Catha (mythology)

Catha (Etruscan: 𐌀𐌈𐌀𐌂, romanized: Catha, also written 𐌈𐌀𐌂, Cath, 𐌀𐌈𐌖𐌀𐌂, Cautha, or 𐌀𐌈𐌅𐌀𐌊, Kavtha) is a female Etruscan lunar or solar deity, who may also be connected to childbirth, and has a connection to the underworld. Catha is also the goddess of the south sanctuary at Pyrgi, Italy.

She is known as Leucothea in ancient Greek. She is often seen with the Etruscan god Śuri with whom she shares a cult. Catha is also frequently paired with the Etruscan god Fufluns, who is the counterpart to the Greek god Dionysus, and Pacha, the counterpart to the Roman god Bacchus. Additionally, at Pyrgi, Catha is linked with the god Aplu, the counterpart to the Greek god Apollo. Aplu may have even taken some of the characteristics of Catha when he was brought into the Etruscan religion. Giovanni Colonna has suggested that Catha is linked to the Greek Persephone since he links Catha's consort, Śuri, to Dis Pater in Roman mythology.