Entire History of Mediterranean Religions | Pagan to Christian | FULL DOCUMENTARY

In the beginning, there was only chaos, the gaping emptiness of void. Then, with the passage of time, stars, ainos, and Gaia, Heaven and Earth, emerged from chaos. Gaia was the everlasting foundation of the gods of Olympus. She was followed by Tartarus, the great region beneath the Earth; Eros, the shining god of love and attraction; and Des, desire; and Iros, the unknowable darkness where death dwells.

From there, Gaia married Ainos, the Starry Sky, her equal, to cover her, the hills, and the fruit-swelling oceans. Gaia then bore Ora, the mountains, and Pontus, the sea, without sweet union of love. Then she lay with Ainos and bore deep, swirling Oceanus, Koos, and Kreus, Hyperion, Iapetus, Thea, Rhea, Themis, and gold-crowned Phoebe, and lovely Tethys. After them was born Kronos, the wily, the youngest and most terrible of her children.

Only Kronos, the youngest of the Titans, was brave enough to take his mother's sickle and castrate his father. Kronos then became the king of the Gods, with his sister Rhea as his Queen. Kronos, however, learned of a prophecy that he would be overthrown by one of his children. To prevent this, each time Rhea gave birth, Kronos swallowed the child. Rhea tricked Kronos when her sixth child, Zeus, was born. She wrapped him in a stone swaddling clothes, which Kronos swallowed, thinking it was a baby. Zeus was then taken to Crete to be raised in secret.

When Zeus grew up, he returned and forced Kronos to disgourge his siblings. He led them in war against Kronos and the Titans, and eventually, they won, and Zeus became the king of the Gods. Thus, the reign of the Olympians began, marking a new era in the history of the cosmos.

Welcome back, fellow myth seekers and lovers of ancient wisdom. Today, we embark on a captivating journey through the realms of God's creation and the epic clash of cosmic pantheons. Get ready to unlock the divine secrets as we delve into this mesmerizing world of Hesiod's Theogony and its enchanting connections to ancient Near Eastern theogonies and even the Old Testament book of Genesis.

Hesiod's Theogony might be your go-to source for Greek mythology, but what if I told you that the deities of ancient Greece didn't work in isolation? But what if I told you that Genesis borrows its story from previous Genesis stories? Ever wondered how Greek gods like Zeus and Poseidon might rub elbows with the likes of Marduk and Tiamat? We'll be exploring the intriguing parallels between Babylonian and Hittite creation myths, Genesis, and Hesiod's Theogony. We will also uncover the lingering influence of these ancient tales on later mythologies and religious beliefs.

Hesiod's account of the Greek creation story, as detailed in his work Theogony, begins with the emergence of Chaos, void, or chasm. And from Chaos, Gaia, Tartarus, and Eros, King, came into existence. That is Earth, underworld, and desire, depending on which version we're looking at. Either Gaia emerges with Ainos, or she gives birth to Ainos, who, either way, becomes her husband and the father of her children, the Titans. Kronos, the youngest of all, overthrows Ainos, castrates him, and then, in turn, is overthrown by his son Zeus. And this is how we get the succession of the Gods, which is called theogony.

Theogony, from the Greek *theogonia*, meaning "generations of the gods," is an epic poem of 1022 hexameter lines which describe the birth of the gods in the Greek pantheon. It is thought to have been composed around 700 BCE, or somewhere around the 8th century BCE. Little is known of Hesiod's life. His father immigrated from Cyme in Asia Minor and settled in Boeotia, a small state in Central Greece. It is assumed that the poet was a farmer, a fact garnered from the earlier verses of Theogony. He may have also been a rhapsode, a reciter of poetry, where he learned the technique and vocabulary of heroic songs. Although there are some who question whether or not Hesiod actually wrote Theogony, most classicists believe he did. However, parts of the work may have been added by a later poet, and there is a definite similarity in some aspects to some Mesopotamian literature.

The Enuma Elish, also known as The Seven Tablets of Creation, is the Babylonian creation myth whose title is derived from the opening lines of the piece: "When on high..." The Enuma Elish tells the story of the great god Marduk's victory over the forces of chaos and his establishment of order at the creation of the world. All of the tablets containing the myth, found at Assur, Kish, Ashur-Bani-Pal's library at Nineveh, and other excavated sites, date to 1200 BCE. Their colophons, however, indicate that these are all copies of a much older version of the myth, dating from long before the reign of Hammurabi of Babylon (18th century BCE), the king who elevated the god Marduk to patron deity of Babylon. The poem, in its present form with Marduk as champion, is thought to be a revision of an even older Sumerian work, and the Sumerian Ia, or Enki, or Enlil, is thought to have played the major role in the original version of the story, dated to 3500 BCE.

Theogony of Dunnu, a composition that dates to the second millennium BCE, when Dunnu was a town of importance. The text is useful for showing that each city may have had its own local traditions about creation which differed even in essentials from those of other cities. Unlike the Epic of Creation, or Enuma Elish, where the primordial forces were seawater and freshwater, we have plow and Earth as the originators of creation and the parents of the sea. Anu, the sky, who creates the sky, which creates the Earth. Thus, we cannot speak of a Mesopotamian view of creation as a single specific tradition. This, in turn, shows the futility of claiming a direct connection between Genesis, as described in the Old Testament, and any one of the Mesopotamian accounts of creation. In fact, it mostly draws upon all of these theogonies that come before it.

Hesiod's Theogony and the Enuma Elish are both ancient epic poems that explore the creation of the universe and the origins of the gods in different mythological traditions. While they come from different cultures and time periods, there are several similarities between the two works. Both Theogony and the Enuma Elish describe the process of creation and the establishment of order in the cosmos. They present elaborate cosmogenesis and how the gods emerged. Both poems feature primordial deities who precede the main pantheon of gods. These primordial beings represent abstract concepts and forces of nature. In Theogony, Chaos, or void, is the initial entity from which everything else originates, while in the Enuma Elish, Tiamat, or the Deep, primeval sea, is the beginning of all.

Both of these works provide genealogies of the gods, tracing their lineage and relationships. They present a hierarchy of gods and goddesses with different generations of deities and their interaction shaping the world and its divine order. Both poems depict conflicts among the gods that lead to the establishment of order. In Theogony, the Titans rebel against Ainos, and then later Olympian gods overthrow the Titans. In the Enuma Elish, the younger gods, led by Marduk, battle against the primordial goddess Tiamat and her forces.

Both poems address the succession of power among the gods. They portray a shift in leadership and authority from older generations to younger ones. In Theogony, Zeus emerges as a supreme ruler of the gods, while in the Enuma Elish, it's Marduk. Both works employ common mythological motifs found in various cultures, such as the slaying of a monstrous deity for the creation of the world. These motifs reflect archetypal themes and symbolize the triumph of order over chaos.

During the Bronze Age, this story was passed to the Hittites, who rendered the Succession of the Gods myth, or Theogony, and several different stories that span from 1600 to 1200 BCE. The Kingship of Heaven and the Song of Kumarbi share some similarities with Hesiod's Theogony in their portrayal of divine origins and establishment of order. Both Theogony and the Hittite creation myths present genealogies of the gods, tracing their lineage and relationships to describe a hierarchy of deities and their interactions. The succession of power and the emergence of the supreme god. Both traditions feature primordial deities who exist before the creation of the world, just like Chaos and Gaia are among the initial entities. The Hittites have Alalu and Anu, and Kumarbi, who represent these primordial beings. While in Theogony, the Titans rebel, in Hittite mythology, Kumarbi struggles against Anu, which eventually leads to the rise of the storm god Teshub. Both traditions address the theme of succession and power. Zeus emerges as the supreme ruler of the gods, while in Hittite mythology, Teshub becomes the chief deity after overcoming Kumarbi, who parallels Kronos. Teshub assumes the kingship in Heaven. Both traditions describe how the gods shape the universe, assign roles and domains to different deities, and bring order from chaos.

Hesiod's Theogony also has many parallels to the Egyptian creation myths. Etched on the walls of the city of Heliopolis, dated to around 2000 BCE, is a similar creation account that looks similar to Hesiod's. And this Egyptian creation myth, the process of cosmic creation, they explain how the world came into existence and how order was established from chaos. This is the common thread through all of these creation stories that existed in this time period. While Chaos and Gaia are among these initial deities in Theogony, it's Atum or Amun and Nun who represent the primeval beings in the Egyptian creation account that's etched in the walls of Heliopolis. In Theogony, Hesiod describes how the gods, through their words, bring about the birth and organization of the cosmos. Similarly, in the Egyptian creation myths, the universe is believed to have been spoken into existence by the gods through their words or thoughts. Both narratives highlight the active involvement of gods in the creation of the world. They portray gods as creators, shapers, and organizers of the cosmos. Both Theogony and the Egyptian Genesis depict the transformation of chaos into order. They present the gods' efforts to establish stability and harmony in the universe, or Ma'at, as the Egyptians call it, organizing elements and assigning roles to different deities.

Another theogony from the ancient world, known as The Phoenician History, attributed to a Bronze Age priest named Sanchuniathon from Beirut. And like Hesiod's Theogony, it describes a hierarchy of deities and their interactions, highlighting the succession of power and the emergence of the supreme god. Both traditions feature primordial deities who exist before the creation of the world, like Chaos, Gaia, and Ainos. The Phoenician creation myth includes El, the Semitic word for God, which is also the same word used in the Hebrew Bible for the one true God, along with other titles like Yahweh and Adonai. Both narratives depict the conflicts and struggles among the gods that shape the world and establish order. In Theogony, the Titans rebel against Ainos, and the later Olympians battle against the Titans. In the Phoenician myth, El and his offspring battle against the primordial gods that came before him. El sacrifices his firstborn, only begotten son, Yahweh, as an offering to Ainos, his father in Heaven, and then circumcises himself and makes this a custom among the Phoenicians. From that day forward, it is believed that this story is retold in the Old Testament book of Genesis, with Abraham offering his son Isaac as an offering to El, the same name, but is stopped by an angel. And like the Phoenician myth, Abraham also circumcises himself and makes this a custom among the Hebrews. Both Hesiod and Sanchuniathon's tradition address the theme of succession in divine power. They portray a transfer of authority from the older generations to the younger ones. In Theogony, Zeus emerges as the supreme ruler of the gods, and in the Phoenician myth, El is succeeded by his other son, Deon, who then becomes the chief ruler of the Phoenicians. And like the other myths that came afterwards, the Phoenician cosmology and Theogony describe how the gods shaped the universe and bring order from chaos.

Thales, a pre-Socratic Ionian philosopher in the 6th century BCE, was said to have received a cosmological creation story from the Phoenicians, who he studied under. This particular rendering of the Phoenician creation seems to be slightly different from when Sanchuniathon laid down. It was attributed to the legendary Phoroneus, who inhabited the Aegean long before the Greeks and Mycenaeans. Like Hesiod's Theogony, that presents genealogical accounts of the gods and tracing their lineage and relationships, it describes a succession of deities, often in a hierarchical structure. Both traditions feature primordial deities who exist before the creation of the world. In Theogony, it's Chaos, Ainos, and Gaia among the three initial entities, while in the fragments of Pherecydes, it's Kronos, Zas, and Chthon. Both narratives touch upon conflicts among the gods that shape the world and establish order. In Theogony, the Titans rebel against Ainos, and later the Olympians against the Titans. In Pherecydes, there are references to struggles among the gods, Zas overthrowing Kronos, and Kronos overthrowing Chthon. Both traditions address the theme of succession in power. They portray a transfer of authority from the older generations to the younger ones. Zeus emerges as the supreme ruler of the gods.

The Derveni Papyrus is an ancient Greek manuscript that was discovered in 1962 during excavations in Derveni, a suburb of Thessaloniki in Greece. It is considered one of the most important archaeological finds relating to ancient Greek religious and philosophical beliefs, believed to date back to the 4th century BCE, and is the oldest surviving text in physical copy in Europe and world history. The Papyrus contains a philosophical treatise written in Greek, addressing various cosmological and religious topics. It discusses the nature of the gods, the origins of the universe, the role of sacrifices and rituals in the interpretation of religious texts and myths. One of the notable aspects of the Derveni Papyrus is its commentary on an earlier poem attributed to Orpheus, a legendary figure in ancient Greek mythology, a son of Apollo and the high priest of Dionysus, said to be the teacher of a man named Musaeus, who later historians say is possibly Moses. He was called Orpheus the Theologian, the revealer of the heavens. The commentary provides an allegorical interpretation of this poem, discussing its cosmogenic and theogonic themes. The Derveni Papyrus is significant because it provides valuable insights into the religious and philosophical beliefs of ancient Greeks during the late Classical period. It offers a glimpse into the ways in which ancient Greeks interpreted their myths and religious practices, and it sheds light on the development of philosophical and cosmological thought.

Both texts delve into cosmological concepts, seeking to explain the origins of the universe and the nature of the gods. They explore the relationship between the divine, the natural world, and human existence. Both texts contain theogonic narratives, describing the genealogies and relationships of the gods. They present accounts of the succession of divine powers and the establishment of cosmic order. Both texts engage in the interpretation of the myths, seeking deeper meaning and symbolism. Hesiod's Theogony provided a foundation for later philosophical and cosmological inquiries. Their Derveni Papyrus, with its philosophical treatises and allegorical interpretation, reflects the philosophical interest of the time.

Everything that's mentioned in this video so far has references older than the Book of Genesis. In the Old Testament, there is no reference to the Book of Genesis by anyone in any primary sources before the 4th century BCE. And this leads us to the final installment of creation stories that are similar to Hesiod's Theogony, which is the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament or Hebrew Bible.

Both Theogony and Genesis address the process of creation and the establishment of the world. They present accounts of how the universe came into existence and how order was established. They both begin with an eternal being, either Chaos or Elohim, and then Heaven and Earth are immediately created. The Greek Septuagint, which was produced in Alexandria, Egypt, around 270 BCE, uses Gaia and Ainos for Heaven and Earth. And in the Greek text, similarities are staring you in the face. They both begin with darkness or night before light. Or, in the case of Hesiod, Iros gave birth to Ether and Day. In both accounts, they move from Heaven and Earth to darkness and light, and then to the separating of two waters, which, in the case of Theogony, is the Raging Sea and Oceanus. They both seem to have double accounts of how this happens. They both end up with the creation of humankind. But in the case of Hesiod's Theogony, the birth of Aphrodite seems to parallel Eve. Instead of Adam's rib being used to create Eve, the genitalia of the castrated Ainos falls into the sea, and white foam formed, from which Aphrodite sprang. Pandora and Eve show obvious parallels too. Pandora's box being opened has parallels to Eve biting the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. In both cases, the woman is the reason for the problems of the world. What's even apparent is that Hesiod even mentions good and evil in this very passage. Whoever marries as fated and gets a good wife, compatible, has a life that is balanced between good and evil, a constant struggle. But if he marries the abusive kind, he lives with pain in his heart all down the line. Prometheus, who creates mortal humans, seems to parallel Adam and Cain in one character, as he is the primordial god from whom humans descend, but also, like Cain, gives offerings to Zeus that are rejected. The son of Prometheus, Deucalion, has to build an ark and survive a flood that is levied by Zeus.

Both texts present a hierarchical structure of divine beings. They describe a succession of gods and their relationships. In the case of the Old Testament, the succession of the patriarchs from Adam to Noah to Abraham to Moses and down, highlighting the order and organization within the divine realm and the earthly realm. The gods are assigned specific roles and dominions over different aspects of the universe in Theogony, just like the patriarchs are in Genesis. Both traditions feature primordial beings who exist before the creation of the world. Chaos is existing before anything in Theogony, while God is depicted as pre-existing before the creation of the world. In Theogony, the gods bring about the birth and organization of the cosmos through their words. Similarly, in Genesis, God creates the world by speaking it into existence with his divine command.

Divine creation from order from chaos. Both traditions present the idea of the world being brought out of chaos into order. They describe the transformation of formless and void conditions into a structured and organized universe. The process of creation involves the establishment of boundaries and the separation of the elements. They present accounts of how humans were created by divine entities and the relationship with the divine.

The Epic of Creation, a Mesopotamian text cited by Berossus the Chaldean in the 3rd century BCE. The text itself dates to the second millennium BCE, and this text has seven tablets, just like the seven days of creation. And the first tablet, Heaven and Earth emerge. The second tablet, the atmosphere and firmament are created, just like the second day of creation in Genesis. It is the fourth tablet where the constellations, the sun, moon, and stars are created, just like day four in Genesis. The fifth tablet, birds and sea creatures are created, just like day five of Genesis. Lastly, day six in Genesis is when humans are created, and in the same way, tablet six, we have humans created. And the most striking parallel of all, on the seventh tablet, the gods rest, just as in day seven, the one true God rests.

Theogony of Dunnu, which dates to the early 2nd millennium BCE. And this text reads, "At the very beginning, Plow married Earth, and they decided to establish a family and dominion. 'We shall break up the virgin soil of the land into clouds.' And in the clouds of their virgin soil, they created the sea." Plow is a constellation in the sky that represents the heavens. So, once again, we have Heaven and Earth getting married, creating the world and separating the seas.

