ISIS
Isis was one of the most revered deities of ancient Egypt, associated with motherhood, magic, and rebirth.
Daughter of Nut and Geb, she was both the sister and wife of Osiris, with whom she ruled Egypt and spread civilization.
Her legend is deeply tied to the myth of Osiris: after his brother Seth killed Osiris and scattered his body, Isis tirelessly searched for him, reassembling his remains and resurrecting him long enough to conceive their son, Horus, who would later avenge his father.
Known as the Great Sorceress, Isis wielded extraordinary magical powers, even acquiring the secret name of Ra, granting her dominion over magic itself. She was also a protector of the dead and a guide for souls in the afterlife.
Often depicted with a throne-shaped headdress or a solar disk between bovine horns, she was associated with fertility, royalty, and divine motherhood.
The worship of Isis extended far beyond Egypt, merging with Greek and Roman traditions. She was syncretized with deities such as Demeter, Venus, and Fortuna, and in Rome, she was honored as a universal goddess and protector of sailors. Her temples were established across the Roman Empire, reflecting her widespread influence and enduring appeal.
The Cult of the Goddess
The cult of Egyptian deities in Italy originated from a fusion of Egyptian and Greek elements, facilitated by contacts with the Hellenistic world. However, some practices remained authentically Egyptian, as demonstrated by the Roman priesthood modelled on the Alexandrian one.
Isiac priestesses held various titles, such as Sacerdos Isidis and Pastophorus.
Priests, recognizable by their tonsured heads and the Osiris scepter, adhered to strict rituals, wore star-adorned tunics and papyrus sandals.
Daily ceremonies included three moments: the awakening of the goddess, with hymns and ablutions; the adoration of the sacred Nile water, symbolizing Osiris’ life-giving power; and the evening rites, marking the conclusion of worship.
Unlike in Egypt, where only the pharaoh's priest could gaze upon the deity’s statue, in Rome, Isis’ image was openly displayed to the faithful. Wealthy women sought sacred Nile water for offerings, while others embarked on pilgrimages.
Major Festivals included the Navigium Isidis (March 5), a grand procession in which a sacred ship was ceremonially launched into the sea, symbolizing Isis’ protection over sailors. This event took on a festive, carnival-like atmosphere, with masked participants and decorated animals. The Inventio Osiridis (October 26 – November 3): a festival reenacting the death and resurrection of Osiris, reinforcing themes of renewal and divine justice.
Isiac priests also acted as healers and dream interpreters. The Pastophori practiced incubation healing in temples, where the sick would sleep, hoping for divine visions that prescribed cures. Votive offerings depicting healed body parts were left in shrines dedicated to Isis the Healer, as attested by the poet Tibullo: "Now, goddess, come to my aid, / For the painted tablets in your temple / Show that you can heal."
Iside Panthea
TheAlexandrian Isis is a syncretic goddess embodying multiple aspects and names, as evidenced by the 3rd century AD Capua inscription: ‘To you who are One and All, O Goddess Isis’.
This conception of Isis as panthea, that is universal goddess, developed in Alexandria, a city characterised by a strong cultural eclecticism, where Egyptian and Greek traditions merged, giving rise to a broader and more philosophical interpretation of the divinity.
The idea of Isis as ‘One and All’ has its roots in ancient Egypt, where Amon-Ra was celebrated as the One who generates all things. This concept is also found in the Hermetic writings, which describe the divinity as One and All, in a continuous flow of creation and transformation. In this view, the gods represent expressions of a single divine essence.
In the context of Hellenistic syncretism, this conception was expressed in the aretologies, Greek hymns dedicated to Isis between the 2nd century BC and the 3rd century AD, which celebrated her as queen of the gods, divine mother and morning star.
Aretologies
The cult of Isis Panthea, the goddess of a thousand names, developed mainly in the Hellenistic and Roman periods, fusing Egyptian and Greek religious elements. Numerous inscriptions and texts, including an epigraph from Capua in the 3rd century A.D. and the hieroglyphics of Domitian's obelisks in Benevento, testify to her veneration as a universal goddess, associated with the sun, justice and magic.
The idea of Isis as a supreme and omnipresent goddess has its roots in Egyptian theology, which conceived of the one god as the source of all things. This conception is also reflected in the Hermetic writings, which describe her as the One and the All, in parallel with the Egyptian concept of Amon-Ra.
The aretologies, hymns of self-celebration of the goddess, were composed between the 2nd century B.C. and the 3rd century A.D. and were performed during Isis festivities. Kymé's aretology, among the most famous, describes Isis as creator of the world, mother of Horo, legislator, mistress of the winds and seas, and guarantor of justice. Similar praise is found in the inscriptions of Medinet Maâdi and in the Oxyrhynchus papyrus, which invoke her as a saving and merciful goddess, capable of protecting men from war and storms.
The figure of Isis is also extolled in Latin texts, such as in Apuleius' Golden Ass, where she manifests herself to Lucius as the mother of nature, mistress of the elements and supreme goddess, identifying herself with numerous goddesses of the Mediterranean pantheon. This fusion of characteristics made the Isiac cult one of the most widespread in antiquity, with a presence that extended far beyond the borders of Egypt.
SOURCE: B. de Rachewiltz, A. M. Partini - ROMA EGIZIA: cults, temples and Egyptian divinities in Imperial Rome - Mediterranean Editions Rome
