The Romans are well known for their gods from Mars to Neptune however, the Romans were also in the habit of adopting lesser known local gods into their faith. One of these gods was the Northern English deity known to the Romans as Cocidius.
The Romans happily adopted other gods as they believed they were manifestations of the same gods found in their own pantheon. Cocidius was often associated with Mars the Roman god of war and dedications to Cocidius can be found across Cumbria and along Hadrian’s Wall.
Cocidius from what historians can tell was the local god of: war, hunting, forests, groves and wild fields and it is believed he was worshiped by lower ranked Roman soldiers and the local Britons as a god specific to Northern England and Cumbria in particular.
The Romans regularly adopted these local gods from different cultures, but over time many of these local deities have been lost. The few that remain known are usually only known through the Roman alters and documents naming them alongside their own gods.
Cocidius is just one of many native gods of the British Isles, please watch below if you wish to find out more:
Cocidus 