OGOD

Celtic

Egyptian

Etruscan

Phoenician

Roman

 

 



Clivicola is a Roman Goddess of Roads, specifically hilly streets, Who presides over steep ground. Her name comes from the Latin clivi, "slope" or "incline", and clivus was the word properly used of streets that went uphill, such as the clivus Capitolinus which led from the Roman Forum up to the Arx, the height on the Capitoline Hill. Her name may mean "She Who Inhabits the Sloping Street", though Pliny mentions a "bird of ill-omen" that he calls clivia. Clivicola is probably one of the Indigites, if we go by the definition of those as minor Deities Who were limited in scope, and Who tended to preside over one specific function. Or She may be perhaps one of the Numina, who were the spirits of anything the Romans considered to have divine power, including natural features such as woods or caves, or living things or actions, such as blossoming gardens or giving birth, or deified qualities such as mercy or abundance.

It is rather remarkable (to me, anyway) that Clivicola is not mentioned in St. Augustine's City of God, part of which consists of a rather prissy rant making fun of all the minor Pagan Gods and Goddesses, as contrasted with his one and only, and therefore obviously superior Christian God. There are Deities Augustine lists that are unknown or barely known anywhere else like Collatina, Goddess of Hills, and I'm surprised that Clivacola is not mentioned in his nit-picking.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All art here ©2004 Thalia Took, aka The Artist Formerly Known As Mary Crane.
You are free to borrow the images here for your own personal or religious use. If you use any on your
personal non-commercial website, please credit the work to Thalia Took.
If you can link back to this site, I'd appreciate it. Always ask permission first for any other requests for use of this art.
Obscure Goddess Online Directory text ©2006 Thalia Took, and please do not reproduce it.
Questions or comments? E-mail me.