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Brittany is that finger like peninsula that juts out of the northwest of France. It has an historically Celtic identity and is a mecca for many modern druids, et Moi, due mainly to the huge concentration of megalithic monuments in the region. It was conquered by Julius Caesar in 56 BCE and became part of the Roman Empire who called it Armorica, meaning “in front of the sea“. This romanisation was but a brief interlude on this mystical landscape famed for druids, saints, and monarchs, however, there are remnants of some intriguing roman temples in the region, ones that lured an Irish druid, who came in peace.

The Temple of Mars, also known as the ‘Sanctuaire du Haut Bécherel’ is a Gallo-Roman shrine located about 2km outside of Corseul, in the Côtes-d’Armor region of Brittany. Dating from the 1st century AD, it is strategically placed on the summit of an east-facing hill, and the complex extends over a hectare, with an octagonal cella and a courtyard surrounded by a gallery. Corseul town is referred to as Fanum Martis, the shrine of Mars, on the Tabula Peutingeriana (an ancient map). Its dimensions (90 m by 80m) and its height of 22.5 m make it the highest roman ruin in western France. When I closed my eyes, I could see in my mind’s eye the legions of Rome stretch back to antiquity, almost.

Due to the subtle elevation of this site, it commands a majestic 360-degree view of the surrounding countryside, incorporating all the ancient commercial routes between the coast and inland France and beyond. Only the foundations and walls of the temple are evident presently, but they still provide a good indication of its former appearance. It has a very pleasant aspect.

This region is the ancestral home of four Celtic tribes, namely; the Coriosolites, the Lexobii, the Ambiliates, and the Osismii with this site being part of the Coriosolite territory, with Corseul serving as their capital. In 58 BC, these tribes united to resist the foreign invaders but ultimately both sides learned to live cohesively. This integration ushered in an era of peace and prosperity, and a flourishing Gallo-Roman culture developed over the next two centuries.

This site functioned as a major sanctuary of the Coriosolites tribe, known then as Civitas Fanum Martis (City of the Temple of Mars), as it is dedicated to the god Mars. It blends Celtic, Roman, and Greek architecture in a unique fanum design, with its most striking feature being its octagonal cella, a sacred inner chamber rising 10.6 meters high. This was the religious ritual centre of the Coriosolites’ civitas.  I certainly felt a strong sense of ritual and processional activity within the sanctuary, sacredness emanates.  

The most renowned Temple of Mars is a contemporary temple in Rome itself, that of Mars Ultor (“Mars the Avenger”), built by Emperor Augustus and dedicated in 2 BCE. It was built to commemorate the Emperor Augustus’ victory over the assassins of Julius Caesar, at the Battle of Philippi in 42 BCE.  

“I have fashioned this to lead the citizens to require me, while I live, and the rulers of later times as well, to attain the standard set by those great men of old.” Suetonius, Life of Augustus, 31:5

In the grand pantheon of Roman deities, Mars stands as a figure of immense power and complex symbolism and is deeply entwined with Roman identity, statehood, and masculinity. Revered as guardian and divine ancestor of its people, he was celebrated during the month of March (named after him) coinciding with the time of the vernal equinox of course. October too was sacred to him, the month which traditionally began and ended the season for both military campaigning. Mars was the father (Pater) of Rome, a symbol of order, courage, and the Roman way where military might get utilised to secure peace.

One of the more important rituals of ancient Rome was one of purification called Lustratio. It was a cleansing rite performed by a priest on newborn babies, for nine-day old boys and eight-day old girls. The priest led a procession of animals, offerings to the god Mars, and traced a magical boundary around the child to be purified and then the child was presented with a small gold charm, called a bulla that was kept in a leather pouch worn around the neck. (From Bulla we get gold bullion) The ritual culminated with the naming of the child, which was added to official Roman registers, and the observation of a flight of birds to discern the child’s future.

Lustratio ceremonies were also used to purify in other contexts, cities, objects or buildings for example, or interestingly to purify an area where a crime had been committed. It was also used to bless crops, farm animals, new colonies, and armies before going into battle. The animal most usually offered were bulls. Curiously they had a separate ritual with the bulls, where they first sought the animal’s permission to be offered as sacrifice. Troops were often ordered to the coastline, where the entrails would be offered to the sea and the other half cooked on an altar. I like that they had the reverence to do that, but the peace-loving druid in me despises that any being was slaughtered in sacrifice. One can see how big a deal it was though from those practices.

Essentially this was a ritual intended to ward off evil. The lustral connotations of Mars imply that he was the archetypical protector or guardian in Roman mythology. He had many incarnations and was often spliced together with a local deity by way of veneration. Mars Mullo is one such figure. We find him invoked in two Armorican inscriptions, his name translates variously as “mule” and “hill, heap”. He was an important cult figure, said to be the healer of afflictions, especially of the eye, and we know from inscriptions in Rennes of the presence there of statues to him. Having the ability to see was important to survival, there are other connotations to eye afflictions though, that of the all-seeing eye, of clairvoyance. In Ireland so many of our sacred springs have myths about healing eye afflictions and are viewed in this context also.