Dionysus, alternatively named Bacchus or Iacchus, Sabazius, and Liber Pater, as well as dozens of titles in the traditions of Greco-Roman mythology, is a deity representing the natural elements of fertility and plant life, but is most renowned as the god of wine and revelry. The presence of his name on a Linear B tablet dating back to the 13th century BCE provides evidence that his worship was present during the Bronze Age Mycenaean period, yet the exact origins of his cult remain unknown. He could be even older than that. Throughout various legends associated with his cult, Dionysus is consistently portrayed as having exotic beginnings. To even begin to guess how old Dionysus is, you first have to understand that he is older than the invention of the alphabet, so dating him is tricky. Linear B represents a system of writing that utilized syllabic script to transcribe Mycenaean Greek, recognized as the most ancient form of the Greek language on record. This system of writing was in existence several centuries before the emergence of the Phoenician and Greek alphabet. The earliest instances of Mycenaean inscription trace back to approximately 1500 BCE, but the use of Linear B ceased following the end of the Bronze Age around 1200 BCE.

Dionysus shows up in this period. John El Kasy revealed a monumental archaeological find at the sanctuary of St. Irene of Kia, illustrating sustained religious practices tracing back to the 13th century BC. The oldest recorded consecration at this sanctuary acknowledges Dionysus Dios as the venerated god. Another exemplary piece of Linear B inscription unearthed during digs at Agia Atini Square on Kastri hill and Knossos serves as a significant representation of late Minoan devotion to Dwos or Zeus and Dioo Dionysus. This inscription narrates the offering of honey to Zeus and Dionysus and denotes the presence of a sanctuary dedicated to Zeus and Kidonia Zeus. With his genitive form Dios, he has historically been linked with the Dio prefix in ancient Greek for God, suggesting that the very Ious forms of the name may allude to an original Dios Nysos.

6th Century BC Pherecydes of Syros had suggested Nysa, an ancient word for tree. It could possibly have ties to Mount Nysa, the mythological birthplace in Greek lore of the god Dionysus, where he was cared for by nymphs known as the Nymphae. And it's possible that it could be related to both tree and Mount Nysa, as Homer describes: "There is a certain Nysa, mountain high, with forests thick of cedar, in Phoenicia afar, close to Egypt's streams." A vase created by Soskles ascribes names to the Nymphae. Some ancient propositions situated Nysa within Boeotia, the dwelling place of Dionysus' mother Semele. Helicon Mount, in the hamlet of Eleutherae, were believed to be plausible locations. Thrace was another potential location, possibly due to the early reverence of the god in that region. The Caucasus, another speculated site, situated at the known world's eastern boundary, since Dionysus was presumed to have entered Greece from the East. In the 5th century BCE, Herodotus of Halicarnassus was aware of a mountain by the name of Nysa located in Ethiopia, possibly referring to Jebel Baral, a place where ancient Nubians offered sacrifices to Ammon. Anaximenes of Lampsacus, who lived around the same time as Herodotus, seems to have adopted this idea, relocating Nysa to Arabia, possibly correlating it with the Arab deity referred to by the Greeks as Orotalt. Diodorus of Sicily cites Antimachus, but he also documents a tradition locating Nysa in Libya. This relocation may be influenced by the worship of Sadria in Phoenician colonies along the Libyan coast. Furthermore, Diodorus chronicles ancient traditions situating the god's birth in various places, including Ellis, Eleutherae, Naxos, or Teos. Regardless of his origins, this means that Dionysus can be dated no sooner than the 13th century BCE, but also possibly even older, possibly even in the Copper Age.

Naxos, Crete, is arguably the oldest city in the world, having archaeological evidence dating back to 7,000 BCE in the Late Stone Age. The island is rich in copper and is one of the leading possible locations for the beginning of the Copper Age, which began around 4,000 to 3500 BCE. The Minoans thrived during this period. Linear B, which Dionysus's name is found in, is generally thought to have evolved from Linear A, the hieroglyphic writing that the Minoans used in one of the oldest forms of writing on Earth. In Minoan Crete, specifically at Knossos, the name Pentheus, a term from subsequent Dionysian mythology, means "suffering," was commonly bestowed upon men. It was a common name for the common class. Hungarian philologist Károly Kerényi posited that assigning such a name to a child likely implies a substantial spiritual linkage, perhaps as a decryptor for Dionysus himself, who, according to his mythology, is a deity destined to endure and then overcome suffering. In narratives that follow, Pentheus endures agony at the behest of Dionysus' acolytes, hinting at a profound spiritual intertwining. As per Kerényi's analysis, he further hypothesizes that the term "man who suffers" originally pertained to the deity before being attributed to specific persons as the narrative evolved. Carl AP Ruck points out Pentheus and Dionysus are a mirror of each other. In the famous 6th century BCE play called The Bacchae by Euripides, the story of Pentheus and Dionysus is closely related to that of Jacob and Esau. In both stories, the birthright is stolen by Jacob or Dionysus from the other family. Jacob and Esau are both sons in the household of Isaac, while Dionysus and Pentheus are both sons in the household of Cadmus. The name Jacob in Hebrew (Ya'akov) is oddly similar to the alternative name for Dionysus, which is Iacchus.

Now, let's revisit what Homer says: "There is a certain Nysa, mountain high, with forests thick of cedar, in Phoenicia afar, close to Egypt's streams." Herodotus also claims that only two gods worshipped by the Arabians in the Sinai region are Dionysus and Aphrodite. Throughout the Old Testament, Dionysian imagery is everywhere. The temple built by Solomon is described as having golden vines wrapped in ivy with clusters of golden grapes and golden satyrs. Seraphim, goat-men, decorated the inner sanctum. Satyrs and vines with ivy and grape clusters is a combination that makes Dionysian imagery impossible to ignore. Dionysus himself is depicted as a satyr with horns, and he leads an army of satyrs into battle, and they wear crowns of ivy. Many Roman and Greek authors also thought that the Jews worshipped some form of Dionysus, and I will revisit this matter when I talk about the Asian Dionysus known as Sabazius.

A passage from the Chaldean Oracles reads: "Dionysus, or Bacchus, was called by the Chaldeans Iao in the Phoenician tongue, and is frequently called Sabath, such as the one who is above the seven spheres, called Demiurge in the Navian Kingdom." The counterpart of Dionysus was the great god named Duara, or Dusares, the one of Shara, from the name of the mountain overlooking Petra in Arabia. Duara was expected to bring justice if called by the correct ritual. Epiphanius of Salamis writes about Duara as being born of a virgin named Kabu, equated to that of the underworld queen Persephone. This is interesting because the Dionysus of the Black Sea region was born of Kubaba, later known as Cybele, and she was often equated with Persephone as well, and this will come up later in the video. The reason why we know Duara was associated with Dionysus is because he also had a temple in southern Italy that was used until the first century. He is depicted in his normal robes, holding the thyrsus staff that Dionysus holds. Dionysus is also considered by Herodotus, Diodorus, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Strabo, as well as the Orphic and Homeric Hymns to be an equivalent of the Egyptian god Osiris. More on this later as well.

All of these factors show us that the Dionysian religion of the Bronze Age was so widespread that it was arguably practiced in some shape or form worldwide to all cultures that cultivated the vine. Some ancient authors like Nonnus think he was even worshipped as far as lands beyond India to the East, and Palaephatus of Rhodes tells a story about a group of Bacchic women living all the way west on an island in the Atlantic Ocean that lived in a matriarchal society and only worshipped Dionysus. According to Palaephatus, they send virgins to the mainland once a year to get pregnant. If a male is born, they chant "Eva" and tear apart and eat them as baby Dionysus was torn apart and eaten by Titans. And if it's a female, she is raised as a Bacchante. The evidence clearly shows that the Dionysian cults were known throughout the entire ancient world.

The other possible origins of Dionysus, his Sebazian roots of the Black Sea Caucasus region, another ancient kingdom that thrived in the Copper Age, is even more interesting and compelling. Current findings indicate that the initial cultivation of vines occurred in the southern Caucasus, now known as Georgia, around 6,000 BCE, and subsequently in the fifth millennium BCE, brought to the Sumerians in what is now Southern Iraq. Additionally, it was the Phoenician traders who transported the initial vines from these regions to their land, present-day Lebanon, facilitating the advancement and production of wine. According to the Bible, Noah was the first winemaker. His ark stranded, as the Bible claims, about 5,000 years ago on Mount Ararat, an area in this exact region where the vine cultivation was discovered. Evidence of a vine god in the form of Sabazius was considered as the most ancient and most revered among Cappadocians and Phrygians, who also venerated the great mother Cybele. It is thought that Sabazius and Cybele are husband and wife. There is archaeological evidence of this dating to 6,000 BCE in the form of Kubaba. I will speak more on this later in the video, but the fact that the wine and grape cultivation was discovered in this region gives much plausibility to the possibility that a wine god would also be first venerated here. According to Cicero, there were at least five different Dionysus traditions, as he states in *On the Nature of the Gods*, written in the 1st century BCE in Latin: "We have several bearers of the name Dionysus. The first is the son of Jupiter and Proserpina. The second, who is said to have slain Nysa, is the son of the Nile. The third is the son of Cabus; he is reported to have been king over Asia, and in his honor the Sabazia were instituted. The fourth is the son of Jupiter and Luna, and it is in connection with him that the Orphic rites are believed to be celebrated. The fifth is the offspring of Uranus and Thonis, and the supposed founder of the Thracians."

The common story about Dionysus is that he is the offspring of Zeus and Semele, who is a daughter of Cadmus and the king of Thebes. Hera, the consort of Zeus, driven by envy, manipulated the expecting Semele to validate the divine nature of her lover by having him reveal his true self. Zeus, adhering to her request, manifested in his true form, but his immense power was too overwhelming for the mortal Semele, leading to her destruction by thunderbolts. However, Zeus managed to rescue his son by enclosing him in his thigh until he could mature, rendering Dionysus as being born twice. Subsequently, Dionysus was entrusted to the care of the Maenads, also known as Bacchae, a local considered to be fictional, under the guidance of the god Hermes. However, his twice-born title also has more to it than that. There are other legends of Dionysus that are said to predate this tale. In the mystery cults of ancient Greece, passed down through fragments of Orphic hymns, kept secret, his true origins as Zagreus, the divine child of Persephone and Zeus, who was chosen to be the king of the universe in succession after Kronos and Zeus. Although just after he was born, Zagreus, the baby Dionysus, was torn to pieces, cooked, and eaten by the evil Titans, but his heart was saved by Athena, and he, Dionysus, was resurrected by Zeus through Semele. Zeus struck the Titans with lightning, and they were consumed by fire. From their ashes came the first humans, who thus possessed both the evil nature of the Titans and the divine nature of the Gods.

The central tale of Orphism revolves around Dionysus's torment and demise by the Titans and eventual resurrection. This narrative in Orphic thought highlights the dual essence of humans: a bodily aspect derived from the Titans and a divine essence or soul from Dionysus. For liberation from the material world tied to the Titans, one needed to be inducted into the Dionysian rites and experience *telete*, a ceremonial cleansing that involved re-experiencing the god's anguish and demise. Orphics held the conviction that after passing away, they would eternally coexist with Orpheus and other legendary figures in Elysium, a kingdom in Hades ruled by Saturn. Conversely, they thought those who weren't initiated would face endless cycles of reincarnation. Orpheus was a high priest of Dionysus and has multiple hymns to Dionysus and Sabazius attributed to him. Orpheus was said to have given his initiates secret wisdom that they can bring to Hades upon passing away that will allow them to be saved from the cycles of reincarnation and death. This is the Hymn of Memory: "When you are about to die, you will go to the spacious halls of Hades. A spring is on the right, and by it stands the bright cypress tree. There the descending souls of the dead refresh themselves. Do not go near to this spring at all. Further on, you will find from the lake of Memory refreshing water flowing forth, but guardians are nearby. They will ask you with sharp minds, 'What do you seek in this misty shadow of Hades?' Say, 'I am the child of Earth and Starry Heaven, Gaia and Ainos, and I am parched with thirst and I perish. But quick, give me refreshing water from the lake of Memory.' And then they will speak to the underworld king, Pluto, and then they will give you the drink from the lake of Memory, and you, having drunk, will go along the sacred road that the other famed initiates have traveled." An Orphic initiate who followed these directions would pass into Heaven and be saved. The Orphic focus on piety and salvation from death heavily influences later Pythagorean, Platonist, and Judeo-Christian theologies that came after.

In Thebes, Dionysus was opposed by Pentheus, his cousin, who was torn to pieces by the Bacchae when he attempted to spy on their activities. Athenians were punished with impotence for dishonoring the god's cult. Their husbands' resistance notwithstanding, women took to the hills wearing fawn skins and crowns of ivy and shouting the ritual cry "Eua," forming holy bands and waving the thyrsus, fennel wands bound with grapevine and with ivy, with a pine cone on top. They danced by torchlight to the rhythm of the aulos, the double pipe, and the handheld drum. While they were under the god's inspiration, the Bacchae were believed to possess occult powers and the ability to charm snakes and suckle animals, as well as supernatural strength that enabled them to tear living victims to pieces before indulging in a ritual feast. The Bacchae hailed the god by his titles of Bromios (thunderer), Bull, horned bull-faced, in the belief that he incarnated the sacrificial beast.

Aristophanes wrote *Frogs* in the 5th century BCE, narrating the story of Dionysus, whom he calls Iacchus, descending from Hades to resurrect the dead. The plot unfolds with Dionysus disguised as Heracles, alongside his servant Xanthias riding a donkey, to visit Heracles. Dionysus' attire amusingly surprises Heracles. Dionysus inquires about the route to the underworld to bring back the poet Euripides to Athens and the potential challenges they might face. After receiving guidance from Heracles, the duo embark on their journey. Dionysus is conveyed across the lake by Charon, while Xanthias, being a slave, has to circumvent it. Frogs serenade them during their journey, initially irking but eventually amusing Dionysus, who partakes in their jubilant melodies: "Bre! Coax! Bre! Coax! Bre! Coax!" Dionysus engages in a mocking debate with the frogs. Dionysus and Xanthias confront the creature Empusa, terrifying Dionysus. Soon, the chorus of initiates sing hymns to Iacchus, Deuter, and Pappon. Upon reaching Pluto's abode, their arrival is met with hostility due to Dionysus' disguise as Heracles. The confusion over their identities and subsequent interactions bring comedic elements into the play. "Come, arise from sleep, awaken, King! Come, the fiery torches shaking! Oh Iacchus! Oh Iacchus! Morning star that shinest nightly low! The mead is blazing brightly! Age forest its years in sadness! Aged knees curve it for gladness! Lift thy flashing torches, oh! Us marshal all thy blameless train! Lead, oh lead the way before us! Lead the lovely youthful chorus!" Inside, contention between Aeschylus and Euripides over poetic supremacy unfolds, with Dionysus as the adjudicator. A series of debates and competitions reveal their differing poetic styles and philosophies, with Euripides presenting his work as more modern and relatable, while Aeschylus defends the grandeur and depth of his compositions. Unable to decide, Dionysus resorts to weighing their verses, leading to Aeschylus's victory due to the profound themes in his work. Subsequently, reflections on political figure Alcibiades are solicited from both poets. Eventually, Aeschylus is declared the ultimate victor, and the group retires for a feast. Aeschylus leaves his esteemed seat to Socrates upon his departure to the mortal realm, ending with accolades to Aeschylus and hopes for his wise counsel to Athens. Dionysus ascends back from Hades and successfully resurrects the dead poet. This comedy was known by many to be an allegory of the ancient Eleusinian Mysteries. These Mysteries were practiced by hierophants who held secret initiation ceremonies. The purpose of initiation was to gain salvation and eternal life from participating in the rites of Dionysus and Demeter, who represent the vine and grain. A holy Eucharist was involved. The wine was the spirit of Dionysus, and the bread was the spirit of Demeter, the goddess who Zeus fell in love with, whose daughter Persephone was abducted by Pluto. In the secret hymns, adherents to Dionysus counted among the entities symbolizing fecundity, including the satyrs and sileni. The phallus held significant prominence in his ceremonies. Dionysus frequently assumed a wild animalistic form and found association with diverse fauna. His distinctive symbols included a wreath of ivy, the thyrsus, and the kantharos, a sizable goblet with two handles. Early Greek representations depict him as a man with a beard, but subsequent portrayals showed him as young and delicate in appearance. Scenes of Bacchic festivities were a prevalent theme for those who painted on vases.

