Our life is connected with the ancient culture much more than it may seem. The names of the ancient gods are found in the names of companies, on neon signs, in films, etc. Seeing the beautiful name, we often do not understand what is behind it, what it is connected with. Ancient history must be known in order to avoid foolish mistakes, which testify to ignorance.
Who is Astarte?
Astarte is a goddess who was worshiped in all cultures of antiquity. The first mention of it appeared in the cradle of the civilizations of Mesopotamia. It symbolized:
- femininity;
- motherhood;
- beauty;
- love;
- fertility.
The goddess Astarta was the main woman in the pantheon of deities, was considered the patroness of battles and the goddess-healer. But so it was called only in ancient Greece. Also it was called:
- in the East - Ishtar ;
- in Russia - Lada;
- in Scandinavia - Freyja;
- the inhabitants of Babylon - Anna;
- the Romans - Venus.
Nomadic Phoenicians spread the worship of the goddess throughout the north of Africa and the Mediterranean. The ancients had their own understanding of "holiness", so the cult of Astarte was in the "sacred" orgies and prostitution that flourished in its temples. She was worshiped as a goddess of hunting, war, motherhood and often portrayed:
- completely naked with horns on his head, galloping on a horse and shooting from a bow;
- with snake's tails instead of legs in the Ancient Kabbalah.
The symbol of Astarte
For all the peoples who worshiped her, Astarte - the goddess of spring was also the goddess of matins and evening stars. She has many characters, but the main ones are:
- Eight-pointed star, similar to the two combined crosses. It symbolizes the unity of the material and spiritual worlds, and eight rays are associated with infinity. Such a star can be seen on the icons of the Mother of God.
- Cross, top end with a sphere. He is known as the Coptic cross or Ankh and personifies eternal life.
Astarta - Mythology
According to surviving legends, this goddess was Ra's daughter and helped the gods deal with the mighty god of the sea. Yam decided that he was in charge and overlaid other gods with exorbitant taxes. Uniting, they persuaded Astarte to seduce the god of the sea, and persuade him to cancel the tribute. Since Astarte - the goddess of love and fertility was the most beautiful, she fell in love with a terrible Yama, and he canceled his decision.
Demon Astarte
The role of the goddess Ishtar in mythology has changed over time. In ancient Egyptian writings, she bore the name Ashtaroth and was the wife of Seth, personifying adulthood and husband's support in everything. But already in the epic about Gilgamesh, she seduces the main character, symbolizing debauchery and infidelity. Demonization of the image of the goddess in full swing Jews. Before the formation of Judaism, the goddess Astarta was the chief female deity. But this religion declared a brutal war to all ancient gods and cults. The Bible has brought to our days the mention of the worship of Astarte, King Solomon, for which he was punished.
It was believed that Astarte and Astaroth, the supreme demon of hell, were spouses. And the goddess of love began to personify:
- debauchery;
- uncontrollable lust;
- female cunning;
- sophisticated treachery.
Astarte and Baal
Most of all the Astarte was worshiped by the Phoenicians - a numerous people of antiquity. With a nomadic lifestyle, they spread their cult far beyond the borders of the country - from the Mediterranean, Africa to Britain. According to their beliefs, the goddess Ishtar was the wife of Baal, who is the chief deity of the entire pantheon.
Initially, the cult of Astarte and Baal provided for sacrifices consisting of fruits and part of the harvest. But already the Phoenicians, who founded Carthage, built sanctuaries, where:
- burned newborn babies;
- sacrificed all the first-born of domestic animals;
- arranged incredible orgies, where all the inhabitants of the city participated;
- sacrificed compatriots.