Isis is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs, whose
worship spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. She was worshipped as
the ideal mother and wife as well as the patron of nature and magic. She
was the friend of slaves, sinners, artisans, and the downtrodden, and
she listened to the prayers of the wealthy, maidens, aristocrats, and
rulers. She was a goddess for everyone. Isis is often depicted as the
mother of Horus, the hawk-headed god of war and protection (although in
some traditions Horus’s mother was Hathor), and she is depicted suckling
him in a similar way to later images of the Virgin Mary with the Child
Jesus. Isis is also known as protector of the dead and goddess of
children.
The name Isis means “Throne”. Her headdress is a throne and, as the personification of the throne, she was an important representation of the pharaoh’s power. The pharaoh was depicted as her child, who sat on the throne she provided. Her cult was popular throughout Egypt, but the most important sanctuaries were at Behbeit El-Hagar in the Nile delta, and, beginning in the reign with Nectanebo I (380–362 BCE), on the island of Philae in Upper Egypt.
Most Egyptian deities were first worshiped by small local cults, and they retained those local centres of worship even as their popularity spread. Most major cities and towns in Egypt were known as the home, or center of worship, for a particular deity. The origins of the cult of Isis are uncertain, but some believe that she was originally an independent and popular deity in predynastic times, prior to 3100 BCE, at Sebennytos in the Nile delta.
The first written references to Isis date back to the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt. Based on the association of her name with the throne, some early Egyptologists believed that Isis’s original function was that of throne-mother. However, recent scholarship suggests this aspect of Isis came later by association. In many African tribes, the throne is known as “the mother of the king”, a concept fits well with both theories.
In the typical form of her myth, Isis was the first daughter of Geb, god of the Earth, and Nut, goddess of the Sky, and she was born on the fourth intercalary day (One of the 5 days at the end of a year which were added so that Nut could give birth to her children). She married her brother, Osiris, and she conceived Horus by him. Isis was then instrumental in the resurrection of Osiris when he was murdered by their brother Seth. Using her magical skills, she restored his body to life after she gathered together all of his body parts that had been strewn about the earth by Seth.
This myth became very important during the Greco-Roman period. For example, it was believed by some that the Nile River flooded every year because of the tears of sorrow which Isis wept for Osiris. Osiris’s death and rebirth was relived every year through a series of religious rituals. The worship of Isis eventually spread throughout the Greco-Roman world, and continued until the suppression of paganism in the Christian era.
Temples to Isis were built in the Near East, Greece and Rome, with a particularly well preserved example discovered at Pompeii. On the Greek island of Delos, a Doric Temple of Isis was built on a high over-looking hill at the beginning of the Roman period to venerate the trinity of Isis, the Alexandrian Serapis and Harpocrates. Delos was an important location in Greek myth as the birthplace of Artemis and Apollo, and was venerated as sacred into the Roman period. The spread of Isis’ cult here (and to places like Athens (on the slopes of the Acropolis) and Rome) firmly established the goddess into the Hellenic pantheon (in so far as a goddess recognized by the ruling state to receive land for temples, festivals etc.)
The cult of Isis and Osiris continued up until the 6th century CE on the island of Philae in Upper Egypt. The Theodosian decree (in about 380 CE) to destroy all pagan temples was not enforced there until the time of Justinian. This toleration of the goddess was due to an old treaty made between the Blemyes-Nobadae and Diocletian. Every year they visited Elephantine, and at certain intervals took the image of Isis up river to the land of the Blemyes for oracular purposes before returning it. Justinian sent Narses to destroy the sanctuaries, arrest the priests and take the divine images to Constantinople. Philae was the very last of the Egyptian temples to be closed.
The name Isis means “Throne”. Her headdress is a throne and, as the personification of the throne, she was an important representation of the pharaoh’s power. The pharaoh was depicted as her child, who sat on the throne she provided. Her cult was popular throughout Egypt, but the most important sanctuaries were at Behbeit El-Hagar in the Nile delta, and, beginning in the reign with Nectanebo I (380–362 BCE), on the island of Philae in Upper Egypt.
Most Egyptian deities were first worshiped by small local cults, and they retained those local centres of worship even as their popularity spread. Most major cities and towns in Egypt were known as the home, or center of worship, for a particular deity. The origins of the cult of Isis are uncertain, but some believe that she was originally an independent and popular deity in predynastic times, prior to 3100 BCE, at Sebennytos in the Nile delta.
The first written references to Isis date back to the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt. Based on the association of her name with the throne, some early Egyptologists believed that Isis’s original function was that of throne-mother. However, recent scholarship suggests this aspect of Isis came later by association. In many African tribes, the throne is known as “the mother of the king”, a concept fits well with both theories.
In the typical form of her myth, Isis was the first daughter of Geb, god of the Earth, and Nut, goddess of the Sky, and she was born on the fourth intercalary day (One of the 5 days at the end of a year which were added so that Nut could give birth to her children). She married her brother, Osiris, and she conceived Horus by him. Isis was then instrumental in the resurrection of Osiris when he was murdered by their brother Seth. Using her magical skills, she restored his body to life after she gathered together all of his body parts that had been strewn about the earth by Seth.
This myth became very important during the Greco-Roman period. For example, it was believed by some that the Nile River flooded every year because of the tears of sorrow which Isis wept for Osiris. Osiris’s death and rebirth was relived every year through a series of religious rituals. The worship of Isis eventually spread throughout the Greco-Roman world, and continued until the suppression of paganism in the Christian era.
Temples to Isis were built in the Near East, Greece and Rome, with a particularly well preserved example discovered at Pompeii. On the Greek island of Delos, a Doric Temple of Isis was built on a high over-looking hill at the beginning of the Roman period to venerate the trinity of Isis, the Alexandrian Serapis and Harpocrates. Delos was an important location in Greek myth as the birthplace of Artemis and Apollo, and was venerated as sacred into the Roman period. The spread of Isis’ cult here (and to places like Athens (on the slopes of the Acropolis) and Rome) firmly established the goddess into the Hellenic pantheon (in so far as a goddess recognized by the ruling state to receive land for temples, festivals etc.)
The cult of Isis and Osiris continued up until the 6th century CE on the island of Philae in Upper Egypt. The Theodosian decree (in about 380 CE) to destroy all pagan temples was not enforced there until the time of Justinian. This toleration of the goddess was due to an old treaty made between the Blemyes-Nobadae and Diocletian. Every year they visited Elephantine, and at certain intervals took the image of Isis up river to the land of the Blemyes for oracular purposes before returning it. Justinian sent Narses to destroy the sanctuaries, arrest the priests and take the divine images to Constantinople. Philae was the very last of the Egyptian temples to be closed.
