You know what’s great? When something seems very questionable but academics seem to unilaterally accept it without criticism.
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There are earlier mentions of Odin/Woden (still several centuries removed from Tacitus) but these are more vague. There is one (ONE) source from the 7th c that equates Odin and Mercury. Again, written long time after, and by an Italian Christian monk composing a saint's life.
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Specifically, Jonas of Bobbio writing the life of St Columbanus.
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What would the source be for this? Maybe Jonas was thinking of the days of the week (dies Mercurii and Woden's Day)? The middle day of the week was not necessarily so named because the two gods were thought to be the same.
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But even if by the 7th c. Christian authors believed them to be the same, it doesn't mean that Tacitus meant that either.
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Always be critical of your sources, folks.
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End of conversation
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