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{{Short description|Etruscan sky god}}
{{for-multi|the immunological technique TINIA|Turbidimetric inhibition immunoassay|the moon|Tinia (moon)}}
{{Infobox deity
| type = Etruscan
| name = Tinia
| image = File:Tinia Staatliche Antikensammlungen München 2013.jpg
| caption = Terracotta bust of Tinia from 300–250 {{abbr|BCE|Before Common Era}}
| deity_of = [[sky god]]
| abode =
| symbol = [[Thunderbolt]]
| consort = [[Uni (mythology)|Uni]]
| parents =
| siblings =
| children = [[Hercle]] and [[Menrva]]
| mount =
| Greek_equivalent = [[Zeus]]
| Roman_equivalent = [[Jupiter (god)|Jupiter]]
| equivalent1_type = Egyptian
| equivalent1=[[Amun]] 
}}  

[[File:Etruscan inscription on a altar stone from Bolsena detail.jpg|thumb|Etruscan inscription TINIA on an altar stone from [[Volsinii]]]]
'''Tinia''' (also '''Tin''', '''Tinh''', '''Tins''' or '''Tina''') was the [[sky god]] and the highest deity in [[Etruscan religion]], equivalent to the [[Roman mythology|Roman]] [[Jupiter (god)|Jupiter]] and the [[Greek mythology|Greek]] [[Zeus]].<ref>de Grummond, ''Etruscan Myth, Sacred History and Legend'', page 53</ref>

However, a primary source from the Roman Varro states that [[Voltumna|Veltha]], not Tins, was the supreme deity of the Etruscans.<ref>Varro, De lingua Latina V.46.</ref> This has led some scholars to conclude that they were assimilated, but this is speculation.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=The Religion of the Etruscans|publisher=University of Texas Press|year=2006}}</ref>

Tinia was the husband of [[Uni (mythology)|Uni]] and the father of [[Hercle]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=The Etruscan World|publisher=Routledge|year=2013|isbn=978-0-415-67308-2}}</ref>

The [[Etruscans]] had a group of nine gods who had the power of hurling thunderbolts; they were called ''[[Novensiles]]'' by the [[ancient Rome|Romans]].<ref name=ECC>{{cite book|title=The cities and cemeteries of Etruria: Vol.I |first=George |last=Dennis |year=1848 |place=London}}</ref> Of thunderbolts there were eleven sorts, of which Tinia wielded three.<ref name=ECC/> 

Tinia was sometimes represented with a beard or sometimes as youthful and beardless.<ref name=":0" /> In terms of [[symbol]]ism, Tinia has the [[thunderbolt]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> Tinia's thunderbolts could be red or blood coloured.<ref>Nancy T. de Grummond, "Thunder versus Lightning in Etruria," Etruscan Studies, 2016, 19(2), 183-207.</ref>

Like [[Selvans]]<ref name=":0" /> and possibly [[Laran]],<ref>Konstantinos I. Soueref; Ariadni Gartziou-Tatti (2019). Gods of Peace and War in the Myths of the Mediterranean People. Ioannina, Greece: Ephorate of Antiquities of Ioannina - University of Ioannina. {{ISBN|978-960-233-247-4}}.</ref> Tinia also protected boundaries. His name appears as the guarantor on three boundary stones with identical inscriptions found in [[Tunisia]], originally placed there by the Etruscan colonists.<ref name=":0" />

Some of Tinia's possible [[epithet]]s are detailed on the [[Haruspex|Piacenza Liver]], a bronze model of a liver used for [[haruspicy]]. These inscriptions have been transcribed as ''Tin Cilens'', ''Tin Θuf'' and ''Tinś Θne''. There have been a number of suggestions as to their meaning, but the [[Etruscan language]] is poorly understood and there is no scholarly consensus for the translation.

==Inscriptions==

Tinia appears in several inscriptions, including:
* [[Kylix (drinking cup)|Kylix]] painted by [[Oltos]] (c. 500 BC):
**'''{{lang|ett|italic=no|Itun turuce venel atelinas Tinas cliniiaras.}}'''
**This has given Venel Atelinas for the sons of Tin (ie: The [[Dioscuri]]<ref name=TDT>{{cite book|title=The Etruscan language: an introduction |url=https://archive.org/details/etruscanlanguage0000bonf |url-access=registration |author=Giuliano Bonfante |author-link=Giuliano Bonfante |author2=Larissa Bonfante |author2-link=Larissa Bonfante |year=1983 |isbn=9780719009020 |place=Manchester University Press}}</ref>)
*On the bronze [[Chimera of Arezzo]]:
**'''Tinscvil'''
**A gift to Tins

<gallery>
File:Chimera d'arezzo, fi, 03.JPG| The [[Chimera of Arezzo]]
File:Chimera d'arezzo, firenze, 05 firma.JPG|''TINSCVIL'' inscription on foreleg
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Etruscan religion]] 
*[[Etruscan civilization]]  
*[[Uni (mythology)|Uni]] 
*[[Hercle]]
*[[Novensiles]] 

==References==
{{Commons category|Tinia}}
{{reflist}}

{{Time in religion and mythology}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Etruscan gods]]
[[Category:Etruscan religion]]
[[Category:Sky and weather gods]]
[[Category:Thunder gods]]
[[Category:Time and fate gods]]
[[Category:Jovian deities]]

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