The Eleusinian Mysteries stood as the most renowned among the Dionysian spiritual practices throughout global history. Every year, initiates gathered for rituals dedicated to Demeter and Persephone at the famed Eleusis sanctuary in ancient Greece. These rites, often described as ancient Greece's most celebrated secret religious practices, rooted in an age-old farming tradition, are indications that they evolved from ceremonies of the Bronze Age Mycenaean era. The rituals echoed the narrative of Persephone's capture by Hades, the underworld king, and detailed three primary stages: the descent, the pursuit, and the rise, culminating in Persephone's reunion with Demeter. This celebration was a central event in the Hellenistic period and later found its way to Rome. Parallel ceremonies are evident in Near East agricultural communities and Minoan Crete. Throughout history, the specifics of these ceremonies, rites, and doctrines were guarded meticulously, upheld for those who were initiated. Persephone's rebirth symbolized the unending cycle of life passed down across generations, and they held the conviction of receiving blessings in the afterlife. Artistic representations of the Mysteries, such as paintings and pottery, are abundant, given that the Mysteries showcased visions of the afterlife and that their enduring appeal and continuation of practices across 2,000 years are influenced by psychedelic substances. The town's name Eleusis appears to have non-Greek origins and possibly correlates with Eleusinian deity Eleuth. The ceremonies were conducted annually. The Lesser Mysteries were observed during the spring, while those who had undergone prior purification participated in the Greater Mysteries come September. Devotees journeyed the sacred path from Athens to Eleusis, invoking the Kore, the Virgin, and reenacting Demeter's quest for her abducted daughter. Upon arriving at Eleusis, participants paused near the same well where Demeter had once rested, observed a fast, and then consumed a drink made from barley and mint known as kykeon. This concoction contained hallucinogenic fungus, ergot, enhancing the overall mystical experience. Post consumption, attendees made their way into the Telesterion, a subterranean chamber, to witness the confidential ceremony. It's widely believed that this rite symbolically reenacted Dionysus's death and subsequent resurrection, with spectators possibly playing a role. The initiates were to symbolically die by drinking the kykeon, the hallucinogenic drink, and become resurrected through the god taking over their body and making them holy. A Eucharist was involved, followed by the orgiastic revelry, then a phallus of Dionysus was brought out. Initiates would then take the phallus from the chest and repeat these words: "I have fasted, I have drunk the cup, I have received from the box, having done, I put it in the basket and out of the basket into the chest." This would go down until dawn. Following this were baptisms, sacred baths. Initiates would report that they felt transformed at the sight of dawn and no longer had fear of death. The happenings within the Telesterion remain shrouded in mystery, but we do have fragments of testimonies about how powerful the rituals were. Notably, many influential figures and luminaries of the ancient world were initiates in the Mysteries: Plato, Socrates, Olympius, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Augustus, Marcus Aurelius, just to name a few. Nicholas of Damascus writes about Brahmins from India traveling all the way to Greece just to be initiated into these rites. To these accounts may be added that of Nicholas Mascus. This writer states that at Antioch, near Daphne, he met with ambassadors from the Indians who were sent to Augustus Caesar. It appeared from the letter that several Brahmins were mentioned in it, but three only survived whom he saw. The rest had died chiefly in consequence of the length of the journey. The Brahmins presented the gifts which were brought. The presents were a Hermes statue without arms, perfumes, oils, tigers, large snakes, a serpent 10 cubits in length, a river tortoise of three cubits in length, and a partridge larger than a vulture. They were accompanied by the Brahman Sarman. For some reason, after initiation in the Eleusinian Mysteries, he wished to die because he wished to make a display for the benefit of Augustus and the Athenians. He was therefore initiated into the mysteries of Dionysus and Demeter, which were held out of season, on account, they say, of Augustus, who was also an initiate. And Sarman then threw himself alive into the fire and died. His tomb was this inscription: "Sarman, O Keigas, an Indian, a native of Barosa, having immortalized himself according to the custom of his country. Here lies Dionysus."

Dionysus possessed the ability to induce inspiration and ecstasy. His worship held profound significance in the realms of art and literature. In Athens, theatrical presentations of tragedy and comedy were integral components of the two Dionysian festivals: the Lenaia and the Great Dionysia. Additionally, Dionysus received tribute through lyric poetry known as the Dithyrambs. However, in Roman narratives, his character is often misconstrued, being reduced to the merry figure of Bacchus, a staple in festive drinking gatherings.

The festivities of Bacchanalia were officially forbidden in Italy in 186 BCE. There was a major event in Roman Republic history: a group of runaway slaves and plebeians led a revelry in the northern wilderness of Rome, led by women. Peculia Annia is believed to have led the mystery rites of Dionysus, known as the holy orgia, beginning around 188 BC. Livy portrays the Bacchanalia as a ceremony exclusive to women, conducted during daylight on only three annual occasions. However, Peculia Annia transitioned these ceremonies to nighttime events, increased their occurrence to five times monthly, and made them accessible to all genders and social standings. She also made the consumption of wine along with the acts of violence and mandatory intimate encounters a core part of the initiation process. The vulnerable, including the lower socioeconomic classes, slaves, women, gay men, the young, and those perceived as morally feeble, were believed to be the most affected, but even upper-class men were not exempt. Livy reports that the men dressed as women, and the women like men, and same-sex relationships were encouraged. A former member and courtesan, Hispala Faecenia, despite her fears of retribution from the cult, disclosed its activities to a stunned Roman Senate. After thorough scrutiny, the Senate acted to dismantle the cult, believing this action prevented impending divine retribution on Rome. Livy states that around 6,000 individuals faced execution, and among the detained was Minucius Carinus, Peculia's son. The law against or restructuring of the cult is documented in the *Senatus Consultum de Bacchanalibus*, the edict to outlaw them in 186 BCE, still survives. The ultimate fate of Peculia remains a mystery.

Bacchanalian festivals were then banned for the next 20 to 40 years because of this. These Bacchanalian festivals, influenced by the Greek Dionysia, or merged with the ancient festival of Liber, and were held privately, like an ancient Burning Man. These usually consisted of heavy drinking, music, satyr plays, and competitions of poetry. In Greece, they had four annual festivals to Dionysus: Dionysia, Lenaia, and Anthesteria. Two of the four were called Dionysia: the Rural Dionysia and the City Dionysia. Similar to the Bacchanalia, they would take place at different times of the year. The central events of which were the theatrical performances of dramatic tragedies. Pompey's session was completed. There were contests of dancing and singing, and choruses would perform dithyrambs. The central event was the pomp procession, in which the phalli were carried by phallophori. The Lenaia took place at Delphi in the spring season as an agrarian festival. It was celebrated at a crucial time for propitiating the awakening of nature, specifically the grape and vine, symbolized by the god himself, his death and reemergence from the underworld, though this was not the time of the grape harvest, but rather when the vines were pruned. Attendance would cheer "Iacchus, son of Semele! Eua! Iao! Sabba! Eua! Iao! Sabba!" while carrying torches at night. The fourth and last Dionysian festival was the Anthesteria, celebrated at the first full moon of the winter. The three days of the feast were called Pithoigia, Choes, and Chytri. The Anthesteria also had aspects of a festival of the dead. People would mourn for the death of Dionysus.

If we go to the ancient Copper Age.

Sumer we find some dionan traits between several deities here. Here Nashida, whose name means "lord of the good tree," has an exact animology match to what Festies of Siros thinks Dionysus means: "Dio nuso, god of the tree." He was a Mesopotamian deity of vegetation, the underworld, and sometimes war. He was commonly associated with snakes, libations, and wine. Like Dumuzi, he was believed to spend a part of the year in the Land of the Dead.

Dumuzi is also a vegetation god who, like Dionysus, descends into the underworld and returns. Nashida is connected with Dumuzi due to their common traits as deities of vegetation who undergo death. The god Damu seems to be a synchronization of both Nashida and Dumuzi. It is commonly believed that Dumuzi was brought to Lebanon and Syria by the Assyrians in the Iron Age and was called Adon and later Adonis. But his connection to Dionysus would predate that evolution.

Both Dionysus and Adonis are ritually mourned over in the rites of the Syrians, Phoenicians, and at Delphi, where the mourning of Dionysus took place at the bottom of the Mountain of Delphi, where his tomb was located. Initiates in the Eleusinian Mysteries practice ritual mourning for Dionysus as well. We also see similar mourning rituals for Osiris, Ashman, and Adonis, all possibly setting the stage for the mourning of [Music] Jesus.

Oddly enough, the Sumerians also ritually mourned over the deaths of Dumuzi and Nashida. Dumuzi is mourned over by Inanna, and the "Weeping for Dumuzi" ritual was mentioned in the Hebrew Bible by Ezekiel, illustrating the widespread popularity of this rite. "Then he brought me to the door of the Gate of the Lord's House, which was toward the north; and behold, there sat women weeping for Tamuz." Dumuzi, Ezekiel, a lament titled "In the Desert" by the early Grass, mentions both deities, Nashida and Dumuzi, as subjects of mourning.

This connection is further reflected in astrological texts. Some lamentations even equate Ningal and Dumuzi as being identical entities, given their roles as inhabitants of the underworld. There are instances where they are both related to Gilgamesh. In the Middle Babylonian Narrative of Adapa, Ningal is depicted as one of the two guardians of Anu's heavenly abode, sharing this role with Dumuzi. This story seems to suggest that upon their death, these two deities reside in the celestial realms instead of the underworld, or that they took turns descending and ascending. It was traditionally believed that the disappearance of both Ningal and Dumuzi occurred annually between Midsummer and Midwinter.

What is so interesting about this is a similar duality we see with Dionysus and Apollo. Attic vase painters from the classical age of Athens depict Apollo and Dionysus as lords of the two main seasons. They believed that after harvest, Apollo would leave and go north to the lands of the Hyperboreans and perform his music, which caused the winter Aurora Borealis. During this time, Dionysus ruled from the underworld and brought revelry to the winter time. Then, during the spring season, Dionysus's death/sacrifice would cause the crops to grow, and Apollo would rule from the heavens, and his light was a blessing for the entire summer until the harvest.

Harvard philologist Carl AP Ruck puts forth that the gods Dionysus and Apollo are actually both two spirits of the same god-son character. He points out that they are never depicted in the same midst together, but also since they are both sons of Zeus and mediators between the god and humans, like the dual nature of Mithra, seen as both chthonic and solar, who's also a mediator for Ahura Mazda and Zoroaster. Dionysus is liberation from the soul from within, chthonic. Apollo is justice given down from above, heavenly.

What we have in Dionysus is a god of inspiration, freedom, equality, arts, music, revelry, moisture, metamorphosis, growth of vegetation, wine, ecstasy, sex, passion, instinct, emotion, death, resurrection, salvation, eternal life. Dionysus is chthonic and dark. In the exact opposite sense, Apollo is a god of light, the sky, order, rationality, piety, justice, hierarchy, composure, sobriety, logic, purity, and most of all, prophecy and unchangeable fate. But like Dionysus, also a god of arts and music, though a different kind. Music with order. Apollo's music, the lyre, is comparable to the classical orchestra. Dionysus's music, the thyrsus, is more abstract and poetic, singing that goes along with dancing and revelry. Apollo's music like classical orchestra, while Dionysus is more like gangster rap or dubstep. Apollo is the embodiment of individual responsibility; you are given your lot by above hierarchy. Dionysus is the embodiment of collective responsibility; slaves become free through inspiration, equality. Both gods are sons of Zeus. Dionysus is connected to the underworld and the moisture that grows the crops from below the earth, while Apollo is connected to the heavens and the light that comes down. The Athenian calendars marked half the year with Apollo, lord of the light, light-bringer, the dry, sunny, hottest six months, and Dionysus was marked as lord of the harvest, cold, wet, and dark seasons.

Frederick Nietzsche's *The Birth of Tragedy* does a great comparison of these gods and the symbiotic relationship of the two, like a yin and yang, whose primordial unity between the Dionysian frenzy and Apollonian order can bring the physiological condition that enables the creation of tragedy. Life itself is a [Music] tragedy. In this state, one enriches everything out of one's own f. Whatever one sees, whatever one wills, is swelled, taut, strong, overloaded with strength. A man in this state transforms things until they mirror his power, until they are reflections of his perfection. This having to transform into perfection is art.

Nietzsche's *The Birth of Tragedy* firmly believed the creations of Pindar, Aeschylus, and Sophocles epitomize the pinnacle of artistic expression in the true embodiment of tragedy. Nietzsche disputes too much Socratic rationalism, arguing that introducing ethics and reason displaces the essence of tragedy, specifically the delicate equilibrium between the Dionysian and Apollonian elements. This emphasis on reason was perpetuated by Plato in his dialogues, leading the contemporary world to prioritize reason over the artistic energies inherent in the Apollonian-Dionysian contrast. Nietzsche also believed that Christianity, which he calls "Platonism for the people," was the result of Western culture falling too far from the artistic, tragic world of the Saturn, which had become the symbol of all that is demonic and evil, the devil or Antichrist. The Saturn is the horror or annihilation of the principle of individuality and, at the same time, someone who delights in its destruction. It is pure liberation and freedom of expression.

We see a similar dichotomy between Osiris and Set. Both sons of Ammon. Set is the god of chaos and desert who rules over the summer, and Osiris is the chthonic underworld god of moisture, vegetation, and darkness. When we look at Egypt, for Dionysus, speculation is no longer even necessary because both Greeks and Egyptians agreed that Osiris and Dionysus are one and the same. "For no gods are worshipped by all Egyptians in common except Isis and Osiris, who they say is Dionysus. These are worshipped by all alike. Osiris, in the Greek language, is Dionysus." - Herodotus, Book II. Osiris, when translated, is Dionysus. And of the ancient Greek writers of mythology, some give to Osiris the name Dionysus-Sorapus, or with the slight change in form, Serapis. "Umalus in his Bacchi Hy speaks of our Dionysus shining like a star, Serapis with fiery eye and every ray, while Orus says, 'And this is why men call him shining one, Osiris.'" Osiris, they say, was also interested in agriculture and had also devised the cultivation of these fruits, which was reared in Nysa, a city of Arabia Felix, near Egypt, being a son of Zeus. And the name which he bears among the Greeks is derived both from his father and from birthplace, since he is called Dionysus. Moreover, the Greeks consecrate the ivy to Dionysus, and amongst the Egyptians, it is called *kenos* (plant) of Osiris, for Osiris and Dionysus are one and the same. - Plutarch on Isis and Osiris.

Herodotus says some say that Osiris is also represented with the cloak of fawn skin about his shoulders, imitating the sky, spangled with the stars. This fawn-skin-wearing god who cultivates fruits and wears ivy is more than enough to see why the ancients thought Dionysus and Osiris were one and the same god.

This brings us to Pluto, or Hades, also known as Dis Pater by the Romans. Sometimes called Death, he is commonly associated with Osiris for obvious reasons. Both are rulers of the underworld who judge the dead by weighing the heart. But it also turns out that Pluto and Dionysus were just as closely linked to the mystery cult of the Greeks. In some cases, Zagreus and Dionysus were worshipped side by side. When we look at depictions of Pluto and Dionysus side by side from separate vases around the 6th century BCE, we can see that they are identical, both holding an axis staff, both wearing ivy diadems with vines and grape clusters. Pluto, which means wealth, also called the divine child, like Zagreus, the baby Dionysus, was the son of Demeter, who was pregnant by Iasion, who laid with her in a thrice-plowed field in the fall and was then struck down and killed by Zeus with his Thunderbolt. Iasion was considered another dying and rising fertility and agriculture god, and his son Pluto was closely related to Hades and even thought to be one and the same in some cases.

This story brings us to the heart of the ancient Mysteries itself. The Samothracian Mysteries equated Iasion with Hades and credited him for finding the Mysteries and being the consort of the Great Mother. The Samothracian Mysteries also credit Iasion for bringing the *gnosis* of the secret Mysteries to the island from Crete. Then, according to the Samothracians, he laid with Kybele rather than Demeter, and they bore Corybas rather than Pluto. Iasion is still killed by Zeus, rather than him going to Phrygia. His son Corybas, along with Orpheus, who is the son of Apollo and high priest of Dionysus, and Orpheus's son Musaeus, and they three traveled to Phrygia and found the Phrygian Mysteries of the Great Mother and Hades. Here, Corybas gives his name to the initiates called Corybantes, and this is where we find the Dionysus being called Sabazius, worshipped side by side with Kybele, the Great Mother.

Diodorus in his *Bibliotheca* writes about this: "This wedding of Cadmus and Harmonia was the first, we are told, for which the gods provided the marriage feast. And Demeter, becoming enamored of Iasion, presented him with the fruit of the corn; Hermes gave a lyre, Athena the renowned necklace and robe, and a flute; and Electra the sacred rites of the Great Mother of the Gods. She is called together with the symbols and kettledrums and the instruments of her ritual; and Apollo played upon the lyre, and the Muses upon their flutes, and the rest of the Gods spoke them fair and gave prepare their aid in the celebration of the wedding. After this Cadmus, they say, in accordance with the oracle he had received, founded Thebes in Boeotia, while Iasion married Kybele and begat Corybas. After Iasion had been removed into the circle of the Gods, Kybele and Corybas conveyed to Asia the sacred rites of the Mother of the Gods and removed with them to Phrygia. Thereupon Kybele, joining herself to the first Olympus, begat Attis, and called the Goddess Kybele after herself; and Corybas gave the name of Corybantes to all who in celebrating the rites of his mother acted like men possessed by Dionysus, and married Thebe, the daughter of Olenus. In like manner, he is also transferred the flute from Samothrace to Phrygia, and to Lyonesse the lyre, which Hermes gave, and which at a later time Achilles took for himself when he sacked that city. Many assert that the gods worshipped in Samothrace, as well as the Korybantes and Corybantes, are the same as the Curetes and the Idaean Dactyli, as well as the Cabiri. But as to the Cabiri, they are unable to tell who they are." Strabo also says in Book 10: "These Corybantes of Crete Ida are divine demons who are attendants of the Gods by handing down secret rites of Dionysus, and that they are also called Satyrs, Sileni, Bacchae, and Thyri. He says that all of them are inspired by Dionysus and are called Bacchic." [Music]

These Corybantes are dancers who are in a raging frenzy inspired by the god Dionysus. The Cretans call them Idaean Dactyli and are considered to be the fingers of the right hand of Sabazius-Dionysus, as he can inspire them to move, and they do his will. Diodorus also tells us Corybas was the father/mother of Ida, the goddess whose holy mountain Ida, named after the mother of Minos, the first king of Crete, who the Minoans descend from. A side note on Mount Ida: Tacitus writes that the Jews were refugees from Crete, named after this mountain. "It is said that the Jews were originally exiles from the island of Crete, who settled in the farthest parts of Libya at the time when Saturn had been deposed and expelled by Jove. An argument in favor of this is derived from the name: there is a famous mountain in Crete called Ida, and hence the inhabitants were called the Id, which was later lengthened into the barbarous form Judea." - Tacitus.

