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Serapis |
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Serapis (sĕrā`pĭs) or Sarapis (särä`pĭs), Egyptian god whose devotees united the worship of the Apis bull and the god Osiris. His cult, which originated at Memphis, rose to its greatest significance at Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy I. He was adopted as the universal godhead by some Gnostic sects. In Greece during Hellenistic times and later during the Roman Empire his worship rivaled that of other Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cults.
Serapis (also Sarapis), a god whose cult was established in Hellenistic Egypt by Ptolemy I (ruled 305–283 B.C.). The Egyptians identified Serapis with the fertility god Osiris and sometimes with the sacred bull Apis. Like Osiris, Serapis was venerated as ruler of the dead, giver of fertility, and a god of healing. The Greeks identified him with Zeus. The cult of Serapis was widespread throughout the Hellenistic world. Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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