God · Egyptian

Isis

Isis, a god of the Egyptian world, and the gods ancient sources said were the same.

Tradition: egyptian

Documented identifications

LinkWho said soNote
identified as DemeterHerodotus, Histories 2.59 and 2.156, c. 430 BCEAt Busiris stands a great temple of Isis, "who is in the Greek language Demeter".
identified as AthenaPlutarch, On Isis and Osiris 9, c. 100 CEThe veiled statue at Sais was of Athena, "whom they believe to be Isis", with its famous inscription about no mortal lifting her robe.
merged with HathorNew Kingdom Egypt, c. 1550-1070 BCEIsis took over Hathor's sistrum and cow-horn crown with the sun disk.
identified as AphroditePtolemaic Egypt, 2nd-1st c. BCEFigurines of Isis-Aphrodite show the two goddesses joined through their power over love and birth.
identified as AstartePhoenician and Punic cult, from the 6th c. BCEFrom at least the 6th century BCE Phoenicians identified Ashtart with Isis, a link that lasted into Roman North Africa.
identified as HecateHellenistic syncretismIn Hellenistic syncretism Hecate became closely associated with Isis.
identified as ArtemisPtolemaic EgyptThrough Bastet, Isis was linked with the lunar Artemis.

Sources

  1. Herodotus, Histories, Book II (tr. A. D. Godley, Wikisource)
  2. Plutarch, On Isis and Osiris (LacusCurtius)
  3. Isis (Wikipedia)
  4. Isis (Wikipedia)
  5. Astarte (Wikipedia)
  6. Hecate (Wikipedia)
  7. Isis (Wikipedia)
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