The Samothracian and Phrygian Mysteries are considered the oldest by the Greeks, and at the helm of these is Orpheus, the Thracian bard. The Phrygians and Thracians are separated by the Bosphorus Strait, which is the border of Europe and Asia, the place where East meets West. The mysteries of both Thracians and Phrygians are very similar, yet the names of the deities may differ. For example, the Great Mother of the Thracians is Zile, hinting to the mother of Dionysus-Semele's divinity to the Thracians, but the son of Zile is called Zalmoxis. Zalmoxis is clearly the same deity who the Phrygians call Sabazius. Both are depicted riding a horse, wielding thunderbolts. This proves that Zalmoxis and Sabazius are both influenced by Dionysus in their respective regions. Through linguistic analysis and the writings of Herodotus, we can really see this as a fact.

Pataetus writes about Zalmoxis in Book IV of his *Histories*: "Mysteries. The Getae are the bravest of the Thracians and the most holy. They believe that they are immortal forever living in the following sense: they think that they do not die, and that the one who dies joins Zalmoxis, a divine being. Some call this same being Gabizus. Every four years they send a messenger to Zalmoxis, who is chosen by chance. They ask him to tell Zalmoxis what they want. On that occasion, the mission is performed in the following way: men standing there for the purpose hold three spears; other people take the one who was sent to Zalmoxis by his hands and feet and fling him in the air on the spears. If he dies pierced, they think that the divinity is going to help them; if he does not die, it is he who is accused; they declare that he is a bad person, and after he has been charged, they send another one. The messenger is told the request while he is still alive. The same Thracians, on other occasions, when it thunders and lightens, shoot up their arrows against the sky and menace the divinity because they think there is no god than their [Music] own."

Zalmoxis, or Salois as the Getae call them, has etymological connections to Dionysus through the name Zile or Semele, son. Zile or Semele means "Earth" in Thracian or Dacian. Clear connection to Dionysus. And what's even more interesting, if you notice, Herodotus gives a second name for Zalmoxis, which is Gizis. This breaks down into two words: Giz and eus, Kyrios Zeus, showing connections to Sabazius and the Phrygian Great Mother Kybele. Once again, Herodotus tells us that Gizis was also called Sabazius by the Goths of Jordanes, and he equated this god with Kronos and Saturn. Mannaus of Patrae identified Zalmoxis with Kronos, which makes this connection even stronger, since both are underworld kings and judges of the dead who give agriculture and equality for the poor and the rich. In fact, Dionysus, although he's the grandson of Saturn, according to Nonnus, has the same spirit.

This brings our journey into the Germanic North. Zalmoxis survives in the pagan North for centuries. In the 13th century, Zalmoxis is evolved into Zaluus, as well as the Earth goddess Z, now called Z, are both worshipped by Gothic pagans living in the far North, as far as Lithuania. This would be the last surviving trace of the ancient Bronze Age Dionysian religion. Zukus, father Perun, married to his mother Zna, a deity connected to oak trees, storms, and thunderbolts like Zeus, which shows that many of these ancient elements are still intact in medieval Europe. The Germanic is related to the Vedic pantheons through linguistics, as both trace back to the Proto-Indo-European.

The god Shiva and Dionysus are both depicted as young, beautiful, effeminate, both riding on animals and wearing animal skins and carrying a magic staff or wand. Shiva, like Dionysus, is also known as the chthonic lord who is associated with the arts, intoxication, and [Music] revelry. Strabo cites texts of Megasthenes, known as *Indica*, written during the time of Alexander the Great, in which he calls Shiva an "Indian Dionysus," or alternatively, Euripides calls Dionysus "the god of the Orient" because of their similar use of the phallus within the Mysteries and intoxication by a sacred drink. Kyian and Soma may be made differently, but their purpose was to put the initiates into the state of frenzy so they can receive the inspiration of the god.

What's even more mind-blowing is when we look at the Phrygian Dionysus known as Sabazius. His name, "Sabba Dios," has Proto-Indo-European roots that trace back to *Sawa Deva*. This was put forth by Franz Cumont, Belgian archaeologist, historian, and a PhD philologist, professor in linguistics, who studied on Mithra and Dionysus. Says that Sabba comes from the Proto-Indo-European *sawa*, and that the name Shiva also has a common root there. Shiva, these two can possibly be located: Shiva Deva or Sabba Dios. And we know that the Vedic Aryans once lived in between the Black and Caucasus region, where Sabazius is venerated. Once again, this all demonstrates how ancient and widespread the Dionysian religion [Music] is.

Mono Daru, 2350-2000 BCE. Archaeology shows a Proto-Shiva as a horned deity, described as the master of animals and plants. The oldest form of Dionysus, according to Diodorus of Sicily, is from Asia, and some claim that it could be from this region, who is also horned and called "master of animal husbandry." Diodorus says, "Some writers of myths, however, relate that there was a second Dionysus who was much earlier in time than the one that we have just mentioned, Sabazius. They state also that he excelled in sagacity, and was the first to attempt the yoking of oxen and by their aid to affect the sowing of the seed, this being the reason why they represent him having horns." The Vedic religion shows direct connection to these three medieval Lithuanian gods that evolved from Zalmoxis, Zeus, and Semele through linguistic connections as well as the mythology itself. Indra, Mitra, and Varuna can be connected to these three. The Mitra-Varuna dichotomy is comparable to the Apollonian and Dionysian dichotomy that I explained earlier. But according to philologist John D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. 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D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. 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D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. 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D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. D. 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And told to worship Jesus and convert the Eloian Mysteries to a church, which actually happened. And that church is still there today. Orpheus, the high priest of Dionysus, also had many legends written about him by Christians that make him into a saint. And in the oldest Christian catacombs, we can see Orpheus playing his lyre near Jesus and Mary. Orpheus is also present in the Sibylline Oracles from the 1st and 2nd century. Christian Sibyls showing the close proximity of Orphism, Judaism, and Christianity.

The Pelasgians were an ancient people who inhabited various regions of the Eastern Mediterranean, particularly in the Aegean area during the Bronze Age and Copper Age. Much of what we know about them is shrouded in mystery and subject to debate among historians and archaeologists. Some ancient sources believe that they are indigenous people of modern-day Greece, while others suggest that they might have migrated from different regions, including the Black Sea region, Anatolia, or the Balkans. Their precise ethnicity and language remain unresolved, though a combination of Proto-Indo-European and Native Mediterranean is most likely.

The earliest references to the Pelasgians can be found in the ancient Greek literature of Homer, Herodotus, and Hesiod. In The Iliad, the Pelasgians are on both sides of the Trojan War. When Homer explains who the ancient Trojans are, the Pelasgians are mentioned between Hellespontine cities and Thrace. Homer calls their own town or district Larissa and characterizes it as fertile in its inhabitants as celebrated for their spearsmanship. He records their chiefs as Hippothous and Pyleus, sons of Learus, and two Tydides. The Iliad also refers to the camp at Greece, specifically at Argos Pelasgikon, which is most likely to be the plain of Thessaly, and to the Pelasgian Zeus living and ruling over Dodona, one of the ancient wonders of the world. According to Homer, Pelasgians were camping out on the shore together with the following tribes: "Towards the sea lie the Carians and the Paeonians with curved bows, and Leleges and Caucones, and the goodly Pelasgians." In The Odyssey, they appear among the inhabitants of Crete, which would possibly equate them with the Minoans themselves, who invented purple dye and migrated East towards the coastal Levant and conquered Egypt. More on the Minoans later. Odysseus, affecting to be a Cretan himself, instances the Pelasgians among the tribes in the ninety cities of Crete, language mixing with language side by side. Last on his list, Homer distinguishes them from other ethnicities on the island: Cretans proper, Cydonians, Sidonians, Dorians, and the noble Pelasgians. A fragment from Hecataeus calls the Dodona identified by a reference to the Oak, the seat of the Pelasgians, thus explaining why Homer, in referring to Zeus as he ruled over Dodona, did not style him "Dionysian" but "Pelasgian Zeus." He mentions also that Pelasgus was the father of King Lycaon of Arcadia. Asclepius of Samos claimed that Pelasgus was the first man born of the Earth. This account features centrally in the construction of an enduring autochthonous Arcadian identity into the Classical period. In a fragment by Pausanias, he cites a writer who described the foundational hero of the Greek ethnic groups as "godlike Pelasgus, whom the black earth gave up." Sophocles, in one of his famous plays, presents Inachus as an elder in the lands of Argos, the Heron Hills, and among the Teenoi. Pelasgians, an unusual hyphenated noun construction. Pelasgians interpretation is open, even though translators typically make a decision, but the Thracians may well be the ethnos Tyranno, a possible connection to the city of Tyre, which is a possible location where the Minoan migrants moved to.

All of this comes into context when we examine the writings of Pherecydes of Syros, the famous Presocratic, who claimed to have in his possession the Pelasgian creation myth, which he says was given to him by the Phoenicians. The sequence of Pherecydes' creation myth is as follows: First, there are eternal gods Zas (or Zeus), Chthon (or Gaia), and Chronos. Then Chronos creates elements and niches in the Earth with his seed, from which other gods arise. This is followed by the three-day wedding of Zas and Chthon. On the third day, Zas makes the robe of the world, which he hangs from a winged Oak and then presents it as a wedding gift to Chthon and wraps around her. Before the world is ordered, a cosmic battle takes place with Chronos as the head of one side and Ophion, the serpent dragon, as the leader of the other. Ophion attacks Chronos, who defeats him and throws him in the underworld. Sometime after this battle with Ophion, Chronos is succeeded by Zas. Chronos is then given control of the underworld as the king of Elysium, the great province of Hades, where the gods dwell. These three primordial gods are eternal, equal, and wholly responsible for the world order. Plato seems to borrow from this cosmology in his Timaeus, and echoes of a trinity sprinkled down into later Christian theology. Pherecydes and Thales, who are both of the Seven Sages of Greece, are both known to have influenced monotheism, as they both believed the gods to be servants and messengers, daemons and angels, under the One, or Monad, the source of all light, creation, and wisdom. When Robert Graves reconstructed the Pelasgian creation story, many similarities between the story and the Book of Genesis are present.

Aeschylus is another source for the Pelasgians. In Aeschylus' play, The Suppliants, the Danaids fleeing from Egypt seek asylum from King Pelasgus of Argos, which he says is on the Isthmus, including Parabeia in the north, the Theban Dodona and the slopes of Pindus Mountains on the west, and the shores of the sea on the east. That is a territory including but somewhat larger than classical Peloponnesus. Apollo, a seer of Apollo, claimed to rule the Pelasgians and to be the child of Pales Chthon, or the ancient Earth, from which the Earth brought forth the gods. They called the country Apian Hills after him. They claimed to descend from the ancestors in ancient Argos and that they are of a dark race. Pelasgus admits that the land was once called Apia and compares them to the women of Libya and Egypt.

The Pelasgians are often associated with the construction of Cyclopean or megalithic structures, characterized by the use of massive limestone blocks fitted together without mortar. The most famous example is the ancient Citadel of Mycenae in Greece, attributed to the great Mycenaean civilization. But wait, if the Pelasgians are truly the indigenous people of Thessaly and Thrace, then why did Homer and Hesiod link them to the Cretans?

Which brings us to the next region of prehistoric Greece: the Minoans. Ancient Crete has evidence of being inhabited by Stone Age people and even small settlements that date to 7,000 BCE and down through the Copper Age and Bronze Age. The Bronze Age Minoan civilization of Crete had a distinctive and influential religious system. Minoan religion flourished from 3000 to 1,000 BCE, featuring a complex pantheon of gods and goddesses, intricate rituals, and a strong emphasis on nature worship. Its impact on later Greek civilization, particularly the Mycenaeans and subsequent Greek cultures, can be observed in several aspects. Some of the prominent figures included the Mother Goddess, often associated with fertility and nature, depicted with serpents wrapped around her, and the Bull God, symbolizing strength and virility. These deities played significant roles in Minoan religious beliefs and rituals. The Minoans revered the natural world, with a particular emphasis on the sacredness of mountains, caves, trees, and bodies of water. This emphasis on nature worship influenced the later Greeks, such as the veneration of sacred groves for Pan and Dionysus and natural landmarks. The Minoans engaged in elaborate rituals and ceremonies and had the use of many plants and substances, mixing them with grain and vine, making alcoholic potions for ceremonies and religious practices. These practices included processions of the gods, dances, offerings, and bull-leaping rituals. These ceremonies fostered community cohesion and reinforced religious beliefs and cultural identity. The rituals were often depicted in their art and murals. Iconography such as double axes, bull horns, and snakes were prevalent, representing religious symbols and mythological motifs. These artistic representations influenced the visual language of later Greek art, as seen in frescoes and sculptures. The Minoans had significant cultural and commercial exchanges with the Mycenaeans, another Bronze Age civilization on mainland Greece. The Mycenaeans adopted and adapted elements of Minoan religious practices, including certain deities like Dionysus and ritualistic aspects. These influences, in turn, played a role in shaping subsequent Greek religious tradition.

The Mycenaean civilization, which thrived during the Late Bronze Age from 1600 to 1,000 BCE in mainland Greece, had a distinct religious system that reflected their beliefs and practices. Delphi, located in Central Greece, was one of the main centers of religious worship in the Western World. It was home to the famous Oracle of Delphi, where priestesses known as the Pythia delivered prophetic messages from the god Apollo. Dionysus was also considered to be buried here, and on the bottom of the mountain was a grove for Dionysus and a tomb for Mourning. Delphi was a major religious sanctuary and attracted pilgrims from all over the world. The Mycenaean religion involved the worship of multiple gods and goddesses. The pantheon included deities associated with various aspects of nature, fertility, and societal functions. Some gods, like Zeus and Hera, would later become central figures in Greco-Roman mythology. The Mycenaean gods were generally depicted as anthropomorphic, with human-like attributes and personalities. They possessed distinct roles and domains, such as ruling the heavens, controlling natural phenomena, and governing specific aspects of human life. Ancestor worship and the veneration of deceased heroes played a significant role in Mycenaean religion. Ancestors were believed to have continued presence and influence in the lives of the living, and their worship aimed to maintain their favor and support. Mycenaean religion involved rituals and sacrifices conducted at sanctuaries, temples, and sacred sites. These rituals included animal sacrifices, libations, processions, and frenzies, including the use of many drugs and orgies. The rituals were performed by priests and priestesses who acted as intermediaries between the human and divine. The central religious structure in Mycenaean palaces was the megaron, which served as a place of worship and royal residence. It contained an altar or hearth for offerings and ceremonies, and the fire that was lit was to stay lit and never go out – eternal fires. Mycenae, a fortified citadel in the northeastern Peloponnese of Greece, played a central role in the civilization. The Lion's Gate, a monumental entrance to the citadel, is thought to have held religious and symbolic significance. Mycenae was associated with the legendary hero Agamemnon, who was considered the seat of his power. The Mycenaean tholos tombs, characterized by their circular shape and corbelled roofs, also held religious significance. These tombs, dedicated to elites and heroes, were likely places of ancestral veneration and religious rituals. The decipherment of Linear B script, used by the Mycenaeans, has provided some insights into religious practices. The worship of Dionysus was brought to mainland Greece from the Minoans, and his name shows up in the earliest Linear B inscriptions that exist. "Dianuosos," the Bronze Age inscriptions from 1500 to 1200 BCE, show his name is the Mycenaean Greek form of Zeus. "Dionysos" – the second element, "nuos" – it is perhaps associated with Mount Nysa, the birthplace of the god in Greek mythology, where he was nursed by Nymphs. Pherecydes of Syros, who I've already mentioned as having access to the most ancient books that he said he got from the Phoenicians, had postulated Nysa as an Arcadian word that means "tree," which is a pun on Bacchus as the vine, possibly connecting him with the ancient Sumerian god Ningirsu, whose name means "lord of the good tree," and like Dionysus, is connected to intoxication, serpents, and the underworld. It is possible that both descended from a common source on Asea. And Sophilos, the Nymphs are named Nymphai. "Nym" is a Thracian word that has the same meaning as "num" or "nymph," a word similar with "nuos," which means "daughter," "bride," or "law," connected through the Proto-Indo-European word "nuos," which we even see in Sanskrit. "Asa," the male form of "nuos," would make Dionysus the son of Zeus. Dionysus and Shiva are connected to the most ancient gods that predate writing itself. These connections across the ancient world suggest that Dionysus is prehistoric.

