Seaxnēat must have been an important deity during Anglo-Saxon Heathen times. However, we know close to nothing — if anything, at all — about him. In the following essay I propose a new (or not so new) approach, deepening the understanding about Seaxnēat, hopefully bringing him a little further from the mists in which he is living in our days.

The average understanding

There are only two instances in which the name Seaxnēat appears. They are exhaustively mentioned in any text about him: the continental baptismal vow in Old Saxon or Old Frisian or Old Frankish and Essex royal genealogies.The first one reads:

ec forsacho allum diaboles uuercum and uuordum, Thunaer ende Uuoden ende Saxnot ende allum them unholdum the hira genotas sint

I forsake all the devil's works and words, Þunor and Wōden and Seaxnēat and all the unholy (ones) who are their companions

The latter reads:

De regibus orientalium seaxonum, offa sighering, sighere sigberhting, sigberht s[aweard]ing, saweard saberhting, saberht sledding, sle[dd] æscwining, æscwine offing, offa bedcing, bedca [sigefugling], sigefugl swæpping, swæppa antsecging, ants[ecg] gesecging, gesecg seaxneating.

Concerning the kings of the East Saxons: Offa son of Sigehere, son of Sigeberht, son of Sæweard, son of Saberht, son of Sledd, son of Æscwine, son of Offa, son of Bedca, son of Sigefugl, son of Swæppa, son of Andsecg, son of Gesecg, son of Seaxnēat.

As you can see, there is not much to be inferred from these quotes. As I don't have access to the original manuscript of the Essex genealogies, what I can do is trust Stephen Pollington's quote. There are some other quotes from the same document in which Seaxnēat appears as a son of Wōden. If that's the case, the mention of Seaxnēat alongside Þunor and Wōden affirms his importance in Continental and Insular Saxon ethnic religions, as the Norse counterparts Þórr and Óðinn were clearly main deities in Scandinavian belief and ritual. Even if Seaxnēat was understood as a son of Wōden, this doesn't make him a second class deity. In the Eddic version of the Norse lore Þórr is still a main deity, even if he is a son of Óðinn.

The common place of linguistics and scholarship on Seaxnēat

 As neither myths concerning the nature of Seaxnēat were handed down to us, nor archeological finds can directly be linked to him, linguistics seem to be a reasonably good option to proceed some research. The name "Seaxnēat" is often understood as comprising two parts: seax, a type of dagger which seems to have given its name to the Saxon people, and -nēat, which is often interpreted as deriving from genēat, "companion". The obvious translation is thus "Knife companion" or "Companion of the Saxons" [1].

This interpretation is commonly associated to the Essex flag, which features three heraldically stylised scimitars. Nevertheless, this symbol seems to have been firstly published in 1611,  by John Speed in his atlas The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britaine, probably relying on Richard Verstegan's account, who stated in his 1605 work A Restitution of Decayed Intelligence that

Erkenwyne king of the East-Saxons did beare for his armes, three [seaxes] argent, in a field gules

i. e., that the three seaxes were on a red background [2].

The three seaxes symbol as it first appears in Speed's book. Source: BRITISH COUNTY FLAGS, Essex Flag. <https://britishcountyflags.com/2013/05/20/essex-flag/> Acessed in 27/09/2018.

It is tempting to link the flag of Essex and the mention of Seaxnēat in Essex royal genealogies, but it really looks like an anachronism; even Verstergan's account has no direct source, not to mention eight or ten centuries between Anglo-Saxon heathen times and the first account of the modern Essex flag.

On the other hand, compared mythology also offer some insights. Academic efforts are summarised in Pollington's Elder Gods: either Hilda Ellis Davidson and Georges Dumézil suggest that Seaxnēat means "sword companion", and it is in some way related to Tacitus' account of sword dances  performed by young men as entertainment in Germanic feasts. North suggests that Seaxnēat may be the tribal or ancestor god of the Saxons, but his appearance alongside Wōden in the baptismal vow dismiss any identification of both.

Jacob Grimm identify Seaxnēat as Tīw, probably thanks to the sword and martial functions that were probably associated with both. Chaney supports Grimm's guess, but Rudolf Simek associates Seaxnēat with Frēa (which may be the same as Ingui) instead [3]. Linguistic evidence doesn't support this kind of identification, and I think they go too far: the Germanic religion as a whole is known for its warlike features and its tribal-oriented beliefs, so it is likely that any deified ancestor or founder god must have the basic features of a warrior, the average status of a Germanic heathen of yore; although professional warriors were the lesser part of the society, it seems that any man should be able to fight in one time or another, even farmers. Following this logic, Seaxnēat may have had noble qualities associated with him, as it can be seen at least in Óðinn, Freyja, Njǫrðr and Freyr.

