Ganna (seeress)

Ganna (Greek Γάννα) was a seeress among the Semnones, a Germanic people. She was the successor of Veleda at the end of the 1st century. She was politically active and acted as a diplomat and representative of her tribe in negotiations with Roman Emperor Domitian (ruled 81–96).

Masyus, king of the Semnones, and Ganna, a virgin who was priestess in Germany, having succeeded Veleda, came to Domitian and after being honoured by him returned home.[1]

Ganna accompanied Masyas to negotiate with Emperor Domitian, either during his temporary stay in Gaul (c. 82), or in Rome. Like her predecessor Veleda, Ganna (both described as virgins) probably also had political influence in addition to her religious functions in divination, prophecy, and magical incantations (German: Galster). The name Ganna is interpreted as connected to the Old Norse gandr "magic wand". As in the case of the seeresses Veleda, Waluburg, and perhaps Albruna the name is related to the "speaking" role of a prophet. However, her name may also derive from the Proto-Celtic geneta ("girl").[2]

References
  1. Cassius Dio; Cary, Ernest (tr) (1914–1927). Roman History book LXVII.15. Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  2. Ranko., Matasović (2009). Etymological dictionary of proto-Celtic. Leiden: Brill. p. 157. ISBN 9789004173361. OCLC 262430534.
  • Walter Baetke: Die Religion der Germanen in Quellenzeugnissen. 3. Auflage. Moritz Diesterweg, Frankfurt/M. 1944.
  • Schröder, Franz Rolf (1933). Quellenbuch zur germanischen Religionsgeschichte. Leipzig: de Gruyter. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
  • Simek, Rudolf (2006). Lexikon der germanischen Mythologie. Stuttgart: Kröner Verlag. pp. 367–369. ISBN 3-520-36802-1.
  • Sabine Tausend: Germanische Seherinnen. In: Klaus Tausend: Im Inneren Germaniens – Beziehungen zwischen den germanischen Stämmen vom 1. Jh. v. Chr. bis zum 2. Jh. n. Chr. Verlag Franz Steiner, Stuttgart 2009, ISBN 978-3-515-09416-0, S. 155–174 (Geographica Historica. Band 25).
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