Search

(Σάραπις/ Sárapis, also Σέραπις/ Sérapis, Latin Serapis), original Egyptian bull god whose main cult was in Memphis; from the Hellenistic period, it was widespread throughout the Mediterranean region. [German version] I. Egypt The Greek form Sarapis (Σάραπις; Sárapis), and in later sources Serapis (Σέραπις; Sérapis), derives from the combination Wsjr-Ḥp (Osiris - Apis [1]), which is rendered as οσεραπις ( oserapis) in the oldest sources from Memphis, e.g. in the Curse of Artemisia (UPZ 1; 4th cent. BC). Because the initial sound was understood as the article (ὁ; ho) it became detac…

[German version] [1] Anatolian goddess in Rome More fully Mater Deum Magna Idaea (see [1] on the name), the goddess Mḗtēr/ Cybele, who was brought from Pergamum to Rome in 204/5 BC as demanded by the Sibyllini libri and with the help of Attalos [4] I. Even in antiquity the precise place of origin was disputed: Pessinus (Liv. 29, 10,5; 11,7), Pergamum (Varro ling. 6, 15), or the mountain chain Ida [2] in the Troad (Ov. fast. 4,263f.). The cult of Mḗtēr/Kybele is attested at all three places. Research favours an origin on Ida [2.16-20] or from Pessinus [3.318] - in each case t…

[German version] I. Egypt The origin, meaning of the name and original role of the Egyptian goddess I. are not entirely certain. There is much evidence to indicate a home in the 12th Egyptian district with its capital at Per-Hebit ( pr-ḥbjt), Latin Iseum, modern Bahbīt al-Ḥiǧāra. The long-standing opinion that I. personifies the royal throne is based on the fact that her name was written with the image of a throne. However, the likely root of the name ( st) describes I. as ‘one who has power to rule’. It is significant that she is included in the Osiris myth, in which seve…

[German version] (πλοιαφέσια/ ploiaphésia, Lat. navigium Isidis). The P. was a festival celebrated in numerous places on 5 March to open the annual ancient seafaring season. It is described in Apul. Met. 11,8-17 (where it is probably connected with the Corinthian Hybristica festival  [1. 87-89]) [2]; the nauarchs belonging to the cult association of Isis probably served as officiants [3. 76-87]. According to Apuleius, women led the procession, initiates with no special responsibility in the cult of Isis formed the middle, and priests of…

(Κυβέλη; Kybélē, Lat. Cybele, -a) is the goddess of fertility, city protectress (expressed in the mural crown), prophetess and healer. A. Asia Minor [German version] 1. Bronze Age The alternative form of the name Cybebe (Κυβήβη, Lat. Cybebe) allows us to equate the goddess of Asia Minor of the 1st millennium BC with the goddess Kubaba known from Hittite, Hurrian and Sumerian-Akkadian sources [1]. One of the most important centres for the worship of this goddess in the 2nd millennium was Hittite  Karkemiš/Karkamis [2] situ…

[German version] (Σαβάζιος/ Sabázios, Latin Sabazius). The variations Σαυάζιος ( Sauázios), Σαοουάζιος ( Saoouázios) and Σαάζιος ( Saázios) found in Phrygia and Thracia point to an original form Sawazis (or Savazis), while Σαββαθικός/ Sabbathikós may indicate confusion with the Hebrew šabbat or ṣebāōt [1. 1585-1587]. The theonym Sabas is found in a Phrygian graffito [2]. S. is first documented in literature in the 2nd half of the 5th cent. BC (Aristoph. Av. 875 f.; Aristoph. Lys. 388-390; Aristot. Vesp. 8-10). Later literature (Clem. Al. Protrepti…