Which brings us to the next chapter, which is the Eastern Realms of the Greek-speaking world: Anatolia, which Homer and Hesiod relay was occupied by the ancient Hittites. First off, to show how culturally connected the Hittites are to the Mycenaeans, they both have their own version of the Fall of Troy. A Hurrian-Hittite bilingual poem, known as the Song of Release, dated to 1400 BCE according to classical philologist and an expert in Hittites, Mary Bakueva. This basic storyline to The Iliad is told in the Hurrian language. The story where two humans argue before a human assembly over releasing a captive, a beautiful darling princess, while the destruction of the city threatens. As we see in the plot of The Iliad, Troy is destroyed because its assembly refused to surrender Helen to the Greeks. The same character that we mentioned in the intro where Ovid calls the Pelasgians. And the subplot at the beginning of The Iliad is equally reminiscent of the plot of the Song of Release. It is about a quarrel in the assembly when Eman refuses to surrender his slave girl Chryseis, a refusal which brings about the plague as a punishment from Apollo. The Akkadian legend, in which the Sargonic king Naram-Sin from the 23rd century BCE reports how the gods sent monstrous enemy hordes to attack his kingdom. He consulted the gods by omens but disregarded their message, and his god forsook him. According to Bakueva, the Akkadian legend provided another plot element crucial to The Iliad: Hector, for all his might, was doomed because he, like Naram-Sin, misinterpreted the will of the gods, thinking that Zeus supported him, although he was forsaken by his god.

The Hittites were an ancient Anatolian civilization that flourished during the Late Bronze Age, primarily in what is now modern-day Turkey. They formed one of the great empires of the ancient world and had a significant influence on the region. Hattusa was the capital of the Hittite Empire, located in present-day Turkey. The Great Temple of Hattusa was a prominent religious structure within the city and likely served as the focal point of Hittite religious rituals. The city was dedicated to a Hittite pantheon, and Hattusa was regarded as a sacred place. The Hittites had a significant impact on the Greeks, particularly during the Late Bronze Age, through trade and cultural interactions. The Greeks were exposed to Hittite influences, including artistic styles, religious practices, and administrative techniques. These exchanges contributed to the cultural development of the Greeks and influenced their own artistic and architectural traditions. The Hittite language, or Nesite, is part of an Anatolian branch of the Indo-European language family. It provides valuable linguistic insights into the ancient world and has contributed to our understanding of Indo-European languages, including ancient Greek. The Hittite Empire eventually declined in the 12th century BCE due to a combination of internal unrest, external pressures, and the impact of the Sea Peoples' migrations. The empire fragmented, and Hattusa was abandoned and eventually forgotten until its rediscovery by archaeologists in the 20th century.

The region of Anatolia becomes heavily mixed with Mycenaean Greek migrants who fled the famous Dorian Invasion. These groups become the Lydians, Carians, Ionians, Ephesians, and Phrygians. But why did so many Mycenaeans migrate to Anatolia? They fled the wrath of the Dorian invasion of Thessaly and Macedonia, and the Mycenaeans were forced into modern-day Athens, Sparta, and the rest fled East to Anatolia.

The Dorians, who in Greek means "gifted people," are the famous Proto-Indo-European people who invaded the Mycenaean lands of Proto-Greece. This Dorian invasion is a major turning point event in ancient Greek history. According to Homer and some of the ancient Greek writers like Herodotus, around the 12th century BCE, a group of people known as the Dorians migrated into mainland Greece, overthrowing or displacing the existing Mycenaean civilization. The invasion is believed to have occurred during the Late Bronze Age or Early Iron Age, a period marked by significant societal and cultural changes in the Aegean region. The traditional narrative suggests that the Dorians, a group of Greek-speaking people, invaded from the north or northwest regions like Thrace and Epirus, Macedonia, and Thessaly. They were said to have brought with them a new dialect of the Greek language and introduced a different cultural and social order. These Dorians claimed to be the descendants of the Pelasgians themselves. According to traditional accounts, the Dorian invasion resulted in the collapse of the Mycenaean civilization and the end of the Late Bronze Age in Greece. The Mycenaean palaces were destroyed or abandoned, and the society entered a period of decline known as the Greek Dark Ages, characterized by a loss of writing, decreased urbanization, and a general decrease in material culture. But not for long.

As a result, the Mycenaeans migrated into Anatolia. They caused one location in particular to become a beacon for ancient practical thought, and that place is Ionia. The Ionians were an ancient Greek ethnic group and one of the major tribes that inhabited ancient Anatolia. They were one of the four main tribes that make up the Greeks, along with the Dorians, Achaeans, and Aeolians. The Ionians were primarily concentrated in the central and western coastal regions of Asia Minor (present-day Western Turkey) and the adjacent Aegean Islands. According to Homer, the Ionians traced their ancestry back to Ion, a mythical figure and the son of the legendary Greek hero Xuthus and his wife Creusa. Ion was believed to be the founder of the Ionian tribe. The Ionians primarily inhabited Western Anatolia, including regions such as Aeolis and Doris. Prominent Ionian cities included Miletus, Ephesus, Clazomenae, and Priene. They also settled in several Aegean Islands, including Samos and Chios. They created two of the world's Ancient Wonders: the famous Temple of Artemis in Ephesus and the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. These famous Ionian columns were influenced by the Doric columns and then in turn influenced the later Corinthian columns that would become world-class architecture that even passed down to the Romans. The Ionian cities played a crucial role in the development of Greek culture, philosophy, and science. They were centers of trade and maritime activity, fostering contact with various cultures from the Eastern Mediterranean. Ionian thinkers such as Thales, Anaximander, and Heraclitus made significant contributions to the fields of philosophy, mathematics, and natural science. In the 6th century BCE, the Ionian cities of Asia Minor, under Persian rule, revolted against Persian domination in what is known as the Ionian Revolt. The revolt was eventually suppressed by the Persian Empire but it marked an important event in the prelude to the Greco-Persian Wars. The Ionians were involved in several significant events in Greek history. They participated in the founding of panhellenic Ionian cities, such as the Ionian colonies in Asia Minor, and the establishment of the Ionian League. They also played a part in the conflicts between the Greek city-states and the Persian Empire. The Ionian dialect, which was one of the ancient Greek dialects, had distinctive linguistic features and differed from other dialects such as Doric or Attic spoken by other Greek tribes. Homer and Hesiod are both heavily influenced by the Ionians, Hesiod being from Ionian era Turkey, and Homer resided in the island of Chios, an Ionian League occupied island off the coast of Turkey. The Ionian school of philosophers also gives us Thales, Anaximander, Heraclitus, and others.

Just north of these Ionians is the Greco-Hittite offspring known as the Lydians. The kingdom of Lydia emerged around the 9th century BCE and thrived until it was conquered by the Achaemenid Persians in the 6th century BCE. The Lydians were renowned for their expertise in minting coins and their control over lucrative trade routes. The most famous Lydian king was Croesus, who reigned over Lydia from around 560 to 546 BCE. He is the last of the famous dynasty known as the Heraclids, which the Macedonian Argead dynasty, which would produce Philip and Alexander the Great, also claimed descent from. This is why they viewed the Greeks as liberators and the Persians as oppressors. Through this cultural connection, neighboring these Lydians are the ancient Phrygians, whose famous kings include King Midas, who was given the Golden Touch by Dionysus, and his father, King Gordius, who tied the famous Gordian Knot, which was cut by the sword of Alexander the Great in 333 BCE when he freed the Phrygians from the bonds of the Persians. It is here where the famous Mysteries of the Great Mother Cybele were carried out, as well as the worship of Attis, her dying and rising consort. These ancient Anatolian traditions have much overlap with the ancient Minoans and would influence the Greeks and Romans greatly. Even Christian theology would be heavily influenced by these Phrygians, and this part of the world is where Christianity would later thrive.

The Ionians of Miletus would found colonies all the way in the north, off the coast of the Black Sea, and Greek ideals would spread far and wide. To the east of the Black Sea is the kingdom of Colchis. According to Diodorus of Sicily, the Bronze Age Pharaoh Sesostris from the 12th century BCE led a successful campaign in the north and occupied the lands of all the sea coast from Libya to modern-day Russia, defeating the Hittites and the Mitanni Empire, as well as the Assyrians. Diodorus even claims that he conquered everything East all the way to India.

Here's what Diodorus says: "After subduing the Ethiopians and Libyans, Sesostris then set forth a navy of 400 across the Red Sea, and was the first Egyptian that built long ships. By the help of this fleet, he gained all the islands in the sea, and subdued the bordering nations as far as India. But he himself marched forward with his army and conquered all of Asia; for he not only invaded those nations which Alexander the Macedonian afterwards subdued, but likewise those which he never set foot upon; for he both passed over the river Ganges and likewise pierced through all India to the main ocean. Then he subdued the Scythians as far as the river Tanais, which divides Europe from Asia, where they saw he left some of his Egyptians at the lake Maeotis, and gave origin to the nation of the Colchians, and to prove that they were originally Egyptians, they bring this argument: they circumcise after the manner of the Egyptians, which they continued in this colony to this day, as it is amongst the Jews. In the same manner, he brought into his subjection all the rest of Asia and the most of the islands of the Cyclades. Then, passing over into Europe, he was in danger of losing his whole army through the difficulty of passages and want of provisions, and therefore putting a stop to his expedition in Thrace. Up and down in all his conquests, he erected pillars described Egyptian hieroglyphics: 'These words: Sesostris, king of kings, and lord of lords, subdued this country by his arms.'"

As a result, the kingdom of Colchis was planted in modern-day Georgia. It is also said that the Medes are descended from Sesostris. Sesostris was considered to be the son of Amun-Ra, equated by the Romans as Jupiter Heliopolis, and had a major temple in Baalbek and Heliopolis. According to both Herodotus and Diodorus, Sesostris had a brother who was also considered to be the son of Helios, and his name was Aeëtes, and he was the father of Queen Medea, the famous Georgian Libyan witch who was a priestess of the Goddess Hecate. She ruled the kingdom that Sesostris laid down, and her influence on the Greeks is unmatched. The myth of Jason and Medea is given by the backdrop of these events, and Medea would become the focus on many ancient Athenian plays. Pindar even says the Medes were formerly called by everyone Aryans, but when the Colchian woman Medea came from Athens to the Aryans, they changed their name like the Persians. This is the Medes' own account of themselves.

The Greeks would eventually begin to expand West into Italy and Sicily and plant famous kingdoms in these realms known as Magna Graecia, or Greater Greece, which was ruled by such kings like Dionysius I, Dionysius II, King Hiero, and King Hiero II. Athens would become a beacon of democracy and a melting pot for the descendants of the Mycenaeans, the Ionians, the Dorians, and they would produce Attic Greek, and the world of philosophy, rhetoric, music, art, and poetry would shape the entire Western World and would become the culture that the Etruscans and Romans would later adopt. From thinkers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, they would create an environment of learning and progress. All of these events form the setting for Alexander the Great to spread Hellenism to modern-day France and Spain. His empire would go on to be divided into smaller Greek empires such as the Seleucids, Ptolemies, Antigonids, and Pergamon. These empires would squabble over power for the next 300 years, and as a result, Hellenism would continue to use the Greek language until the dawn of the Renaissance era, all the way in the 15th century, and the same Greek ideal of democracy, justice, constitutions, and the thirst for knowledge would return in the modern age, thanks to the republics of France and America.

As we conclude our exploration of the origins of Greek religion and its connection to the Bronze Age, we are reminded of the intricate tapestry that shaped ancient Greek culture. The foundations of Greek religious beliefs and practices were deeply rooted in this rich tapestry of the preceding Bronze Age civilizations. From the Minoans and Mycenaeans to the Hittites and Egyptians, the Greeks inherited and synthesized elements from diverse cultures, forging a religious and cultural identity that would leave an indelible mark on human history. Through the lens of mythology, we have traced the threads that connect ancient gods and goddesses, mythological narratives, and ritual practices. The Greek pantheon, with its tales of divine intervention, heroism, and human experience, is entwined with the myths and legends that came before. From the majestic ruins of Minoan palaces to the enigmatic tholos tombs, we have glimpsed the sacred spaces and symbols that shaped the religious landscape of ancient Greece. The legacy of the Bronze Age civilizations echoes in the practices and traditions of the ancient Greeks: their rituals, temples, and sanctuaries. It is through this rich tapestry and innovations that Greek religion found its unique expression, intertwining the spiritual, human, mythical, and historical. The story of Greek religion is one of continuity and evolution, reflecting the dynamic nature of human culture. It reminds us of the interconnectedness that shapes our world, where beliefs and practices are passed down, transformed, and blended across space and time.

Human presence in Italy dates back to the Paleolithic period, more than 20,000 years ago. Yes, you've heard that right, humans were in Italy, hunter-gatherers, 20,000 years ago. This era's inhabitants are mainly known from archaeological evidence, including artifacts and cave paintings they left behind. In the Bronze Age, the Villanovan and Terramare cultures were prevalent in the north and central parts of Italy. These cultures were known for their distinctive pottery and burial practices. The Etruscans, who lived primarily in the region now known as Tuscany, emerged around the 8th and 9th century BCE. They had a significant impact on the early Roman civilization and were eventually absorbed by the Romans. There were also various Italic tribes, including the Latins, Sabines, and Samnites, who lived in the Italian peninsula from around the 2nd millennium BCE. The Latins were the tribe from which the Romans emerged, starting from the 8th century BCE. The Greeks established colonies in southern Italy and Sicily, an area that was often referred to as Magna Graecia, or Greater Greece. The city of Rome was founded in the 8th century BCE, and over the next few centuries, the Romans gradually expanded to control the entire peninsula and eventually much of the known world. In Italy, this period is typically dated from around 6,000 BCE, but let's go back to the beginning. The Neolithic Revolution of Italy began around 6,000 BCE. This is the time when people living in Italy introduced farming into the region. This included the cultivation of wheat and barley, as well as the domestication of animals like sheep, goats, pigs, and cattle. With the development of farming, people began to live in permanent settlements rather than leading a nomadic lifestyle. These settlements became progressively larger over time, evolving into villages and towns. The Neolithic Age saw the invention of pottery in Italy, with various distinct regional styles. Pottery vessels were used for cooking and storage, and a variety of other purposes. In some parts of Italy, particularly Sardinia and Sicily, large stone structures known as megaliths were constructed during the late Neolithic period. These include the Nuraghi of Sardinia, which are tower-like structures made of stacked stones. Trade networks began to emerge during this period, for example, obsidian from the islands of Sardinia and Lipari was traded across the Mediterranean for its use in making tools. This period in Italy saw the development of complex religious practices, often associated with the worship of a great mother goddess. This is reflected in numerous figurines and other artifacts from this period. There were also elaborate burial practices, with the dead often buried in collective tombs along with pottery and religious items. The Neolithic era in Italy saw the development of other technologies such as weaving and the production of sophisticated tools.

Copper Age societies showed a strong focus on ancestor veneration, likely believing in some form of afterlife. This is evidenced by the elaborate burial practices and funerary structures of the period. For example, the Remedello culture in Northern Italy built distinctive collective burial sites. Many archaeologists suppose that these Copper Age societies worshipped deities associated with nature, fertility, and agriculture, reflecting the importance of these elements in the daily lives of the Italians. This is often inferred from the figurines and other artifacts found by archaeologists, many of which depict what seemed to be a goddess, possibly associated with fertility and the Earth. Some Copper Age societies built large stone structures or megaliths that appear to have religious significance. In some cases, these structures show alignments with astronomical phenomena, suggesting a possible focus on the sky or sky worship, or a form of proto-astrology. It's also suggested that the Copper Age societies of ancient Italy practiced a form of shamanism and might have venerated certain animals. This is often inferred from artifacts like animal figurines or rock paintings, as well as from the remains of animals found in archaeological sites. Like their predecessors, the Bronze Age societies often displayed complex burial rituals, which reflect belief in an afterlife along with veneration of ancestors. The northern parts of Italy, for instance, the Terramare cultures built characteristic mounds for the dead. The presence of grave goods such as weapons, jewelry, and pottery may suggest beliefs in the deceased needing these items in the afterlife, similar to what we see in the ancient Egyptians. In Sardinia, the Nuragic civilization (from 1800 to 200 BC) constructed Nuraghi, stone towers, as I mentioned, that may have had religious or ceremonial functions. The construction of dolmens and menhirs, large single standing stones, continued in parts of Italy, suggesting a tradition of building large megalithic structures for religious or ceremonial purposes, similar to Stonehenge. Sacred objects such as figurines, amulets, and ceremonial axes have been discovered in several archaeological sites. These objects are often times representative of deities or spirits. As in earlier periods, nature and fertility likely remain central themes in the Bronze Age's religious practices of ancient Italy. The discovery of figurines, often interpreted as a fertility goddess like the so-called Dia Madre (Mother Goddess), suggests the existence of fertility cults in Bronze Age Italy.

