well as of horsemen. Plutarch, Parallel. c. xxix., p. 312 E, states that she was born of a mare. Reverting to the grouped goddesses, it may be here stated that inscriptions to nymphs occur only about four or five times in Cisalpine Gaul
6. Britain.—In Britain the grouped goddesses most widely worshipped were the Matres. On an inscription at Winchester we have the words Matrib(us) Ital[i]s, Germanis, Gal[lis], Brit(annis), at London, Matr[ibus]; at Chester, the singular Deae Matri; at Doncaster, Matribus; at Ribchester, Deis Matribus. At Micklegate the deities named are Mat(ribus) Af(ricanis), Ita(licis), Ga(llicis). An inscription at Carrawburgh has been interpreted as Matribus com[munibus]. At Aldborough an inscription reads I(ovi) o(ptimo) m(aximo) Matribus M . . . An inscription of Lowther has Deabus Matribus tramarin(is), those who set it up being a vex(illatio) Germa[norum]. There is a similar formula on an inscription at Lough, near Plumpton Wall in Cumberland, Deabus Matribus tramarinis. At Old Carlisle we have [Dea]bus Ma[tribus]. At Skinburness, near Silloth, the formula is Matribus Par(cis); at Binchester, Mat(ribus) sac(rum). At Newcastle-on-Tyne there is a reading Dea[bus] Matribus tramarinis patri(i)s. At Matfen Hall we have Deabus Matribu[s], and at Chesters, Deabus Matribus communibus. At Housesteads the reading is simply Ma[tribus] on two inscriptions, the second of which was set up by a cohort of Tungri. At Carvoran there are two inscriptions, one reading Matri . . . , the other Matrib(us). At Cambeckfort in Cumberland we find the formula M[at]ribus omnium gentium. At Walton-House-Station, the formula is Matribus t[ra]ma[rinis]. At Stanwix we have Matribu[s d]omesticis, that is the guardians of the foreign soldier’s home, and there is a similar inscription at Dykesfield. At Carlisle, the inscription is Matrib(us) Parc(is), while at Bowness the formula is Matribus suis, as it is on an inscription at York. Matribus tramarinis occurs on an inscription at Risingham, and at Burnfoot Hall and Castlecary we have the formula Matribus