Pollington and beyond

There are some linguistic appointments that may be taken into consideration in order to better understand the nature of Seaxnēat:

The word neat, nyten normally means 'cattle' but the term geneat refers to a class of noble freeman, and it must be this sense which is intended here. The alternative spelling Sahs-ginot support this, as ginot is apparently cognate with geneat. [...]

The fact that he was named alongside Uuoden and Thunaer implies that he might be a third-function god, associated with farmers, fishers, workmen and merchants, and that he was among the top tier of deities; if so the -neat element in his name might then imply a connection with 'cattle'. It is equally possible that the second element might be related to the word nett 'net' (from PIE *ned- 'bind, tie up') and therefore refer to the binding of the sword or seax in the service of the god.

(Stephen Pollington — Elder Gods)

If we proceed an identification of Uuoden with Óðinn and Thunaer with Þórr, it seems difficult to prove whether Seaxnēat was a "third function", i. e., a workers god. Óðinn is probably a god more related to the warrior elites, while Þórr can be easily linked with the "folk cult", so both options seems to bear some truth.

But if we also see the name Seaxnēat as a compound of seax (knife) and genēat (a noble freeman), as Pollington suggests, then a range of interpretations are possible. The Anglo-Saxon society was a highly hierarchised one. On the top of the kingdom was the cyning (king), followed by those eligible to succeed to the throne, the æðelingas; the ealdormen were a class of noblemen that ruled in a kingdom's shire, and they were able to choose a new king among the æðelingas. Any nobleman could be served by his own þegnas. All of them were bound to the warrior class. Below the þegnas were the ceorlas, "freemen, farmers and independent landed householders who formed the mainstay of the Saxon kingdom, based as it was on a rural economy". The most noble of them were the genēatas. Some other ceorlas were the cotsetlas and geburas. The lowest class citizens were the þēowas, the slaves [4].

So it seems quite reasonable to interpret the name as "Genēat with seax", the "Noble freeman with a knife", "Knife noble freeman", "Knife genēat", or else "Seax of the genēat", "Genēat knife". As we can see, both interpretations may imply the same ideas: that the god was originally a protector of a specific kind of ceorlas or freemen, the genēatas, and that the seax knife was his sacred or symbol weapon.

Genēatas in Anglo-Saxon society

Well, if Seaxnēat is to be understood as the god of the genēatas, what is a genēat, in the first place? The word genēat comes from the verb nēotan, "to enjoy, have the benefit of, make use of" [5]. A genēat is thus literally "one who enjoys (a nobleman friendship)". Bosworth-Toller's dictionary also illustrates that a genēat is one who belongs to the household or follow the comitatus of a superior (which may be a cyning [5]); a tenant holding by service (and rent) to the lord, a hearth companion [6].

Ceorls were 'folcfry' (folk-free), that is, free in the eyes of the community. They enjoyed weregilds and had the right to seek compensations for other free kinsmen and kinswomen. They were allowed to bear arms and be considered 'fyrd worthy' and 'moot worthy'. This meant they were considered worthy to serve in the fyrd and take part in folk meetings. They did not have the same degree of freedom as ðegns or eoldermen. A ceorl's wereguild was set nominally at 200 shillings, one sixth that of a ðegn. There were three main classes of ceorl, although the dividing line between the classes was indistinct. First were the geneatas, the peasant aristocracy who paid rent to their overlord. Geneat originally meant companion, implying that the class originated from the lord's household, often receiving land as a gift.

According to the Gerefa the main functions of the genēatas could be summarised thus:

Geneat riht is mistlic be ðam ðe onlande stænt, on sumon he sceal land gafol syllan ond gærsswyn, on geare, ond ridan ond auerian ond lade lædan. Wyrcan, ond hlaford feormian. Ripan ond mawan, deorhege heawan. Ond sæte haldan, bytlian, ond burh hegegian nigefaran to tune feccan, cyricsceat syllan, ond ælmes feoh, heafodwearde healdan, ond horswearde, ærendian, fyr, swa nyr, swa hwyder swa him mon to tæcð.