The Sabines were an ancient Italic tribe who lived in the central Apennines of Italy in a region that is now part of the modern Italian regions of Lazio, Abruzzo, and Umbria. They were one of the early tribes that settled in the region and were noted for their peaceful coexistence with the Romans. The Sabines are perhaps most famous for their connection to the founding of Rome. According to a legend, Romulus, the founder of Rome, invited the Sabines to a festival during which the Romans abducted the Sabine Women to secure wives for the Roman men. This event, known as the Rape of the Sabine Women, is one of the most famous stories of Roman mythology. As for their religion, the Sabines, like many ancient Italic tribes, practiced a form of animistic polytheism, which involved the worship of numerous gods, spirits, and natural forces. Some of the deities worshipped by the Sabines were later incorporated into the Roman Pantheon. For instance, Quirinus, a Sabine god of war, became identified with Romulus and was considered one of the three main deities of Rome, along with Jupiter and Mars. Flora, the goddess of wildlife, fertility, and abundance. Semon Sancus Dius Fidius, who was the mediator god of trust, faith, oath, and honesty. Initially a Sabine goddess, Vesta may have been a goddess of victory or of agriculture in the harvest. The Sabines also practiced a number of rituals and festivals, some of which were adopted by the Romans. For example, Lemuria, a festival held in February to avert evil spirits and purify the city, is thought to have Sabine origins. The Sabines were eventually assimilated into the Roman Republic around the 1st century BCE, and their distinctive culture and language gradually disappeared. However, their influence on early Roman civilization was substantial, particularly in the areas of religion, law, and military.

The Samnites were also an ancient Italic people living in Samnium in South Central Italy. They were known for their wars with the Roman Republic in the 4th and 3rd centuries BCE, known as the Samnite Wars, which resulted in their eventual subjugation by Rome. The religion of the Samnites, similar to the other ancient Italic cultures, was also a form of animistic polytheism. We can infer some aspects of their religion from archaeological evidence. The Samnites would have worshipped a range of gods and goddesses. For example, the sky father Jupiter, the god of war Mars, and the mother goddess, which was a common trio of gods worshipped among the Italic tribes. The Samnites probably venerated natural elements and places such as rivers, mountains, trees, and springs. Silvanus, a god of nature and the woods, also known as lord of the wood, who depicted almost exactly like Pan from the Greeks, was venerated by the Samnites and became important even during Roman times, where he was equated and synchronized with Pan. He was also a fertility god, and in his festivals, people would gather around, drink wine, and have orgies. The Samnites practiced a range of religious rituals such as animal sacrifice and offerings, processions, and festivals. They also had a tradition of ritual vow-making, which played a major role in their military activities. Divination, the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means, was common among the Samnites, who practiced augury (the observation of the flight of birds) and haruspicy (the examining of the entrails of sacrificed animals). Both of these traditions would be absorbed by the Romans.

The Villanovan culture was the earliest transitional culture from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age, which existed in Central and Northern Italy. This Villanovan culture is believed to be the precursor to the Etruscan civilization. The term Villanova comes from the village of Villanova near Bologna, where the first artifacts associated with this culture were discovered in the 19th century. The Villanovans are known for their characteristic burial practices. They cremated their dead and placed the ashes in urns, often shaped like small huts, which were then buried in cemeteries. The style of these urns, along with other artifacts like fibulae and pottery, are among the distinguishing characteristics of the Villanovan culture. Given the close relationship between the Villanovan culture and later Etruscan civilization, it is likely that their religious beliefs and practices were similar to those of the early Etruscans. The elaborate nature of the Villanovan burial practices suggests that they placed significant importance on rituals associated with death and the afterlife. The urns were often placed in a burial mound, and grave goods, such as personal belongings and food, were included. Like many other ancient cultures, the Villanovans may have practiced animism, the belief that all things, including animals, plants, and rivers, even mountains, have a spirit. Like the Etruscans before them, the Villanovans practiced divination, interpreting natural phenomena as signs or messages or oracles or omens from the gods. Religious rituals involving offerings and sacrifices.

The Etruscans, who came after them, were a civilization that inhabited the region known as Etruria, or modern-day Tuscany. The Etruscan civilization flourished around the 8th century BCE and was fully assimilated into the Roman Republic by the 4th century BCE. These Etruscans were highly influential, particularly in shaping Roman civilization. They were known for their art, architecture, and urban planning, and they were one of the few ancient societies that offered high status to women. The Etruscan religion was complex and heavily influenced by Greek and Near Eastern religions. They had an elaborate pantheon of gods, including Tinia, which was later equivalent with Zeus and Jupiter; Uni, later equated with Hera or Juno; then there's Menrva, also later syncretized with Athena. They also believed in various other gods: Silvanus, who I've mentioned earlier, who was also worshipped by the Samnites. Divination was an integral part of Etruscan religious practice. Etruscans believed that they could discern the will of the gods through signs and omens, particularly by studying phenomena such as lightning or checking the entrails of a sacrificed bull, a practice known as haruspicy. The Etruscans placed a great emphasis on the afterlife. They created elaborate tombs that mimicked houses and rooms, a reflection of the belief that life carried on after death. They decorated these tombs with frescoes depicting daily life, banquets, and other scenes. Funerary goods and offerings were also common. The Etruscans had various sacred texts used for things like divination and ritual practice. They also built temples to honor the gods, where rituals and sacrifices took place. These temples even housed statues of the gods and were places where people could go to worship and seek favor from the divine. While the Etruscan civilization was eventually assimilated into the Roman Republic, the influence of their culture, especially their religion, was significant. Many elements of Etruscan religion were adopted by the Romans and became a central part of Roman religion. Priests known to the Romans as haruspices and sacerdotes carried out divination practices according to their specific disciplines. Notably, the Tarquinii boasted a dedicated college of 60 pontiffs. Priest inscriptions reveal that the Etruscans utilized several terms for these religious practitioners: Capen (akin to Sabine census), Maru (like the Umbrian Marin), and Iiv (for a priestess). The practice of haruspicy was known to them as zix nethra. The Etruscans assigned a specific magistrate to oversee elements considered sacred; however, every individual held personal religious obligations manifested through participation in holy confraternities. Public events were always attended by these priests, and their role was to interpret the nuances of sheep's liver, which would be examined post-sacrifice. A particular bronze model of a liver, of religious importance, which remains a contentious topic among scholars today, features distinct sections that may have served as a guide for understanding the implications of irregularities found in specific areas of the organs. Etruscan artwork from the fifth century onwards often portrays the deceased journeying to the underworld. In several instances, such as the François Tomb and Vulci, spirits of the deceased are denoted by the term *hyal*, translating to "one who is underneath." The spirits of ancestors, referred to as *manes*, which were believed to dwell in tombs. Deities in Etruscan culture were known as the *iser*. The *Liber Lenus* seems to differentiate between gods of light (*acer se*) and gods of darkness (*acer sue*). It instructs to make offerings for both types of gods during the *chi* and *es* rituals. A deity's dwelling, such as a grave or temple, was referred to as a *fu* or *luth*. Within these sacred spaces, one was expected to make offerings. Etruscan art depicts a trinity of deity layers. The first layer includes indigenous divinities such as *B Tumna*, the primordial god; *Usil*, the sun deity; *Tiv*, the moon deity; *Turan*, a love goddess; *Laran*, a war god; and *Maris*, a birth goddess. There's also a death goddess named *Lasa Svans*, the woodland god *Thalna*, a trade god *Tms*, a messenger of the gods like Hermes, *Phaethon*, the wine god, *Epulu*, god of light, and then *Heracles*, the heroic figure. And underneath this layer is a variety of under deities such as *Cath*, *L Suri*, *Theer*, and *Kalis*. Supervising these entities were the highest level of deities, reflective of the Indo-European system: *Tinia*, the sky god; *Uni*, his wife; and *Nethuns*, the water god. There's also *Kalus*, the god of time, and the earth goddess *Terra*.

During the Orientalizing period (from 700 to 600 BCE), the Etruscans adopted Greek gods and heroes as a third layer of the religious system. Examples include Artemis, Athena, Heracles, and Bacchus. Over time, the primary trinity became Tinia, Uni, and Menrva, and they worshipped in tripartite temples, similar to the later Roman Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. Lastly, a fourth group known as the *Dia Inuti*, or the veiled gods, were occasionally mentioned as superior to all other deities. However, these entities were never directly worshipped, named, or depicted and had to be accessed only through mediator gods or augurs.

Medea, the princess of Colchis from the Bronze Age, is a central character in Etruscan mythology. She shows up in the Etruscan version of the myth of Jason and the Argonauts, and she's known for her powerful magic. The tragic and violent events that marked her life, particularly when she was betrayed by Jason, make her a potent symbol of love, revenge, and terrible consequences. The Etruscans had considerable contact with Greek culture, including its mythology, which is reflected in much of their surviving art and inscriptions. They adopted many Greek myths and gods into their own religious beliefs and practices, and it's possible that they knew the story of Medea and may have incorporated it into their own narratives. In some of these ways, she is depicted on artifacts dating to the Etruscan period. In the Etruscan language, among the Italic tribes, it was the Etruscans who were the first to become familiar with the character of Medea, suggesting a vast influence of Medea on the entire known world of the Late Bronze Age. Also, Greeks from Euboea established a colony in Cumae, Italy, and brought much of their culture with them. The oldest depiction of Medea that exists in archaeology is from Etruscan ceramics. Etruscan art holds older Medea images than people of native Caucasus do. In a departure from the Greek tradition, the Etruscans elevated Medea to a level of cult veneration, associating her with the sun deity Katha. She was even worshipped as a goddess or demigoddess.

Distinct accounts of the mythological Golden Age presided over by Saturn, paralleling the Golden Age of Kronos within Greek mythology. Saturn's reign and the nature of his rule deviate considerably from that of Kronos. Kronos, following his defeat by Zeus, was exiled and incarcerated in Tartarus by the Olympian gods, while Saturn, in Roman mythology, sought refuge in Latium (which is Italy) after his own son's victory over him. Saturn is often portrayed as significantly less brutal and more jovial than Kronos, maintaining his popularity amongst the Roman people despite his fall. But like Kronos, he's associated with the dominion of time. This association may stem from the profound intertwining of agriculture, in which Saturn is the husbandman who holds the sickle, ruling over with the cyclical nature of time and seasons. The name Kronos itself translates to "time," while Saturn has a different etymology. His amalgamation with Kronos may have linked them to the concept of time, possibly influencing the name of the planet Saturn in his honor. Saturn, the offspring of Terra, the primordial Earth Mother, and Caelus, the potent Sky Heavens God, can be compared to their Greek counterparts Gaia and Uranus. The genesis of this mythology and Roman tradition. Saturn's veneration in Rome dates back to the 6th century BCE, with Romans attributing the Golden Age of agriculture and farming under his rule, an age where everybody had wealth and equality. This view portrays a nurturing and benevolent facet of Saturn's persona. The origins and connotations of the name Saturn remain ambiguous. Some propose that the name stems from *satus*, meaning "to sow," aligning with his agrarian identity. Others suggest a connection with the Etruscan god Satur in the town of Satria in Latium, reflecting a potential underworld and funeral rites association predating his Greek influence. The alternative name for Saturn, *Stur*, emanates from *stare*, signifying "fertilizer," highlighting his connection to field fertilization and the agricultural cycle of death that brings new life. Saturn's iconography often includes a scythe, symbolizing agricultural harvest and death, mirroring the dual nature of his consorts Ops and Lua. His aged depiction possibly alluding to the swift passage of time aligns with his festivals symbolizing the year's conclusion and the advent of a new year.

Disentangling the original concept of Saturn from the later Hellenizing influences proves challenging, particularly following the incorporation of Saturnalia, the Greek festival aspects, into the Roman Saturnalia. Intriguingly, Saturn worship followed the Greek rite with uncovered heads, differing from the traditional Roman veiled worship, indicative of the veiled Greek deities themselves. The *Templum Saturni* (Temple of Saturn), situated at the Roman Forum's outset, houses the Roman treasury, Senate records, and decrees, and acted as an ancient bank, if you will, and only certain priests were allowed in. Despite the uncertainty surrounding its founder, the temple, believed to be constructed between 497 and 501 BCE, stands as one of the most ancient monuments in the Roman Forum. The Roman Festival of Saturnalia was held during the winter solstice and marked Saturn's agricultural contributions, characterized by role reversals between masters and slaves, street games, the selection of a mock king, and gift exchanges. The festival echoes modern Christmas celebrations, potentially due to the appropriation of Saturnalia following the Roman Empire's Christianization. After Saturn was defeated by Jupiter, he settled in Latium, imparted farming principles on the people, promoted a civil and moral lifestyle, and taught technologies and medicine, and founded the city of Saturnia. His influence extended to the point of being considered the first king of Latium, or Italy. The immigrant god from Greece, or in some cases, the father of the Latin nation through his son Janus.

This god, also known as Rex Inferus or Pluto, embodies a central figure in Roman mythology as a deity of the underworld. His initial association revolved around fertile agricultural lands and mineral wealth, aligning him with the subterranean domain from which these valuable minerals.

emerged. This connection fostered his identification with the god Dis Pater, or Hades, and Orcus. Over time, this association brought in the concept of death in the underworld as the subterranean extraction of precious minerals and gems led to an association with the domain of the dead, overseen by Pluto. In the process of merging identities with Pluto, Dis Pater absorbs certain mythological characteristics of the latter, integrating him into a pantheon of Saturn's and Ops' offspring alongside Jupiter and Neptune, who is a lot like Poseidon, the ruler over the seas. As a result, he came to preside over the underworld and the dead, like Hades, in tandem with his consort Proserpina, or Greek Persephone.

In literary context, the name Dis Pater served as a symbolic, poetic mechanism for referencing the concept of death itself. In some cases, Dionysus, or Father Liber, would be identified with Dis Pater as a prince of the underworld. At times, Dis Pater was equated with the Sabine deity Sancus. Julius Caesar, in his commentaries on the Gallic Wars, suggests that the Gauls trace their lineage back to Dis Pater, a manifestation of Roman interpretation. In this context, Caesar insinuates that the Gauls believe their ancestry to descend from a Gallic god whom Caesar thought was Dis Pater. A scholium on the Pharsalia posits Dis Pater as equivalent to Taranis, the Gallic god of thunder, who is also connected to the Germanic god Thor. Additionally, regions such as Southern Germany were often considered Dis Pater's children, which connects him with the god Odin, the god of madness and frenzy.

Aeneas, a legendary figure of both Trojan and Roman mythology, is renowned as the son of the divine Aphrodite, a part of Troy's royal lineage and a kin of Hector. Aeneas was a distinguished defender of his city during the Trojan War, as Homer relates in The Iliad, demonstrating martial prowess second only to Hector himself. Homer's work subtly hints at Aeneas's discontent with his secondary role, thereby giving rise to a later narrative that posits Aeneas as a conspirator in Troy's betrayal to the Greeks. A more prevalent version of his story portrays Aeneas as the helm of the Trojan survivors following the Greek conquest of Troy. Regardless of these divergent accounts, the common thread in all the narratives is the survival of Aeneas, enabling him to be woven into the fabric of Roman mythology.

The connection of Homeric heroes to Italy and Sicily can be traced back to the 8th century BCE, coinciding with the era when Homer's epics were believed to have been transitioned into written form. Greek colonies established in Italy and Sicily during this period and the ensuing century often claimed lineage from figures central to the Trojan War. Aeneas, in particular, was associated with various locals and dynasties, notably within the region of Latium, who was considered to be a son of Venus. Thereby, the Roman people were descendants of Venus. As the Roman Empire expanded throughout Italy and across the Mediterranean, Roman authors imbued with a sense of patriotism sought to craft a mythological tradition that would simultaneously infuse their land with historical grandeur and subdue an underlying resentment towards the Greeks' cultural hegemony. Aeneas, in his role as a Trojan adversary of the Greeks with a post-war narrative open to interpretation, was uniquely suited to embody the mythical precursor to the inception of Roman supremacy.

During the 1st century BCE, it was the esteemed poet Virgil who amalgamated the diverse threads of Aeneas-related legends into the enduring form known today as the Aeneid. The lineage of Julius Caesar and, subsequently, Virgil's benefactor Augustus professed descent from Aeneas and extended to Venus, whose son Ascanius was alternately identified as Iulus. Drawing from these assorted traditions, Virgil composed his magnum opus, the Aeneid. This grand Latin epic featured a protagonist who not only epitomizes the trajectory and objectives of Roman history but also mirrors the personal journey and political strategies of Augustus. In chronicling the western odyssey of Aeneas from Troy through Sicily and Carthage to the mouth of the Tiber in Italy, Virgil underscored the virtues of tenacity, self-sacrifice, and divine obedience—attributes he believed instrumental in the foundation of Rome itself.

