View source for Andraste

{{Short description|Icenic war goddess invoked by Boudica against the Romans}}
'''Andraste''', also known as '''Andrasta''', was, according to the Roman historian [[Dio Cassius]], an [[Iceni]]c war goddess invoked by [[Boudica]] in her fight against the [[Roman Britain|Roman occupation of Britain]] in AD 60.<ref>{{Harvnb|Kightly|1982|pp=36–40}}</ref> She may be the same as Andate, mentioned later by the same source, and described as "their name for Victory": i.e., the goddess [[Victoria (mythology)|Victoria]].<ref name="Published online by Bill Thayer"/> Thayer asserts that she may also be related to [[Andarta]]. The goddess Victoria is related to [[Nike (mythology)|Nike]], [[Bellona (goddess)|Bellona]], Magna Mater (Great Mother), [[Cybele]], and [[Vacuna]]—goddesses who are often depicted on [[chariots]]. Her name has been translated as meaning "indestructible" or "unconquerable".<ref>[[Miranda Aldhouse-Green|Green, Miranda]] (1995). ''Celtic Goddesses'' p. 32, British Museum Press.</ref>

Many [[neopagan]] sources describe the [[hare]] as sacred to Andraste. This idea seems to be extrapolated from the passage in Dio Cassius in which [[Boudica]] releases a hare from her gown:

{{quote|"Let us, therefore, go against [the Romans], trusting boldly to good fortune. Let us show them that they are hares and foxes trying to rule over dogs and wolves." When she [Boudica] had finished speaking, she employed a species of divination, letting a hare escape from the fold of her dress; and since it ran on what they considered the auspicious side, the whole multitude shouted with pleasure, and Boudica, raising her hand towards heaven, said: "I thank you, Andraste, and call upon you as woman speaking to woman&nbsp;... I beg you for victory and preservation of liberty."<ref name="Published online by Bill Thayer">{{citation |title=Cassius Dio |url=https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/62*.html |publisher=Bill Thayer |access-date=7 August 2011}}</ref>}}

The hare's release is described as a technique of [[divination]], with an augury drawn from the direction in which it runs. This appears to be similar to the Roman methods of [[divination]] which ascribe meaning to the directions from which birds fly, with the left side being unfavourable (''sinistra'') and the right side favourable.<ref>''Religio Romana'', [https://archive.today/20050901100152/http://www.religioromana.net/augury.htm "Augury"].</ref>

== References ==
;Notes
{{Reflist}}

;Bibliography
{{refbegin}}
*{{citation |last=Kightly |first=Charles |title=Folk Heroes of Britain |year=1982 |publisher=Thames and Hudson |isbn=0-500-25082-0 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/folkheroesofbrit0000kigh }}
{{refend}}

{{Celtic mythology (ancient)}}

[[Category:Goddesses of the ancient Britons]]
[[Category:War goddesses]]
[[Category:Celtic goddesses]]