Mutunus

Or Mutinus, that is, the phallus, or Priapus, which was believed to be the most powerful averter of demons, and of all evil that resulted from pride and boastfulness, and the like. The name is probably connected with μυττὸς (myttos) or μύτης (mytēs), i.e. ὁ πρὸς τὰ ἀφροδίσια ἐκλελυμένος (ho pros ta aphrodisia eklelymenos). Mutunus is usually mentioned with the surname Tutunus or Tutinus, which seems to be connected with the verb tueri (defend, protect).

A public Mutunus, that is, the one who averted evil from the city of Rome and the republic, had a sanctuary in the upper part of Velia, which existed there down to the time of Augustus, when it was removed outside the city.

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References

Sources

  • Arnobius. Adversus Nationes iv, 7.
  • Augustine. City of God iv, 11.
  • Festus, p. 154 (ed. Müller).
  • Lactantius, i, 20.
  • Smith, William. (1870). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. London: Taylor, Walton, and Maberly.
  • Tertullian. Apologeticus, 25.

This article incorporates text from Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) by William Smith, which is in the public domain.