# Angitia

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Ancient Italic goddess

For the synonym of the moth genus, see [*Angitia* (moth)](/source/Angitia_(moth)).

Terracotta statue believed to depict Angitia, in [Marsica](/source/Marsica), Italy

**Angitia** was a [goddess](/source/List_of_Roman_deities) among the [Marsi](/source/Marsi), the [Paeligni](/source/Paeligni) and other [Oscan-Umbrian](/source/Osco-Umbrian_languages) peoples of central [Italy](/source/Italy). She was associated in antiquity with [snake-charmers](/source/Snake-charmer) who claimed her as their ancestor.[1] [Roman interpretations](/source/Roman_mythology) probably obscure her Marsian significance.[2]

Angitia's myths vary. According to [Gnaeus Gellius](/source/Gnaeus_Gellius) (late 2nd century BC),[3] Angitia was one of the three daughters of [Aeëtes](/source/Ae%C3%ABtes), along with [Medea](/source/Medea) and [Circe](/source/Circe), two of the most famed sorceresses of [Greek myth](/source/Greek_myth). Circe, as widely known from the *[Odyssey](/source/Odyssey)*, practiced transforming spells; Medea ended up in Italy, where her son ruled over the Marsi. Angitia lived in the area around the [Fucine Lake](/source/Fucine_Lake) and specialized in curing [snakebites](/source/Snakebite).[4]

Angitia is attested by [inscriptions](/source/Inscription) in the territory of the Marsi and elsewhere in the [Central Apennines](/source/Apennines#Central_Apennines).[5] She is named in three inscriptions from [Luco dei Marsi](/source/Luco_dei_Marsi),[6] in antiquity known as *[Lucus Angitiae](/source/Lucus_Angitiae)* ("Sacred Grove of Angitia").[5] The earliest is a dedication to the goddess "on behalf of the Marsic [legions](/source/Roman_legion),"[7] dating to the late 4th century BC.[5] The name also appears on a dedicatory [cippus](/source/Cippus) from [Civita d'Antino](/source/Civita_d'Antino), in the [Umbrian](/source/Umbrian_language) [Iguvine Tablets](/source/Iguvine_Tablets), and in inscriptions in the territories of the [Paeligni](/source/Paeligni), [Vestini](/source/Vestini), and [Sabines](/source/Sabines).[8] She is mentioned along with [Angerona](/source/Angerona) in one inscription,[9] and in another her name appears in the plural.[10] Another indicates that she had a temple and a treasury.[11] The Romans derived her name from *anguis*, "serpent," hence the form *Anguitia*.[5]

As snakes were often associated with the healing arts in antiquity (see, for instance, [rod of Asclepius](/source/Rod_of_Asclepius)), Angitia is believed to have been mainly a goddess of [thaumaturgy](/source/Thaumaturgy). She had powers of witchcraft, magic and medicine being regarded as complementary in the ancient world, and was a master in the art of miraculous and herbal healing, especially when it came to snakebites. She was also attributed with a wide range of powers over snakes, including the power to kill snakes with a touch.

According to the account given by [Servius](/source/Maurus_Servius_Honoratus), Angitia was of Greek origin, for Arigitia was the name given by the [Marrubians](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marrubians&action=edit&redlink=1) to [Medea](/source/Medea), who after having left [Colchis](/source/Colchis) came to Italy with [Jason](/source/Jason) and taught the people the above-mentioned remedies. [Silius Italicus](/source/Silius_Italicus) identifies her as Medea.

## See also

- [Bona Dea](/source/Bona_Dea)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDench199525,_159_1-0)** [Dench 1995](#CITEREFDench1995), pp. 25, 159.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDench1995154_2-0)** [Dench 1995](#CITEREFDench1995), p. 154.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** As recorded by [Solinus](/source/Gaius_Julius_Solinus) 2.28.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDench199599_4-0)** [Dench 1995](#CITEREFDench1995), p. 99.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDench1995159_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDench1995159_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDench1995159_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDench1995159_5-3) [Dench 1995](#CITEREFDench1995), p. 159.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEGlinister20121_6-0)** [Glinister 2012](#CITEREFGlinister2012), p. 1.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** *[CIL](/source/Corpus_Inscriptionum_Latinarum)* I2.5 = *[ILLRP](/source/ILLRP)* 7 = Ve. 228a (Marsic Latin).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDench1995159–160_8-0)** [Dench 1995](#CITEREFDench1995), pp. 159–160.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Orelli, p. 87, no. 116; p. 335, no. 1846

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEDench1995165_10-0)** [Dench 1995](#CITEREFDench1995), p. 165.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Orelli, p.87, no. 115

### Bibliography

- [Dench, Emma](/source/Emma_Dench) (1995), [*From Barbarians to New Men: Greek, Roman, and Modern Perceptions of Peoples from the Central Apennines*](https://ia600703.us.archive.org/15/items/CompleteBooksSetsarchive/Emma%20Dench%20-%20From%20Barbarians%20to%20New%20Men.%20Greek%2C%20Roman%2C%20and%20Modern%20Perceptions%20of%20Peoples%20of%20the%20Central%20Apennines%20%28Oxford%20Classical%20Monographs%29.pdf) (PDF), Oxford: Clarendon Press, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-19-815021-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-19-815021-0)

- Glinister, Fay (2012-10-26). "Angitia". In Bagnall, Roger S.; Brodersen, Kai; Champion, Craige B.; Erskine, Andrew; Huebner, Sabine R. (eds.). [*The Encyclopedia of Ancient History*](https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9781444338386) (1 ed.). Wiley. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1002/9781444338386.wbeah17037](https://doi.org/10.1002%2F9781444338386.wbeah17037). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4051-7935-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4051-7935-5).

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the [public domain](/source/Public_domain): [Schmitz, Leonhard](/source/Leonhard_Schmitz) (1870). ["Angitia"](http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa/acl3129.0001.001/193). In [Smith, William](/source/William_Smith_(lexicographer)) (ed.). *[Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology](/source/Dictionary_of_Greek_and_Roman_Biography_and_Mythology)*. Vol. 1. p. 178.

## External links

- Media related to [Angitia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Angitia) at Wikimedia Commons

Authority control databases International VIAF National Poland

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