Atargatis

Atargatis ( Greek), Atar'ata ( Aramaic ), as Greco- Roman form Dea Syria; was a Semitic deity especially in the north of Syria, whose cult included the ritual castration.

Strabo (XVI, 4.27 ) around the time of Athenaeus and the beginning of the third century, translated the Aphrodite Urania of Ashkelon, Atargatis with the same. The goddess Derketo of Ashkelon and the edessenische Taratha be equated with Atargatis. Their main temple was in Hierapolis Bambyke. Her symbol was the pomegranate, partially she was holding a fish in connection.

According to Lucian of Samosata their followers were tattooed, some on the wrist, another on the neck. This statement is confirmed by a papyrus from the Ptolemaic period, which describes a runaway slave from Hierapolis, who had " barbarian letter" tattooed on his right wrist. Ulrich Wilcken thought that this is the initials of Atargatis and the Aramaic high and weather god Hadad acted. Aramaeans worshiped Atargatis under the name ' Attar ' atteh.

The two are also shown on a relief from Dura Europos, which was discovered during the excavation of their temple: Two figures sit side by side, Atargatis is flanked by her lions. It is shown larger than the seated beside her Hadad, whose attribute, the ox is small pushed to the left of the screen. The supremacy of the chief god in dealings with the popular worship of his companion in the background. Interpreted as a cult standard post is located between the two figures with three disks and a crescent moon above.

An inscription dated 132 AD Palmyra referred to the temple there the Artagatis with 'tr' th. A Roman Tessera shows the goddess with the head of an ox beside him and a star. The Bel Temple of Bel Palmyra is laterally mapped to a massive limestone plate as he chases a fiend in his chariot. A group of six deities watching the scene, one of which is Atargatis, which is recognizable by its fish body.