The Druids were suppressed in Gaul under Tiberius. As mentioned, the Celts of Armorica were only ever superficially Romanised. There stood on this Land’s End, which draws Europe towards the open sea, silent conspirators, the menhirs and dolmens of Brittany. These features of the Breton landscape since Neolithic times, had imbued the Celtic peoples of Armorica with a supernatural belief of gods, ancestors and druids. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Temple of Mars sanctuary was built as a Romano-Celtic fanum, integrating pre-existing traditions of open-air worship with architectural and imperial motifs that facilitated the Romanisation of the region. This imprint Roman authority on local populations through their monumental religious sites.

Mullo was a major Celtic god in Brittany and Normandy both before and after the Roman occupation. This deity’s importance was recognised by the Romans when Mullo became linked with Mars. His worship had endured over the centuries, adding a mystical and mysterious dimension to the Temple of Mars. Pilgrims visited this healing shrine in the hope the god would cure them, making offerings of coins, flowers and votives. I saw no statues, no offerings, no Latin inscriptions, just a very serene Roman ruin, fashioned in granite, but I felt its eminence very strongly.

The temple complex would have been enclosed by porticoes, entrance pavilions, and semi-circular exedras with stone benches. The hexagonal cella would have been the bastion of the priests and officials, with surrounding areas used for rituals, processions, and communal gatherings. It was the largest known Gallo-Roman sanctuary in Brittany, and points towards Corseul’s prosperity during the Roman era, when the town had a population of over 5,000 citizens and interconnected via an extensive road network to local settlements, the coast and beyond. Incidentally, significant Roman archaeological remails can be seen also in the town.

The Romans also considered Mars Mullo to be an important Celtic god. There was even a Roman priest, known as a flamen, Titus Flavius Postuminus who was appointed as the official priest of Mullo’s cult, devoting his time and duties solely to the worship of Mullo. Amorica was the last area in Gaul to fall to Julius Caesar and was never fully Romanised. The Celtic tribes in the region preferred to keep their native customs and culture during the Roman occupation. While there is no empirical evidence, no inscriptions, sculptures, or artifacts that link Mars Mello with this site, directly, it is unlikely that it was to anyone else. Although traditionally called the Temple of Mars, there is no definitive evidence either that links the sanctuary to the Roman Mars God of War either.

All the Celtic tribes of Brittany had close associations with Mars Mullo and venerated him as an important tribal god. The Roman army respected them as they earned a reputation for being exceptionally skilled horsemen. This was celebrated on coins that showed the body of a man with the head of a horse. The veneration of a mule god followed in the same tradition as mules are the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Mules were important as pack animals and held in high esteem because of their strength, endurance, sturdy nature and longevity. A hybrid creature representing in a hybrid deity. Mars Mullo embodied both martial prowess and tribal sovereignty. He was not so much a fiery war god but rather, a protective, benevolent figure, who was prayed to for healing and health.

Mars is not just a god of destruction but also a protector of the state and its people, he symbolises the strength and courage that is required in defence of peace against forces that threaten it.  His warlike nature was sometimes framed as a response to injustice or a defence of the vulnerable. He represents the inner strength and discipline needed to cultivate peace, whether in relationships, communities, or within oneself, a notion surely that would appease any druid. A notion echoed in the Druid’s Prayer for Peace.

It was within the sacred hexagonal cella, the place reserved for priests and dignitaries that I did my peace ritual and I did it entirely with love and with reverence, it felt wholly appropriate.

“Go domhain i lár mo bheith, go bhfaighidh mé síocháin. Go ciúin, laistigh de chiorcal an ghairdín seo, go roinnfidh mé síocháin. Go réidh laistigh de chiorcal na beatha uile, go n-aistreoidh mé síocháin.”

“Deep within the still centre of my being, may I find peace. Quietly, within the circle of this grove, may I share peace. Gently within the circle of all life, may I radiate peace.”

Peace of course being the only offering that I could leave in this sacred shrine dedicated to the God of War. As I was about to leave a bus of students on a field trip with their lecturer arrived. My university days never offered such luxuries, so I earwigged. Now my French is basic, but I thought that I heard him say that the Centurions would also cleanse their swords and shields before and after battle at the temple and seek intervention, either for a safe return or forgiveness after battle. Sounds very like a Lustratio ritual to me. Here is hoping the latter wish was granted.

The temple fell into decline around the 3rd century AD and was most likely deconsecrated. There is archaeological evidence that it was at some point destroyed by fire, and it is not known if this was during a battle or as part of a decommissioning ritual or indeed if it was all part of the fall of the Roman Empire. After the Romans withdrew, Celts from Britain populated the area in their quest to escape the Anglo-Saxon invaders of the 5th and 6th centuries and from this Brittany derives its name. Celts were converted to Christianity over the next few centuries by missionaries from Ireland and British.

I gathered some oak and ash twigs that lay on the ground beneath two guardian trees nearby and left, not by the processional avenue, but rather between two ancient wells that are close to the site. As I neared my car, I noticed a shiny copper one cent coin in the grass and felt compelled to bring that away with me too, maybe the ancient Romans purified me with this amulet, who knows. I left in peace, as in peace I had come.

Public access to the Temple of Mars is free and open all year round and there is free on-site carparking. Follow signs from the D12 road toward Dinan, approximately 1.7 km (about a 20-minute walk) from the centre of Corseul.

Grid Reference: 48°28′16″N 2°08′46″W

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