Advent of Isis from Phoenicia, celebrated in ancient Egypt, Rome

The goddess Isis discovered that the Ark of the god Osiris had been cast up by the Mediterranean in the region of the Phoenician Byblos, so journeyed across the sea to find it, and then brought it back with her to Egypt. Offerings were made on the seventh day of the Egyptian month of Tybi, roughly January 2.

The Egyptian deity Isis was honoured with a temple at Rome. Today, singers, musicians and dancers, mostly female, would perform at this temple during the festival of the Advent of Isis. Actors playing the parts of Isis and Nephthys in the mystery plays celebrated the death and resurrection of Osiris. These might have been the oldest mystery plays on earth, predating even those of Mesopotamia ...

Categories: deity, calendar-customs, ancient-egypt, mythology, ancient-rome