Composed between 29 and 19 BCE, Virgil's Aeneid narrates across 12 books the mythic establishment of Latium, the precursor of Alba Longa and Rome, by the Trojan hero Aeneas. As Virgil recounts, after the Greeks seized Troy, the resilient Aeneas was instructed by the apparition of Hector to escape and initiate a significant city abroad. Mustering his family and followers, Aeneas secured the Penates, household deities of Troy, amidst the chaos of evacuation from the burning city. His wife vanished; her spirit later appeared to him, revealing his destiny to venture to a land in the west where the Tiber River coursed. Thus began Aeneas's epic journey, with stops in Thrace, Crete, Sicily, culminating in shipwreck near Carthage on the African coast. Here, he was hospitably received by Dido, the Punic queen. As he narrated his tale, fell in love, and he delayed his journey until a stern reminder from the god Mercury refocused him on his ultimate objective. Rome-racked with guilt, he immediately deserted Dido, who subsequently ended her own life. Resuming his voyage, Aeneas eventually reached the mouth of the Tiber. Upon his arrival, he was warmly greeted by Latinus, the regional king. Nevertheless, several Italians, particularly Turnus, contested the Trojan settlement and prospective marriage alliance between Aeneas and Latinus's daughter Lavinia. War ensued, with the Trojans emerging victorious and Turnus meeting his end. Aeneas wed Lavinia and established [Music] Lavinium.

The legendary founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, are depicted in Virgil's Aeneid as the direct descendants of Aeneas, the Trojan hero whose destiny in discovering Italy. From the crux of the epic, the lineage connecting Romulus and Remus to Aeneas is through their maternal grandfather, Numitor, a former king of Alba Longa, an ancient city in Latium, Central Italy. He was the father of Rhea Silvia, the mother of Romulus and Remus. Prior to the twins' conception, Numitor's sovereignty was overthrown by his younger brother, Amulius, who exploited the wealth of Alba Longa's treasury to seize power. To preclude potential conflicts of succession, Amulius murdered Numitor's male offspring and forced Rhea Silvia into the Vestal order, thus obliging her to maintain the sacred flame of Vesta, the hearth's patron goddess, and uphold vows of chastity.

The paternity of Romulus and Remus is a subject of contention. Some narratives assert that Mars, the god of war, consorted with Rhea Silvia. The historian Livy contends that Rhea Silvia was violated by an unidentified man but attributed her resulting pregnancy to divine conception. Regardless of the different accounts, the fact remains that Rhea Silvia bore twin sons in violation of her Vestal oath, which usually warranted a death sentence, often by live burial. King Amulius featured divine retribution for the potential father, either Mars or Hercules. He chose to incarcerate Rhea Silvia and commanded that the twins be sentenced to death, either through live burial or by being cast into the river Tiber. Amulius reasoned that by having the twins perish from natural causes rather than direct violence, he could evade divine punishment. The appointed servant tasked with carrying out the sentence is moved by compassion for the twins and opts to spare them, setting them adrift in a basket in the river Tiber, where they are carried off to safety.

The divine intervention of the Tiber, the river deity, ensured the safe passage of Romulus and Remus, as their basket was caught in the fig tree situated at the foot of the Palatine Hill. The first encounter was with a she-wolf, or Lupa, who provided them with nourishment. Eventually, the shepherd Faustulus and his spouse Acca Larentia discovered them and nurtured them, and the boys adopted their foster father's profession, becoming shepherds. During a confrontation with King Amulius's shepherds, Remus was apprehended and brought before the king. Romulus assembled a group of local shepherds to assist in rescuing his sibling. Ignorant of the true identity of the twins, King Amulius was slain during Remus's liberation. The brothers respectfully declined the citizens' proposal to ascend the throne of Alba Longa and instead restored their grandfather Numitor to the throne.

Desiring to establish their own city, the brothers each embarked on a quest to identify an ideal location. Their differing choices: Romulus preferred the Palatine Hill, and Remus opted for the Aventine Hill, and this led to a dispute. They agreed to resolve their conflict through augury, the prophecy of observing birds. Each brother created a sacred space on their chosen hill and watched for bird signs. Remus claimed to have spotted six birds, while Romulus professed to have seen 12. The disagreement persisted, as Romulus asserted his victory by virtue of the higher bird count, while Remus argued he had won as the birds appeared faster. Romulus began to fortify the Palatine Hill, prompting Remus to scoff at his brother's endeavors. Romulus's audacious leap over Romulus's wall led to his death. Romulus's death is symbolically associated with Rome's impending power and destiny. The mourning Romulus accorded full funeral honors to his brother. According to Livy, the foundational event of Rome and Romulus's death occurred on April 21, 753 BCE. Romulus named the city Roma in his honor, setting up a governance system comprising senators and patricians.

While its growing popularity, Rome attracted a myriad of inhabitants, including fugitives, exiles, runaway slaves, criminals, and outcasts. This gender imbalance led to the Sabine and Latin women's abduction during a Saturnalia festival at the Circus Maximus, precipitating a war between Rome and the tribes of Italy. Romulus emerged victorious, marking Rome's inaugural triumph. Despite their defeat, a Sabine king, Titus Tatius, attempted an assault on the capital's citadel, which was unsuccessful. A truce was eventually reached, leading to a dual kingship, an amalgamation of customs ranging from calendars and gods to military tactics. This period of peace ended with the assassination of Tatius during a visit to Lavinium. Romulus then ruled for the next 20 years, gradually incorporating lands into Rome's domain, and this would become the birth of the Kingdom of Rome.

Romulus vanishes in an enigmatic manner amidst a tempest or vortex. Several purported witnesses posit that Romulus ascended to the divine realm at the right hand of Jupiter, thereby metamorphosing into a god. Livy provides a detailed account of these occurrences, while Cassius Dio narrates a more sinister scenario where Romulus is brutally dismembered by a circle of malevolent senators within the Senate house. This gruesome episode is succeeded by an eclipse, an abrupt storm, which Dio conjectures to be reminiscent of the supernatural phenomena that heralded Romulus's birth. The year of Romulus's appearance is stated as 717 BCE by Plutarch, occurring when Romulus would be 53 years old. Rome would have a total of six kings before it would convert into a Republic, and the Senate was in control for the next 500 years until Julius [Music] Caesar.

The dissemination of the cult of Bacchus in Rome unfolded around the 2nd century BCE, analogous to the cult of Dionysus in Greece, from which it originated. It was a mystery cult, restricted solely to initiates for mystical objectives. The Bacchanalia, the Roman celebrations devoted to Bacchus, the god of wine, freedom, intoxication, and ecstasy, were similar to the Greek Dionysia of the Dionysian Mysteries. The Bacchanalia likely migrated to Rome around 200 BC via the southern Hellenistic colonies of Italy. As with all mystery cults, the Bacchana took place in stringent privacy, with initiates pledged to secrecy. According to Livy, the primary Roman literary source, the inaugural Bacchic priestess, Pulchra Ania, a priestess of Bacchus, established the first private and unofficial Bacchic cult in Rome. Livy contends that the initial cult was exclusively for women and took place during daylight over three days annually and nearby at Etruria, north of Rome. A Greek soothsayer of modest origins had set up a nocturnal counterpart, incorporating wine and banquets and attracting a zealous following of both women and men. Pulchra Ania, according to Livy, adulterated the unofficial yet morally acceptable Bacchic cult in Rome, including the Etrurian conversion, featuring five monthly nocturnal worship meetings open to all society, age group, and gender. The revamped ceremonies and initiations were marked by wine-fueled violence and rampant sexual liberty, where the cries of victims were drowned out by the clamor of drums and cymbals. Those who revolted or betrayed the secret faced elimination. Cloaked in the guise of religion, the priests and acolytes violated every civic, moral, and religious edict. Livy further suggests that even though the cult had a specific allure for individuals possessing a flighty and unrefined mindset, such as the young plebeians and women, it permeated the majority of the populace and spread like wildfire. Even the elite strata of Roman society were not invulnerable to its influence.

Bacchus's cult followers soon clashed with Rome's official religion, stemming from the refusal to uphold its cultural values. This culminated in the Senate, led by Cato, issuing a senatorial decree known as the Senatus Consultum de Bacchanalibus in 186 BCE to dismantle the cult. The steps taken included demolishing temples, seizing assets, detaining their leaders, and persecuting the followers. Subsequently, the Bacchanalia persisted as festivals, but the elements of mystery were permanently discarded. The Romans also adopted Greek religious customs and imported other gods and goddesses like Vesta and Magna Mater in 204 BCE from Phrygia. The Roman authors of the time consulted the Sibylline Books, prophetic texts guarded by a priesthood of women who lived in various cities in the Mediterranean and Mesopotamia. This priesthood, the Quindecimviri Sacris Faciundis, consisted of two Patrician pontiffs who consulted these women for oracles. According to Roman tradition, the oldest collection of Sibylline Books appears to have been made about the time of Solon and Cyrus on Mount Ida in the Troad. It was attributed to the Hellespontine Sibyl and was preserved in the temple of Apollo at Gergus. The collection passed to Eritrea, where it became famous as the Oracles of the Erythraean Sibyl. It would appear to have been this very collection that found its way to Cumae and from Cumae to Rome. The Sibylline Oracles were noted by the Roman Jewish historian Josephus in the first century, as well as other numerous Christian writers of the 2nd century, including Theophilus of Antioch, who in a letter addressed to Marcus Aurelius in 176 quoted verbatim a section of the extant oracles in the midst of a lengthy series of other classical and pagan references, such as Homer and Hesiod, stating several times that these works should already be familiar to the Roman Emperor. Copies of the actual Sibylline Books from 76 BCE were still in the Roman Temple at this time. The oracles are nevertheless thought by modern scholars to be an anonymous compilation that assumed their final form in the fifth century. They are a miscellaneous collection of pagan, Jewish, and Christian texts which portend future disasters that may illustrate the confusion about Sibyls that were accumulated among Christians of late antiquity. The Sibylline tradition would continue through even the days when Rome moved to Constantinople and became a Christian Empire, and would continue until the fall of Constantinople all the way in the 16th century. The Sibylline Books would be the one thread that connects modern Rome to ancient Rome.

Major priests of the Roman religion, the Rex Sacrorum and his wife Regina Sacrorum (known in English as the King and Queen of Sacred Things), were the highest official status in the religion of Rome, and they were selected by the Pontifex Maximus, the high priest, who was voted democratically in the Senate. The last democratically elected Pontifex Maximus was Julius Caesar in 63 BCE. The title Pontifex Maximus is now used for the Pope. They had three major priesthoods led by three high priests: the Flamen Martialis, the priest of Mars; the Flamen Quirinalis, the priest of Quirinus, and later Romulus; and the Flamen Dialis, the priest of Jupiter. The Salii, or Salian priests, were leaping priests of Mars in ancient Roman religion, supposed to have been introduced by King Numa Pompilius. According to legend, Numa established the Salii which honored the god Mars, while Tullus Hostilius established the Salii Collini which honored the god Quirinus. An origin among the Etruscans is attributed to a founding by Lars Porsena, the king of the Etruscans. The Salii are also given an origin in connection with Dardanus and the Samothracian Mysteries, and the Salii who came to Italy with Evander and Aeneas competed in the funeral games of Aeneas. Indeed, in Book 8 of the Aeneid, on the land of King Evander, Aeneas is entertained by the Salii during a feast, who are commemorating the fame of Hercules. They would select 12 young boys to serve 4-year terms as Salii, and when one of them left, they would replace him with another one.

The Vestal Virgins were priestesses of Vesta, virgin goddess of Rome's sacred hearth and its flame. They were chosen before puberty from a number of suitable candidates, freed from any legal ties and obligations to their family, birth, and enrolled in Vesta's priestly college of six priestesses. They were supervised by a senior Vestal but chosen and governed by Rome's leading male priest, the Pontifex Maximus. During the time of Augustus, they would finish their terms as priestesses and when that happened, they would be given a pension, land, and often times strategically married to some Greek, Gallic, or Egyptian royals, which would strengthen the government in occupied lands outside of Italy.

Political, military, and civil actions were sanctioned by the priests known as the Augurs and the Haruspices. Historically, augury, divination through the monitoring of the flight of birds and lightning in the sky, performed by a priest of the College of Augurs on behalf of senior magistrates. The practice itself likely comes from the neighboring region of Etruria, where Etruscan augurs were highly respected as officials. Magistrates were empowered to conduct augury as required for the performance of their official duties. Magistracies included senior military and civil ranks, which were therefore religious offices in their own right, and magistrates were directly responsible for the peace and the prosperity of Rome. A haruspex was a person trained in the practice of a form of divination that checks the entrails of a sacrificed animal for omens related to politics and [Music] war.

Over time, the Greeks slowly began to inhabit the southern region of Italy and Sicily. Thinkers like Parmenides and Pythagoras would bring Orphism and Ionian philosophy to the Italian Peninsula. The Etruscans dominated culture in the north, and the Greeks dominated culture in the south, and the combination of both would make up Roman society as we know it.

Cyprus has a long history with evidence of human habitation dating back as far as the 10th millennium (10,000 BC). These earliest inhabitants are believed to have been hunter-gatherers who crossed over to the island from the nearby regions of modern-day Lebanon. The first major wave of civilization in Cyprus was during the Neolithic period, around 7,000 to 6,000 BCE, when farming communities began to develop. The Bronze Age, which started around 2500 BCE, brought significant advancements to metallurgy and commerce. Cyprus has since been occupied by a series of different civilizations, including the Mycenaean Greeks, Venetians, Romans, Byzantines, Arab Caliphate, French, Venetians, Ottoman Turks, and British.

The Neolithic period on Cyprus, also known as the New Stone Age, is characterized by significant advancements in human technology and culture. It's believed to have started around 8,000 BCE and lasted to around 3,900 BCE. The Aceramic and Ceramic Neolithic periods, with and without pottery. In the Aceramic Neolithic period, Cyprus saw its first permanent human settlements dating around 8,000 BCE. These inhabitants lived in round houses and survived mainly by hunting, gathering, and [Music] fishing. The Khirokitia culture is a well-known example of this period, with a well-preserved archaeological site that has provided a great deal of information about the early settlers' way of life. These Khirokitia people are known for their innovative architecture, including stone round houses, which were often partially buried in the ground for insulation. The Ceramic Neolithic period (4500-3900 BC) marked the introduction of more sophisticated tools and the beginning of agriculture and trade. The Sotira culture is a significant group from this period. During this time, Cyprus had significant interactions with surrounding regions, especially the Levantine coast, as evidenced by commonality in certain types of pottery and other artifacts. Despite being an island, Cyprus had a rich Neolithic culture that closely mirrored the major developments happening on the mainland at the same time. The evidence of these ancient cultures provides invaluable insights into the human journey from hunter-gatherers to settled farming communities.

The Copper Age, also known as the Chalcolithic Age in Cyprus, is believed to have begun around 3900 BCE and continued until the advent of the Bronze Age around 2500 BCE. This period is characterized by the development of copper use in addition to stone for tools and other items. While farming continued to be the primary source of sustenance during the Copper Age, the inhabitants of Cyprus began to master the smelting and working of copper, which was abundant on the island. This allowed for the production of more durable tools, weapons, and other objects, facilitating a significant advancement in technology. Idols for worship were designed during this [Music] period. The Cypriot Chalcolithic period is also noted for the production of distinctively decorated pottery and for the beginning of trade relations with the surrounding regions. Artifacts from this period, such as the cruciform figurines, plank-shaped figurines, and pottery with complex incised decoration, show a sophistication in their craftsmanship. These artifacts indicate that society was becoming more complex, with the development of new rituals and social norms. In terms of settlement, people during this period tended to live in small villages, usually built on hills, which allowed them to easily defend themselves. Burial practices also became more elaborate during this Copper Age, with the dead often buried under the floors of homes or in designated cemeteries. Grave goods became more common, suggesting a belief in the afterlife. This was an important period in Cyprus's history, as the technological advancements and cultural developments set the stage for the Bronze Age, during which the island became a significant player in the Eastern Mediterranean [Music] region.

The Bronze Age of Cyprus, also known as the Cypriote Bronze Age, extended from 2300 to 1000 BCE. This period saw the development of more complex political and economic systems and the emergence of new religious practices. Based on the archaeological evidence, it appears that a fertility goddess was widely worshipped on Cyprus during the Bronze Age. This is suggested by numerous terracotta figurines of women, often pregnant or with emphasized sexual characteristics, which have been found in tombs and sanctuaries. The bull also appears to have been an important religious symbol, possibly associated with fertility, strength, and power. Horned bull figurines and images of bulls are common in Bronze Age Cypriot art. Numerous Bronze Age sanctuaries have been discovered on Cyprus. These often include open-air altars and a variety of religious artifacts, including figurines and ceremonial vessels. Some sanctuaries also contain large stone structures, possibly used for communal religious ceremonies. During the Bronze Age, the dead were often buried with a variety of grave goods, suggesting a belief in an afterlife. These grave goods often included religious objects and figurines. [Music]

Cyprus became increasingly integrated into the wider Mediterranean world during this Late Bronze Age. This was a period of extensive trade and international diplomacy. Cypriote pottery and other goods were widely distributed across the region. Cyprus was a major supplier of copper to the Mycenaean Greeks and was part of a cultural exchange network that included the Hittites, Egyptians, and Babylonians. These interactions likely influenced religious practices and beliefs, and during this time, the Greek goddess Aphrodite became prominent in Cypriot [Music] religion.