The duty of the tenant is diverse, according to [the customs] that stand on the estate. In some he must pay land tax and a pasturage pig each year, and ride and provide horses for team work and carry loads, labour, provide food for the lord, reap and mow, cut the animal-hedge, and maintain snares, build and fence the dwellings within an enclosure, and lead newcomers to the enclosure, pay church tribute and alms money, hold head-guard (duties) and guard horses, go on errands, either further or nearer or to wherever he is sent [13].

The genēatas were a kind of peasant aristocracy. They were free from week-work, and they had many services, but nothing so unbecoming for a free man though. The genēatas were peasants with some charcteristics of a mounted þegn. They were also known as radknights or radmen, who served as a link between the lord's household and the peasantry, especially in western midlands of Anglo-Saxon England [7]. Although many of the duties of the genēatas were agricultural in nature, there were some works considered honourable, and their position in the Anglo-Saxon hierarchy was substantially higher than that of a gebur [8].

When translating the Bible to the old English language, in many times the early Christians in England adapted it, maybe unconsciously, printing their own cultural worldview in the texts. For example, a passage from Genesis is read as

Bigstandað me strange geneatas, þa ne willað me æt þam striðe geswican, hæleþas heard mode. Hie habbað me to hearran gecorene, rofe rincas; mid swilcum maeg man ræd geþencean, fon mid swilcum folc-gesteallan. Frynd hie mine georne, hold on hyra hyge-sceaftum.

Strong companions [genēatas] stand by me, tough-minded warriors who will not fail me in the strife. They have chosen me as their master [lord], the brave soldiers; with such supporters one can consider plans, undertake them with such as these. They are my zealous friends, loyal in their hearts. [9]

If Seaxnēat is specially linked to this specific class of Anglo-Saxon citizens, then we might expect that their attributions were related to all this. Even if we interpret the -neat only as a non-specific "companion", the genēatas offer a good guess on what "companion" could mean in Anglo-Saxon England.

What about the "tribal god of the Saxons"?

Seaxnēat is often regarded in modern Anglo-Saxon Heathenry as a tribal deity, the progenitor of all Saxons. By linking him more directly to a specific class of early English society we are not dismissing this status.  Lārhūs Fyrnsida [10] gives Seaxnēat some by-names such as Beadurōf (War Renowned), Beaduscearp (Battle Sharp), but the most interesting here are Þēodōs (Tribe-God) and foremost Þēodætta (Tribe Father) which is the reconstructed Old English form of the Gaulish name Toutātis.

As Seaxnēat was at least in one instance said to be the ancestor of the ruling class (warrior kings), it is expected that he wasn't uniquely associated with the genēatas. Let's take a look about what can be understood of Toutātis and in which way it can help us to figure out which role Seaxnēat still can play in modern Anglo-Saxon Heathenry.

In modern Gaulish Polytheism, Toutātis can be defined thus:

Many ancient writers appear to refer to a deity named variously Toutatis, Teutates, Teutenus, Toutiorîxs, and so on. The deity, often called a war-God, is variously identified with Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, and Apollo. In fact, the term, Toutatîs in the plural, refers to the Gods of tribes and localities. Tribal cults were ubiquitous in ancient Gaul. Every tribe and locality had one, though not all are known today. [11].

However, Toutātis might not be a theonym, it is a title given to tribal Celtic deities instead. The name itself finds its origin in the Proto-Celtic*towtā-āti-, "the one (who comes) from the tribe/nation". He is a kind of god specially dedicated to the community life of a toutā (tribe). What we can conclude from this is that in the pre-Christian and pre-Roman past there would be a clear conception that the God of the Law would have been the first sovereign among the gods, but one who lost his right hand in a conflict with their rivals, what recalls the myth of Týr and Fenrir. As among the Celts there was the notion that only a physically perfect individual could rule decently, this would make it impossible to continue his role. His successor is the God of Thunder. However, despite he was deposed, his legacy continued in the form of moral and social rules. As the first sovereign, it would have been expected that he had established the norms that would govern life in the community; hence the name "God of the Law". Nevertheless, Toutātis is often associated in Roman religion with Mārs, which is, aside from his well known attributes as god of war, an agricultural deity; water also plays a major role in deities which can be associated with the Toutātis title, even if they are not necessarily sea or water ones [12] (see the Celtic deity Nōdons, for that matter), as the sea and water are important to them mostly as a means of transportation. For example, in one Irish genealogical poem, we read that

3. Swift in ships, he traversed the sea as a warrior of the west: a red wind, which dyed sword-blades with a bloody cloud.

4. Fergus Fairrge, Nuadu Necht, strong and brave: a great champion who did not love punishment from a rightful lord. [14].

