The British martyrs, Aaron and Julius

The paper explains the sub-Roman British 'martyrs' cult of Aaron and Julius in terms of the syncretic adaptation of pagan traditions, suggesting close parallels from contemporary Gaul and a direct link with these in the perso n of St. Germanus of Auxerre. It suggests that 'IuIius' (and other 'saints' of similar name) represents a continuation of the Indo-European tradition of divinities in *dyew-, while Aaron (and other 'saints') represents the ad aptation of ultimately non-Indo-European traditions that have left their tr ace in the toponymy. Derivatives of our syncretic figures and their anteced ents (or close relatives thereof) are identified in medieval Celtic literat ure. An attempt is made to correlate the evidence for cult traditions in th e hagiography, other literary sources, and the toponymy thereby explaining certain facets of all of these.