Atargatis
Definition
The great goddess of Northern Arabia and Syria in antiquity, a divinity of fertility, the earth, and water, primarily worshipped at Hierapolis. Often represented with the body of a woman and the tail of a fish (associated with the earliest mermaid legends) or surrounded by lions, Atargatis embodied the generative power of nature and protection of human communities in the Near East, later assimilated by the Greeks as Dea Syria.
Bilingual Equivalents
- Atargatis
- Dea Syria
Grammatical & Source Details
| Inflection Type | Proper noun, feminine singular, morphologically fixed and unchanging across texts. |
| Formation | Semitic name hellenized by classical writers and standardized across modern international historical manuals. |
| Spelling / Pronunciation | [ə.ˈtɑːr.ɡə.tɪs] |
| Source | Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible and Classical Religions |
Contextual Usage Examples
RO: În templul măreț din Hierapolis, pelerinii aduceau ofrande bogate zeiței Atargatis pentru a obține recolte mănoase.
EN: In the grand temple of Hierapolis, pilgrims brought rich offerings to the goddess Atargatis to secure bountiful harvests.
RO: Scriitorul antic Lucian din Samosata a lăsat descrieri detaliate despre ritualurile secrete dedicate lui Atargatis.
EN: The ancient writer Lucian of Samosata left detailed descriptions of the secret rituals dedicated to Atargatis.
RO: Arheologii au descoperit monede antice pe care chipul reginei era asociat cu atributele sacre ale lui Atargatis.
EN: Archaeologists discovered ancient coins on which the queen's face was associated with the sacred attributes of Atargatis.
Idioms & Phrases
Cultul lui Atargatis / The cult of Atargatis
RO: Ansamblul de credințe, preoți și sacrificii ritualice care s-au răspândit din Siria în întregul Imperiu Roman.
EN: The body of beliefs, priests, and ritual sacrifices that spread from Syria throughout the Roman Empire.
Iazul sacru al lui Atargatis / Sacred pond of Atargatis
RO: Bazin cu apă situat lângă temple unde erau crescuți pești sacri, pe care nimeni nu avea voie să îi atingă sau să îi mănânce.
EN: A water basin located near temples where sacred fish were raised, which no one was allowed to touch or eat.
Iconografia zeiței Atargatis / Atargatis iconography
RO: Studiul reprezentărilor plastice în care divinitatea apare purtând o coroană murală și așezată pe un tron sprijinit de lei.
EN: The study of artistic representations where the deity appears wearing a mural crown and seated on a throne supported by lions.
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