was A Celtic War God worshipped in Southern Gaul. Rudianus meaning ‘red', the symbolism of blood reflecting the warlike nature of the God. Mars Segomo was a Celtic God meaning ‘Mars Victorious,' and was worshipped by the Sequani Tribe in Gaul. Segomo is more of a title than a name, and may have been an epithet of Mars rather than a separate God. Mars Teutates was a Celtic God mentioned by the 1st century Roman Poet Lucan, he is known from inscriptions in Britain and Gaul. Inscriptions invoking Toutes, Toutatis, and Totatis are regarded as different spellings of the same God's name, meaning ‘Protector of the Tribe' and he appears to have also been a ‘God of War'. He is normally equated with the Roman God Mars, but as Toutiorix, he is linked to the God Apollo in a German inscription, Lucan wrote that Teutates was one of the three Celtic Gods that required human sacrifice. Mars Thincsus was a Celtic and possibly a German God, known for his dedication found at Housesteads, Hadrian's  Wall, England, where he is linked with two Goddesses called the Alaisigae, who were Celto-German Goddesses who were linked with Mars on a separate inscription at Housesteads, and were thought to have possibly been Valkyries. Mars Visucius was a Celtic God worshipped in the frontier areas of Gaul and Germany, along with the Celtic Goddess Visucia, known from a dedication to the divine couple ‘Mars Visucius and Visucia' from Gaul, and from the divine couple of ‘Mercury Visucius and Visucia' from Germany. Mars Visucius is usually equated to the Roman God Mercury, but a dedication equating him with Mars was found I Gaul. Mars Vorocius was a Celtic God of Healing, at the medicinal springs at Vichy, Allier, France, and was worshipped as a healer of eye afflictions and was also depicted as a Celtic Warrior.
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