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[[File:Relieve votivo representando al dios Silvano y las silvanas.jpg|thumb|250px|Silvanus and Silvanae in a relief from [[Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa]], Roman [[Dacia]] (3rd century AD)]]
In the [[religion in ancient Rome|religion of the Roman Empire]], the '''Silvanae''' are [[nymph]]s or goddesses associated with the woodland god [[Silvanus (mythology)|Silvanus]]. They are attested by inscriptions mainly in [[Pannonia]], with a little more than a third of the evidence scattered in the rest of the [[Western Roman Empire]].<ref>Peter F. Dorcey, ''The Cult of Silvanus: A Study in Roman Folk Religion'' (Brill, 1992), p. 43.</ref> Elsewhere, and in [[Latin literature]], Silvanus is accompanied by nymphs. ''Silvanae'' may be a regional preference in naming, not a form of [[Glossary of ancient Roman religion#cultus|cultic devotion]] distinct from the Nymphs of Silvanus.<ref>Dorcey, ''The Cult of Silvanus,'' p. 44.</ref> Like similar nature deities, Silvanus himself is found sometimes conceived of as plural ''(Silvani)'', and Silvani/Silvanae form a male-female complement characteristic of the [[List of Roman deities|Roman conception of deity]].<ref>Michael Lipka, ''Roman Gods: A Conceptual Approach'' (Brill, 2009), pp. 141–142.</ref>
A Silvana is often depicted holding a tree branch, and although the evidence is sketchy, they may have been a form of [[hamadryad]]es,<ref>Dorcey, ''The Cult of Silvanus,'' p. 48.</ref> nymphs who inhabit trees. The Silvanae sometimes bear the [[epithet]] ''augustae'', given to deities associated with [[Imperial cult (ancient Rome)|Imperial cult]], or ''silvestres'', "woodland".<ref>Dorcey, ''The Cult of Silvanus,'' p. 46.</ref> In [[Dacia]], they are once called ''Campestres'', like the "Mothers of the Field" honored by the Roman military.<ref>''[[L'Année épigraphique|AE]]'' 1967.405; Dorcey, ''The Cult of Silvanus,'' p. 46.</ref> They are sometimes in the company of the crossroads goddesses known as Quadruviae, Triviae or Biviae (Four-, Three- or Two-Ways), found in Celtic regions of the Empire.<ref>Dorcey, ''The Cult of Silvanus,'' p. 47.</ref>
Most dedications to the Silvanae were made by free [[Roman citizenship|citizens]] and military personnel,<ref>Dorcey, ''The Cult of Silvanus,'' p. 46.</ref> including [[Roman legions|legionaries]], a military prefect of [[equestrian order|equestrian rank]],<ref>''[[Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum|CIL]]'' III.10394, from [[Aquincum]].</ref> and a [[decurion (administrative)|decurion]].<ref>''IDR'' III, 2, no. 333, from [[Ulpia Traiana]].</ref> About a quarter of the dedications were made by [[Women in ancient Rome|women]].<ref>Dorcey, ''The Cult of Silvanus,'' p. 46.</ref>
Silvanae, usually three in number, are depicted frontally in a row with their hands or arms intertwined. They can also appear singly, or in a group of as many as nine figures. When Silvanus appears with them, he stands to the left or right without interrupting their grouping. The Silvanae carry tree branches, flower pots, conch shells, or wreaths.<ref>Dorcey, ''The Cult of Silvanus,'' p. 44.</ref> With one exception, in which they appear nude from the waist up, Silvanae are clothed.<ref>Dorcey, ''The Cult of Silvanus,'' p. 44, especially note 45.</ref>
Because of their concentration in the [[Danubian provinces]], Silvanae are sometimes thought to be Imperial forms of the Celtic [[Matres and Matrones|Matres or Matronae]], "mother" goddesses who often appear as a clothed triad bearing flowers or other vegetative symbols.<ref>Dorcey, ''The Cult of Silvanus,'', p.45.</ref> The identification is particularly suggested by an inscription from [[Lugdunum]] that names ''Matres Pannoniorum''.<ref>''CIL'' XIII.1766.</ref> [[M.L. West]] thought them more likely to be [[Illyrians|Illyrian]] nymphs than [[Italic tribes|Italic]].<ref>''Indo-European Poetry and Myth'' (Oxford University Press, 2007), p. 288.</ref> The three Silvanae may reflect an understanding of Silvanus's tripartite nature as described in the ''[[Gromatici Veteres]]'' and by [[Augustine of Hippo|St. Augustine]].<ref>Dorcey, ''The Cult of Silvanus,'' p. 45.</ref>
==References==
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[[Category:Roman goddesses]]
[[Category:Nature goddesses]]
[[Category:Nymphs]]
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[[Category:Woodland deities]]-->
[[Category:Pannonia]]