Serapis
Serapis (Latin spelling, or Sarapis in Greek) was a syncretic Hellenistic-Egyptian god in Antiquity. His most renowned temple was at Alexandria.
Ptolemy Soter wanted to integrate Egyptian religion with that of their Hellenic rulers by advertising a deity that would win the reverence of both groups. The Greeks had little respect for animal-headed figures, and so a Greek-style anthromorphic statue was chosen as the idol, and proclaimed as the equivalent of the highly popular Apis. Ptolemy's efforts were successful - in time Serapis was held by the Egyptians above all dieties in the highest reverence and distinction.
That the ancients themselves were at variance with each other respacting Serapis is show by that passage in Tacitus wherein it is affirmed that many recognised in this god, Aesculapius, imputing the healing of sickness to his intervention; some though him identical with Osiris, the oldest diety of the Egyptians; others regarded him as Jupiter, possessing univeral power; but by most he was believed to be the same as Pluto, the "gloomy" Dis Pater of the infernal regions.
Under Ptolemy Soter, efforts were made to integrate Egyptian religion with that of their Hellenic rulers. Ptolemy's policy was to find a deity that should win the reverence alike of both groups, despite the curses of the Egyptian priests against the gods of the previous foreign rulers (i.e Set who was lauded by the Hyksos). Alexander the Great had attempted to use Amun for this purpose, but he was more prominent in Upper Egypt, and not as popular with those in Lower Egypt, where the Greeks had stronger influence. The Greeks had little respect for animal-headed figures, and so a Greek-style anthromorphic statue was chosen as the idol, and proclaimed as the equivalent of the highly popular Apis. It was named Aser-hapi (i.e. Osiris-Apis), which became Serapis, and was said to be Osiris in full, rather than just his Ka (life force).
DICTIONARY OF ROMAN COINS
   | Please add updates or make corrections to the NumisWiki text version as appropriate. Serapis. -- The mythology of the Egyptians is more than usually obscure and difficult in explaining the powers and attributes of this divinity, whose name and worship, however thought not known to them in the earliest age, was at a later period held above all others in the highest reverence and distinction by that superstitious people. That the ancients themselves were at variance with each other respecting Serapis is show by that passage in Tacitus wherein it is affirmed that many recognized in this god, Aesculapius, imputing the healing of sickness to his intervention; some though him identical with Osiris, the oldest deity of the Egyptians; others regarded him as Jupiter, possessing universal power; but by most he was believed to be the same as Pluto, the "gloomy" Dis Pater of the infernal regions. Be this as it may, the general impression of the ancients obviously seemed to have been that by Serapis, was to be understood the beginning and foundation of things and accordingly we find him adored in the process of time not only at Alexandria, but at Athens and other Greek cities, some of which charged their coins with the figure of this deity. At length the Romans, whose fondness for new gods increased with the corrupting influence of their foreign conquests, introduced the worship of Serapis with the walls of their city; not, however, without opposition and resistance for a season on the part of the senate to the popular thirst after such novelties. Through the influence of P. Victor an altar was erected to Serapis in the Circus Flaminii, and it quickly assumed the form of a superb temple which , after its Alexandrine prototype, was called the Serapeon. |
View whole page from the |Dictionary Of Roman Coins|
Serapis
Serapis (Latin spelling, or Sarapis in Greek) was a syncretic Hellenistic-Egyptian god in Antiquity. His most renowned temple was at Alexandria.
Ptolemy Soter wanted to integrate Egyptian religion with that of their Hellenic rulers by advertising a deity that would win the reverence of both groups. The Greeks had little respect for animal-headed figures, and so a Greek-style anthromorphic statue was chosen as the idol, and proclaimed as the equivalent of the highly popular Apis. Ptolemy's efforts were successful - in time Serapis was held by the Egyptians above all dieties in the highest reverence and distinction.
That the ancients themselves were at variance with each other respacting Serapis is show by that passage in Tacitus wherein it is affirmed that many recognised in this god, Aesculapius, imputing the healing of sickness to his intervention; some though him identical with Osiris, the oldest diety of the Egyptians; others regarded him as Jupiter, possessing univeral power; but by most he was believed to be the same as Pluto, the "gloomy" Dis Pater of the infernal regions.
Under Ptolemy Soter, efforts were made to integrate Egyptian religion with that of their Hellenic rulers. Ptolemy's policy was to find a deity that should win the reverence alike of both groups, despite the curses of the Egyptian priests against the gods of the previous foreign rulers (i.e Set who was lauded by the Hyksos). Alexander the Great had attempted to use Amun for this purpose, but he was more prominent in Upper Egypt, and not as popular with those in Lower Egypt, where the Greeks had stronger influence. The Greeks had little respect for animal-headed figures, and so a Greek-style anthromorphic statue was chosen as the idol, and proclaimed as the equivalent of the highly popular Apis. It was named Aser-hapi (i.e. Osiris-Apis), which became Serapis, and was said to be Osiris in full, rather than just his Ka (life force).
DICTIONARY OF ROMAN COINS
| Please add updates or make corrections to the NumisWiki text version as appropriate. Serapis. -- The mythology of the Egyptians is more than usually obscure and difficult in explaining the powers and attributes of this divinity, whose name and worship, however thought not known to them in the earliest age, was at a later period held above all others in the highest reverence and distinction by that superstitious people. That the ancients themselves were at variance with each other respecting Serapis is show by that passage in Tacitus wherein it is affirmed that many recognized in this god, Aesculapius, imputing the healing of sickness to his intervention; some though him identical with Osiris, the oldest deity of the Egyptians; others regarded him as Jupiter, possessing universal power; but by most he was believed to be the same as Pluto, the "gloomy" Dis Pater of the infernal regions. Be this as it may, the general impression of the ancients obviously seemed to have been that by Serapis, was to be understood the beginning and foundation of things and accordingly we find him adored in the process of time not only at Alexandria, but at Athens and other Greek cities, some of which charged their coins with the figure of this deity. At length the Romans, whose fondness for new gods increased with the corrupting influence of their foreign conquests, introduced the worship of Serapis with the walls of their city; not, however, without opposition and resistance for a season on the part of the senate to the popular thirst after such novelties. Through the influence of P. Victor an altar was erected to Serapis in the Circus Flaminii, and it quickly assumed the form of a superb temple which , after its Alexandrine prototype, was called the Serapeon. The principal Italian cities, never far behind Rome, soon imitated her example, and it was not long before the worship of Serapis was extended from Italy by the different colonies sent from that country into Asia Minor. |
View whole page from the |Dictionary Of Roman Coins|