Aphrodite Figures Hint at Ancient Pagan Resistance
source: http://www.livescience.com/history/090914-aphrodite-statues.html
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- DeliaTheArtist
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"Three figurines of Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love, have been found buried underground in the remains of a shop in a Roman city built in the second century B.C.
The hidden figures hint at the reluctance of some denizens of the Roman Empire to give up their pagan beliefs despite the spread of Christianity.
The ancient treasure, buried for more than 1,500 years, was uncovered during the tenth season of excavations that are being carried out by researchers of the Zinman Institute of Archaeology at the University of Haifa.
The hidden statues were discovered when the researchers exposed a shop in the southeastern corner of the forum district of Sussita, which is the central area of the mountaintop Roman city that existed through the Roman and Byzantine periods and destroyed in the great earthquake of 749 A.D. Sussita, also known as Hippos, is located in Israel and sits on a hill overlooking the Sea of Galilee. The city was originally built by Greek colonists, but later came under Roman rule.
The researchers say it was clear the followers had wished to hide the figurines, as they were found complete.
"It is possible that during the fourth century A.D., when Christianity was gradually becoming the governing religion in the Roman Empire, there were still a number of inhabitants in Sussita who remained loyal to the goddess of love and therefore wished to hide and preserve these items," said Arthur Segal, one of the excavation's leaders.
The hidden figures hint at the reluctance of some denizens of the Roman Empire to give up their pagan beliefs despite the spread of Christianity.
The ancient treasure, buried for more than 1,500 years, was uncovered during the tenth season of excavations that are being carried out by researchers of the Zinman Institute of Archaeology at the University of Haifa.
The hidden statues were discovered when the researchers exposed a shop in the southeastern corner of the forum district of Sussita, which is the central area of the mountaintop Roman city that existed through the Roman and Byzantine periods and destroyed in the great earthquake of 749 A.D. Sussita, also known as Hippos, is located in Israel and sits on a hill overlooking the Sea of Galilee. The city was originally built by Greek colonists, but later came under Roman rule.
The researchers say it was clear the followers had wished to hide the figurines, as they were found complete.
"It is possible that during the fourth century A.D., when Christianity was gradually becoming the governing religion in the Roman Empire, there were still a number of inhabitants in Sussita who remained loyal to the goddess of love and therefore wished to hide and preserve these items," said Arthur Segal, one of the excavation's leaders.
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sgwhites
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Awesome! It makes a lot of sense that people weren't willing to give up their religion. People are so resistant to anyone even criticizing their beliefs; why would anyone think that pagans would just be like, oh you're totally right, we'll just toss all remnants of our old religion aside when Christianity appeared on the scene?
- 2 years ago
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sgwhites
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troyl2
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Who would want to worship a figurine thats man made ?
- 2 years ago
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troyl2
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hayden_augustus
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troyl2:
Who would want to worship a god that's man made? Or any god for that matter.
- 2 years ago
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hayden_augustus
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ampersand
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Well, if I were going to worship somebody, it would be the Goddess of Love.
In fact, that has been my religion, come to think of it. - 2 years ago
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ampersand