So the sea is clearly important for its association with liminal qualities, as a border between two different realities, which can bring the unknown from the Otherworld to the world of men. It is tempting to associate the following passage with the beginning lines of Beowulf, where it is described how Scyld Scefing came to the Geatland and how he developed a tribe there.

Conclusion

So, based on this evidence, what can we tell of Seaxnēat's nature?

As is often said, Seaxnēat is the progenitor of the Saxon peoples. Furthermore, he is a warlike god. As an embodiment of masculine aggression, he is the force that drives wars — but ideally, war that delivers a secure peace. He also rules over allegiance, oaths and any social tie. Thus, Seaxnēat can be seen as a god of the comitatus and the fyrd; all this makes him a god likely to be worshiped by soldiers. He presides over the core characteristics of an Anglo-Saxon warband. Albeit he is as warrior as any of the average early English men were, Seaxnēat is more than that, and can be associated with agricultural functions, such as farmers work.

Seaxnēat is, as the founder god, liable for the basic features of Saxon culture and ethics (þēaw). He may be linked to language, music, storytelling, and the keeper of tradition. He can be seen as the organiser of Anglo-Saxon hierarchies, and a god of kingship. As the god of the genēatas, Seaxnēat may be linked to the workers in modern days, ruling over daily affairs; he may as well be linked to horses (as one of the main genēat duties).

In modern Anglo-Saxon Heathenry, be it Fyrnsidu or any other label, Seaxnēat always has (or ideally has) a main place in our practice. Rethinking and deepening the understanding about him hopefully can make our traditions be better developed and stronger.

References

[1] POLLINGTON, Stephen. Elder Gods: The Otherworld of Early England. Anglo-Saxon Books, 2011.
[2] BRITISH COUNTY FLAGS, Essex Flag. <https://britishcountyflags.com/2013/05/20/essex-flag/>. Acessed in 27/09/2018.
[3] NYGON WYRTA FYRNSIDU, Seaxnēat. <http://fyrnsidubrasil.blogspot.com/p/seaxneat.html>. Acessed in 27/09/2018.
[4] REGIA ANGLORUM, Anglo-Saxon Social Organisation. <https://regia.org/research/history/Saxons1.htm>. Acessed in 27/09/2018.
[5] LAMBERT, Tom. Law and Order in Anglo-Saxon England, Oxford University Press, 2017. <https://books.google.com.br/books?id=eucwDgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=pt-BR#v=onepage&q&f=false>. Acessed in 27/09/2018.
[6] Bosworth-Toller Anglo-Saxon Dictionary. <http://bosworth.ff.cuni.cz>. Acessed in 27/09/2018.
[7] STENTON, Frank. Anglo-Saxon England. Oxford University Press, 1971. <https://books.google.com.br/books?id=0Y65NxJaMtcC&printsec=frontcover&hl=pt-BR#v=onepage&q&f=false>. Acessed in 27/09/2018.
[8] BLAIR, Peter Hunter. An Introduction to Anglo-Saxon England. Cambridge University Press, 2003. <https://books.google.com.br/books?id=9eN87VsPaw0C&printsec=frontcover&hl=pt-BR#v=onepage&q&f=false> Acessed in 27/09/2018.
[9] BROOMHALL, Susan (org.) Gender and Emotions in Medieval and Early Modern Europe: Destroying Order, Structuring Disorder. Routledge, 2016. <https://books.google.com.br/books?id=rlmrCwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=pt-BR>. Acessed in 27/09/2018.
[10] LĀRHŪS FYRNSIDA. Seaxnēat. <https://larhusfyrnsida.com/fundamentals/godu/seaxneat/>. Acessed in 27/09/2018.
[11] WIDUGENI, Segômaros. Toutatîs. <http://polytheist.com/segomaros/2016/01/20/toutatis/>. Acessed in 27/09/2018.
[12] CELTOCRĀBII̯ON. Deus da Lei. <https://celtocrabion.wordpress.com/noibii-os-sacros/deuses/deus-da-lei/>. Acessed in 27/09/2018.
[13] EARLY ENGLISH LAWS. Gerefa (RSP + Ger). <http://www.earlyenglishlaws.ac.uk/laws/texts/rspger/view/#edition-2/translation-2>. Acessed in 28/09/2018.
[14] KOCH, John T. Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO, 2006. <https://books.google.com.br/books?id=f899xH_quaMC&printsec=frontcover&hl=pt-BR#v=onepage&q&f=false>. Acessed in 28/09/2018.