The Syrian Goddess


Book Description




On the Syrian Goddess


Book Description

On the Syrian Goddess is a Greek treatise of the second century AD which describes religious cults practiced at the temple of Hierapolis Bambyce, now Manbij, in Syria. Not only does it acknowledge that at one time a paramount Goddess was worshipped in the regions of the Ancient Near East, it goes into detail of the practices of her devotees which later generations considered reprehensible. The book describes the worship as being of a phallic character, with votaries offering little male figures of wood and bronze. There were also huge phalli set up like obelisks before the temple, which were ceremoniously climbed once a year and decorated. The treatise begins with a re-telling of the Atrahasis flood myth where floodwaters are drained through a small cleft in the rock under the temple. Nonetheless, On the Syrian Goddess played an important role in the development of modern Neopaganism.




The Syrian Goddess


Book Description

To the student of oriental religions the Dea Syria is brimful of interest. It describes the cult and worship of the goddess of Northern Syria, Atargatis, at her sacred city, Hierapolis, now Mumbij. The time when Lucian wrote would be the middle of the second century B.C. We do not see any reason to reject the traditional authorship of the treatise: on the contrary, the work seems to reveal the famous satirist at home, taking a natural interest in local memories and institutions, while making, doubtless, mental notes that were to prove of use in the works for which he is best known. INTRODUCTORYThe Sacred CityOrigins of Temples and ShrinesTHE OLDEST SHRINES AND CULTS OF SYRIA.Hercules of TyreThe Phœnician Astarte at Sidon. Legend of EuropaAphrodite of Byblos and the Legend of AdonisLegend of Osiris at ByblosThe Adonis River; its red colourCult of Aphrodite in the Lebanon at AphacaHierapolis: The greatest Sanctuary. Its Pilgrims LEGENDS OF FOUNDATION.Ascribed by some to Deukalion. Story of the DelugeStory of the ChasmAssigned by others to Semiramis. Derceto, the Fish-GoddessBy others again to the Lydian AttisLucian shares the View that it was founded by DionysusRe-built by StratoniceStory of Stratonice and Combabus DESCRIPTION OF THE TEMPLE AND SHRINES.The Inner Sanctuary. The EffigiesComprehensive Character of the GoddessObject between the God and GoddessThe Sun GodA Bearded ApolloImage of the God borne by the Priests in DivinationAtlas and other ImagesSacred AnimalsThe Priests and Temple Attendants RITES AND CEREMONIES.The SacrificesSacred Lake and FishesCeremony at the LakeCeremony at the Euphrates ("The Sea")Festival of the Pyre CUSTOMS AND INSTITUTIONS.The GalliTheir Initiation CeremoniesTheir BurialAnimals used in Sacrifice. Sanctity of the DoveTonsure and other Customs of PilgrimsMethod of Sacrifice. The LibationHuman SacrificeTattooSacrifice of Hair




The Syrian Goddess


Book Description




On the Syrian Goddess


Book Description

On the Syrian Goddess is a Greek treatise of the second century AD which describes religious cults practiced at the temple of Hierapolis Bambyce, now Manbij, in Syria. Not only does it acknowledge that at one time a paramount Goddess was worshipped in the regions of the Ancient Near East, it goes into detail of the practices of her devotees which later generations considered reprehensible. The book describes the worship as being of a phallic character, with votaries offering little male figures of wood and bronze. There were also huge phalli set up like obelisks before the temple, which were ceremoniously climbed once a year and decorated. The treatise begins with a re-telling of the Atrahasis flood myth where floodwaters are drained through a small cleft in the rock under the temple. Nonetheless, On the Syrian Goddess played an important role in the development of modern Neopaganism.




Lucian's a true story


Book Description

The aim of this book is to make Lucian's A True Story accessible to intermediate students of Ancient Greek. The running vocabulary and commentary are meant to provide everything necessary to read each page. Lucian's A True Story is a great text for intermediate readers. Its breathless narrative does not involve many complex sentences or constructions; there is some unusual vocabulary and a few departures from Attic Greek, but for the most part it is a straightforward narrative that is fun and interesting by one of antiquity's cleverest authors. In A True Story, Lucian parodies accounts of fanciful adventures and travel to incredible places by authors such as Ctesias and Iambulus. The story's combination of mockery and learning makes it an excellent example of the Greek literature of the imperial period. Revised August, 2014.




The Syrian Goddess


Book Description

Lucian of Samosata's De Dea Syria, (the Syrian Goddess) is one of the most 'notorious' classical writings. Not only does it acknowledge that at one time a paramount Goddess was worshipped in regions of the Ancient Near East, it goes into details of the practices of her devotees which later generations considered reprehensible. Nonetheless De Dea played an important role in the development of modern Neopaganism. Lucian recounts his personal observations of the worship of the Goddess Atargatis (a form of Isthar or Astarte) at the temple of Hierapolis, in what is today Turkey. Lucian writes in the style of Herodotus, and, remarkably, in Herodotus' dialect of Greek, which at that time was over five hundred years old. Lucian describes huge phalliform idols, cross-dressing priests who castrated themselves, ritual prostitution of female worshippers, and occasional infant human sacrifice. Among other passages of interest, there is a variant account of the Greek flood myth of Deucalion which is here blended with pre-biblical Ancient Near Eastern deluge accounts. With extensive footnotes.




A Handbook of Gods and Goddesses of the Ancient Near East


Book Description

From the tragic young Adonis to Zašhapuna, first among goddesses, this handbook provides the most complete information available on deities from the cultures and religions of the ancient Near East, including Anatolia, Syria, Israel, Sumer, Babylonia, Assyria, and Elam. The result of nearly fifteen years of research, this handbook is more expansive and covers a wider range of sources and civilizations than any previous reference works on the topic. Arranged alphabetically, the entries range from multiple pages of information to a single line—sometimes all that we know about a given deity. Where possible, each record discusses the deity’s symbolism and imagery, connecting it to the myths, rituals, and festivals described in ancient sources. Many of the entries are accompanied by illustrations that aid in understanding the iconography, and they all include references to texts in which the god or goddess is mentioned. Appropriate for both trained scholars and nonacademic readers, this book collects centuries of Near Eastern mythology into one volume. It will be an especially valuable resource for anyone interested in Assyriology, ancient religion, and the ancient Near East.




Syrian Identity in the Greco-Roman World


Book Description

This book proposes a new means of identifying how Greek and Syrian identities were expressed in the Hellenistic and Roman Near East.




The Syrian Goddess


Book Description

The Syrian Goddess Lucian - On the Syrian Goddess is a Greek treatise of the second century AD which describes religious cults practiced at the temple of Hierapolis Bambyce, now Manbij, in Syria. The work is written in a Herodotean-style of Ionic Greek, and has been traditionally ascribed to the Greek essayist Lucian of Samosata.