Sulis Minerva is the Goddess that watches over the waters of Bath’s thermal springs. Minerva was the Goddess of Healing, Wisdom, Art and Crafts, and commerce, her Greek counterpart is the Goddess Athena.
From mythology we are told that Minerva’s father was Jupiter and that she had no mother as she came directly from Jupiter’s brain.
Sulis Minerva – Goddess of Healing
Owls and olive trees are often associated with the Goddess because of the connection of owls being wise and full of wisdom. Pallas Athena is sometimes called the female mars, she is not a fighter though as she is far more concerned with strategy. We might see Mars rushing off into battle, Pallas however would stop and think up a battle plan.
Before the Romans came to England the hot springs of Bath bubbled up through an oak tree lined grove. Legend has it that their original discovery is attributed to Prince Bladud around 863 BC.
Prince Bladud had been exiled from his Kingdom because he had leprosy and he had been forced to become a swineherd. He watched his pigs as they bathed in the warm muddy pool and noticed that their skins became healed of various ailments.
He too decided to bathe in the muddy pool and it healed him of the leprosy so that he was able to return to his kingdom. In gratitude for the healing he had received he formed a temple at the spot of the hot springs and dedicated it to the Celtic Goddess Sulis ~ the Romans took this Celtic name and merged it with the name of their own Goddess Minerva hence we have Sulis Minerva.
If you visit the Roman Baths today you can still get a feel of the very special energy that is there. There are many sacred waters throughout the United Kingdom though this is the only thermal spring.
