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Title: | The Cult of Aphrodite Under the Ptolemies: The Consolidation and Legitimization of a Dynasty |
Authors: | Cross, Jocelyn |
Advisor: | Corner, Sean |
Department: | Classics |
Keywords: | Aphrodite;Arsinoë;Berenice;Egypt;Hellenistic History;Isis;Ptolemy |
Publication Date: | 2021 |
Abstract: | Aphrodite is one of the oldest deities of the Graeco-Roman pantheon, and her cult has a rich and varied history in its development throughout the Mediterranean and beyond. The goddess has been associated with numerous female deities from other cultures, including Astarte, Inanna, and Ishtar from the Near East; Hathor and Isis from Egypt; and Venus from Rome. The origins and development of the cult of Aphrodite have long been favoured topics in Classical scholarship, with notable works including Friedrich’s "The Meaning of Aphrodite" (1978) and Budin’s "The Origin of Aphrodite" (2003). The nature of syncretism between deities continues to be a popular topic of debate, and collections such as "Transformation of a Goddess: Ishtar-Astarte-Aphrodite" (2014) are produced from conferences and symposiums. Likewise, interest in the history of the Ptolemaic dynasty remains high; in particular, the field of numismatics eagerly anticipates the final release of Lorber’s "Coins of the Ptolemaic Empire" (2018 - ), which will replace the seminal work of Svoronos (1904) as the primary catalogue. Although it is common for works concerning the Ptolemaic dynasty to reference Aphrodite, detailed discussion of her cult often arises only in the context of Arsinoë II, with whom she was syncretized. This thesis aims to bring Aphrodite to the forefront, and produce a cohesive narrative which highlights the role of her cult in the development of the Ptolemaic dynasty. It surveys the presence of the goddess in Egypt to determine her nature and significance, before examining the manner in which her cult was manipulated to the benefit of the Ptolemaic dynasts, predominantly through syncretism to the queens Arsinoë II and Berenice II. The discussion of syncretism is extended to include Isis, whose increasing popularity is connected to the eventual decline of the cult of Aphrodite in Egypt. |
URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/11375/26188 |
Appears in Collections: | Open Access Dissertations and Theses |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
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Cross_Jocelyn_202101_ClassicsMA.pdf | 1.35 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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