Through the Iron Age and into the year 570 BCE, Cyprus was conquered by Egypt under Pharaoh Amasis II. This brief period of Egyptian domination left its influence mainly in the arts, especially sculptures, where the rigidity and the dress of the Egyptian style can be observed. Cypriot artists later discarded this Egyptian style in favor of Greek prototypes. Statues in stone often show a mixture of Egyptian and Greek influence. In particular, ceramics recovered on Cyprus show influence from the ancient Minoans of Crete. Men often wore Egyptian wigs and Assyrian-style beards; armor and dress showed West Asiatic elements as well. During the Classical period, Cyprus came under the influence of the Persian Empire and later the Greeks and Romans. Cypriot kings adopted Persian customs and religions while maintaining their Greek identity. The island became a place where Western and Eastern cultures mixed. Cyprus was known as the birthplace of Aphrodite, and the sanctuary of Aphrodite at Paphos became an important pilgrimage site, influencing religious practices across the entire world. Cyprus was part of the Byzantine Empire for many centuries and played a crucial role in the spread of Christianity in the Eastern Mediterranean. The island was a center of monasticism and produced significant religious figures and texts. Later, under Venetian rule, Cyprus was a key player in the Crusades and a link between Western Europe and the Holy Land. Cyprus remained a place where different cultures and religions coexisted under Ottoman and British rule. Today, Cyprus is still divided between the Greek Cypriot South and Turkish Cypriot North, reflecting the island's complex history and its continued role as a meeting place of different cultures. They are now divided by Greek Orthodox Christians and Sunni Islam, but long before these religions took root, Cyprus had its own religion, which influenced the broader Mediterranean world. Even Christianity and Islam borrowed elements from the native religions of Cyprus. King David, Mary, and Jesus may have been influenced by the stories of King Kinyras, Myrrha, and Adonis, but before we explore these, first we need to examine what led up to the foundational myths of Cyprus, and this takes us back once again to the Bronze [Music] [Music] Age.

In the Bronze Age, we begin to see an emergence of goddess figurines, often referred to as the Great Goddess or Mother Goddess, associated with fertility, agriculture, and nature. She is often depicted as a robust woman, sometimes pregnant, with her hands on her hips. These terracotta figurines, known as plank figures, have been found in various sites across Cyprus. In the Late Bronze Age, we start to see a goddess who would become a central figure in Cypriot religion: the Lady of Cyprus. She would later become identified with Aphrodite by the Greeks, but also as Astarte by the Phoenicians, due to her association with fertility, nature, and love. Similarly, male deities associated with war, death, and the underworld—the precursors to figures like Adonis—also appear to have been worshipped. Archaeological evidence from this time suggests that bulls, doves, and snakes were considered sacred and featured in religious practices, likely as symbols or avatars of particular deities. Bulls, for instance, are often associated with virility and power, while snakes can symbolize rebirth and renewal due to their shedding skin. By the time of the Iron Age and the arrival of Greek colonists, these indigenous gods had largely been syncretized with the Greek pantheon. The Lady of Cyprus was fully identified with Aphrodite, while other local deities were recognized as Zeus, Hera, Dionysus, and so on. The Greek influence would shape the religious landscape of Cyprus for many centuries to [Music] come.

Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of fertility, was widely worshipped throughout ancient Greece and Cyprus. Cyprus is traditionally considered one of the main centers of her worship and is also claimed to be the place of her birth. Pinpointing the exact date for when the worship of Aphrodite first began on Cyprus is challenging. It's likely that the goddess was introduced to the island by the Mycenaeans during the 12th and 11th centuries BCE. Aphrodite, as we know her from Greek mythology, is thought to have evolved from earlier goddesses of fertility in the Eastern Mediterranean region. This earlier goddess is linked to the Phoenician goddess Astarte and the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar. When the Greeks settled on Cyprus, they may have identified this indigenous goddess with Aphrodite and adopted some of the local religious [Music] practices. The earliest inscriptions explicitly mentioning Aphrodite on Cyprus date to the first millennium BCE, after the island had come under significant Greek influence, although the Mother of Cyprus, the predecessor to this goddess, began much earlier. Cyprus, often referred to as the Island of Aphrodite, due to its long association with this goddess. Aphrodite is said to have been born here from the sea foam near Cyprus after Cronus castrated his father Uranus and threw his genitals into the sea. Aphrodite was then born from the sea foam that arose from this event. Sanctuaries and temples dedicated to Aphrodite have been found across the island. These often featured statues and images of the goddess where devotees could leave offerings. Rituals associated with Aphrodite included the use of substances, potions, and communal orgies and feasts, sacrifices, and prayers and hymns to the goddess. Getting up at dawn and singing hymns to Aphrodite was a common practice throughout Cyprus. Fertility rites, given Aphrodite's role as the fertility goddess, sacred prostitution, and other erotic rites were likely a part of her worship. One of the most significant sites of Aphrodite on Cyprus is the Sanctuary of Aphrodite at Palaepaphos (Old Paphos). This was one of the most important religious centers in the entire ancient Greek world, and it remained an important pilgrimage site until it was shut down by Theodosius. It's notable that the cult image of Aphrodite at this site was not a human form but an aniconic symbol, often described as a conical stone, suggesting a continuation of pre-Greek religious practices. Another significant site is Petra tou Romiou, also known as Aphrodite's Rock, a sea stack located off the southern coast of Cyprus. This is traditionally considered to be her birthplace. The goddess's influence can be seen in numerous aspects of Cypriot history and culture, and she remains a symbol of the island to this day.

Adonis was a figure in Greek mythology known for his extraordinary beauty. He was believed to be beloved by Aphrodite, which often associates him with sites and practices related to Aphrodite's worship. It is said that Adonis is the one to introduce the rites of Aphrodite to the kingdom of Cyprus. While Adonis himself was not a god, his story has religious undertones, and he was the focus of festivals and rituals, especially those related to the fertility and regenerative powers of nature. He later becomes a god after his death and resurrection by becoming deified through the power of Aphrodite. At Paphos, the religious custom of religious prostitution, said to have been instituted by King Kinyras and have been practiced by his daughters, the sisters of Adonis, who, having incurred the wrath of Aphrodite, mated with strangers and ended their days in Egypt. King Kinyras is mentioned by Pindar as beloved of Apollo and a priest of Aphrodite. Pindar mentions Kinyras as being fabulously rich in the Nemean Odes 8, line 18, which says: "For prosperity that is planted with the God's blessing is more abiding for men; such prosperity as once loaded Kinyras with wealth in sea-washed Cyprus." Similar to the rich kingdom that David and Solomon [Music] have. Later in Greek and Roman literature and in the Christian Fathers, such as Clement of Alexandria, the story of Kinyras is elaborated. They say that on Cyprus, Kinyras was revered as the creator of art and musical instruments, such as the harp and the flute. King Kinyras, like King David, is portrayed always with a lyre or harp in his hand. In fact, *kinnor*, the Hebrew word used for harp that David plays in 1 Samuel 16:23, which says: "And whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would pick up his *kinnor* harp and play, and Saul would become well, and the spirit of distress would depart from him." Both King David and King Kinyras have etiological and artistic connections through this depiction of kings playing the *kinnor*. While David is the father of King Solomon, who introduces the worship of Aphrodite into the house of God, King Kinyras is the father of Adonis, who also introduces the worship of Aphrodite into the kingdom of Cyprus. Both Adonis and Solomon are born through adulterous lust: David, who sinfully ravages Bathsheba the Hittite, and Kinyras, whose daughter Myrrha sinfully tricks Kinyras into ancestral relations. Both kings repent for their sins, and Solomon, like Adonis, is loved by hundreds of women. Solomon has hundreds of concubines, and Adonis has hundreds of lovers. Also, Adonis, like Jesus Christ, is mourned for by women like Mary. And like Jesus, the blood of Adonis is thought to hold the power of eternal life. Every year during the Spring Equinox, the annual death and resurrection of Adonis was celebrated by the Cyprians and Phoenicians, similar to the Easter celebration of Christianity. [Music]

The earliest known Greek reference to Adonis comes from a fragment of a poem by the poet Sappho of Lesbos, in which a chorus of young girls ask Aphrodite what they can do to mourn Adonis's death. Aphrodite replies that they must beat their breasts and tear their tunics. The cult of Adonis is also described as corresponding to the cult of the Phoenician god Baal. As Walter Burkert explains: "Women sit by the gate weeping for Tammuz, or they offer incense to Baal on rooftops and plant pleasant plants." These are the very features of the Adonis legend, which is celebrated on the flat rooftops on which shoots sown with quickly germinating green salad are placed as the "Gardens of Adonis." The climax is loud lamentation for the dead god. Ezekiel shows knowledge of this rite in Book 8:14: "Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord's House which was toward the north, and behold, there sat women weeping for [Music] Tammuz."

Among the stories which were told of King Kinyras, the ancestor of the priestly kings of Paphos and the father of Adonis, there are some that deserve our attention. In the first place, he is said to have begotten his son Adonis in this incestuous intercourse with Myrrha, his daughter, at a festival of the corn goddess Demeter, at which women robed in white were to offer corn wreaths as first fruits of the harvest and to observe strict chastity for nine days. Similar cases of incest with a daughter are reported by many ancient kings. One that comes to mind is the story of Judah and Tamar in Genesis, which was almost verbatim to the story of how Myrrha dresses up as a prostitute to trick Kinyras. Tamar also dresses up as a prostitute and tricks Judah into having intercourse with her. Myrrha, who does the same with Kinyras, gives birth to Adonis, and it's from this line of Judah where Jesus is [Music] born.

Adonis was also said to have been loved by other gods, such as Apollo, Heracles, and Dionysus. He was described as androgynous, for he acted like a man in his affections for Aphrodite but as a woman for Apollo. Androgynous here means that Adonis took on a passive, feminine role with his love for Apollo. Heracles' love of Adonis is mentioned in passing by Tzetzes. The text states that due to his love for Adonis, Aphrodite taught Nessus the centaur how to trap and ensnare him. Another tradition stated that Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and madness, carried Adonis off after seeing his beauty. In Cyprus, as in many parts of the ancient Greek world, there were annual festivals known as the Adonia. These festivals were primarily led by women and took place during the hottest part of the summer. They revolved around the myth of Adonis's death and resurrection, symbolizing the seasonal cycle of vegetation: the death of plants in the heat of summer and their rebirth in the cooling months. During the Adonia, women would plant "Gardens of Adonis," usually small pots or baskets filled with fast-growing plants. These plants would sprout quickly but then wilt and die, representing Adonis's premature death. Women would mourn and wail for Adonis in ritual lamentations, carrying the wilted plants and images of Adonis in funeral-like processions. According to Lucian, *De Dea Syria*, each year during the Festival of Adonis, the Adonis River in Lebanon (now known as the Abraham River) ran red with blood. Despite these mournful rituals, the festivals of Adonis also had elements of celebration. They were often marked by feasting, singing hymns, dancing, revelry, drinking wine and *kykon* (a psychedelic substance), as well as orgies involving erotic elements, giving Adonis's role as a symbol of physical beauty and [Music] desire.

Adonis and Aphrodite are closely linked, and their stories are often intertwined, which would have naturally led to some synchronicity in their worship. According to the myth, Aphrodite was smitten by the extraordinary beauty of Adonis, a mortal, and took him as her lover. However, Adonis was tragically killed in his prime after going hunting for a boar and was killed by a boar, causing Aphrodite immense grief. The death and resurrection of Adonis, symbolizing the annual cycle of vegetation, were central themes in his worship. Aphrodite, as the goddess of fertility and the regenerative powers of nature, brings Adonis to life as a new god, where he is to take on half the year in the underworld for Persephone, to rise for half the year. Persephone would then return to the underworld for half the year. This thematic overlap could have encouraged the syncretism of all these religious cults, including the Eleusinian [Music] Mysteries.

The festivals of Adonis, or Adonia, were characterized by the mourning for the dead and celebrating resurrection. The Greeks were adept at syncretism when they encountered new deities in the places they colonized or traded with. They often identified these new gods with their own. This led to a blending of myths, rituals, and iconography. Aphrodite herself was commonly linked with Ishtar, and Adonis commonly linked with Dumuzi or Tammuz. There's also the Phoenician myth of Eshmun and Astarte, in which Eshmun bleeds out and dies and is raised up and turned into a god by Astarte, just like Adonis. The blending of these worships would have been part of a broader process of cultural exchange and syncretism. Adonis is a significant figure in Greek mythology. He represents the natural cycle of life and death in an agricultural context, as his story embodies the death of vegetation and the rebirth of springtime. In the myth, Adonis is an incredibly beautiful mortal who is loved by not only Aphrodite but also Persephone, the goddess of the underworld. This is why he is to spend half the year in the underworld. Aphrodite, reflecting the seasonal cycle. However, Adonis is not destined to remain in the underworld forever. In some versions, Zeus intervenes to mediate between Aphrodite and Persephone, decreeing that Adonis would spend half the year, thus marking his annual resurrection. For the agricultural societies of ancient Greece, this myth would have had the most powerful resonance. The departure of Adonis to the underworld can be seen to correspond with the period when seeds are sown and fields lay fallow, while his return marks the time of growth and harvest. The mourning of Aphrodite corresponds to the barren period, while her joy at his return is a time of abundance, which also links fertility to the matter. Due to the abundance of wealth in agriculture, fertility is the next thing that follows in any society. Aphrodite's mourning and subsequent joy echo the human experience, as these cycles are seen in everyday aspects of life.

The myth of Venus, the Roman counterpart to the Greek goddess Aphrodite, and Adonis is one of the most famous tales in classical mythology, told by the poet Ovid, showcasing love, beauty, and tragedy. Here's the basic story: Adonis, the son of Myrrha and her father Kinyras, was an incredibly handsome young man. Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, was so smitten by his beauty that she decided to hide him in a chest and entrusted the chest to Persephone, the queen of the Underworld, for safekeeping. Persephone was also taken by Adonis's beauty when she opened the chest and refused to give him back to Venus. The dispute between the two goddesses was eventually settled by Zeus. The decision was that Adonis would spend one-third of the year with Venus, one-third of the year with Persephone, and one-third of the year with whoever he chooses. Adonis, in love with Venus, chose to spend his final third of the year with her. Despite Venus's warning to avoid dangerous wild beasts, Adonis was killed by a wild boar during a hunting expedition. Some versions of the story say that the boar was Ares, the god of war and a jealous lover of Venus, in disguise. Other versions suggest that the boar was sent by Apollo or Artemis as punishment for Venus's affairs. Devastated by Adonis's death, Venus mourned him deeply. Wherever Adonis's blood fell, roses grew, representing his loss. Some versions of the myth also state that Venus pricked her foot on a thorn of the rose while rushing to Adonis's side. Venus appeals to Zeus, and he allows Adonis to return from the dead for a part of the year, symbolizing the seasonal cycle of vegetation and death and resurrection. According to Diodorus Siculus, King Kinyras was a descendant of Eos and Cephalus, which would make Adonis a direct descendant of the line of Lucifer or Eosphoros. Kinyras's father, Sanus, was an immigrant from Syria who settled in Cilicia and founded a city, Candarus. Kinyras, upon his arrival in Cyprus with some of his people, founded the town of Paphos and married Metharme, daughter of King Pygmalion of Cyprus. Pindar mentions a daughter of Kinyras as the consort of Tuicer, who was the son of King Telamon of Salamis and his second wife Hesione, daughter of King Laomedon of Troy. He fought alongside his half-brother Ajax in the Trojan War and is the legendary founder of the city of Kourion on Cyprus. Through his mother, Tuicer was the nephew of King Priam of Troy and the cousin of Hector and Paris, all of whom he fought against in the Trojan War. He is known to have received the kingdom of Cyprus from Belus of Tyre for having assisted him in the invasion of the island. Tuicer married Eune, who Pindar says is the daughter of Cyprus.

Venus's temples were erected in Rome during the 200s BCE to solicit her assistance in battles, and individual leaders later allied themselves with the deity, claiming to be descended from her bloodline. Julius Caesar and his heir Augustus, along with everyone in the Julio-Claudian dynasty, forged particular, explicit ties to Venus, claiming descent through her son, the Trojan hero Aeneas, when he founded the city of Rome after the Trojan War. The goddess was repeatedly represented in civic architecture and on coins. The star of Venus was present, and her attractive figure became symbolic of Roman power throughout the Empire. The statue, the Venus of Capua, from the 2nd century CE, was discovered in the amphitheater in southern Italy. It is the largest example of a sculptural type that derives from a now-lost cult statue of Aphrodite in Corinth and in Athens. When Julius Caesar was killed, it is said that Venus was there at his funeral, and the people said, according to Suetonius, that they saw Venus take Julius Caesar's ghost and bring it up into the heavens. The poet Ovid writes about this at the end of Metamorphoses: "While Asclepius came to Rome from abroad, Julius Caesar was born in Rome. Caesar was a genius in matters of war and peace and did many heroic things, but his greatest achievement was fathering his son, Caesar Augustus. Before Augustus was born, Julius Caesar became a god. This is how it happened: Venus foresees that Julius Caesar is about to be murdered by traitors from his government and flies into a rage. She feels she has suffered an unfair amount of treachery; she had to fight against Juno's rage to protect Aeneas, and now Aeneas's only living descendant, Julius Caesar, is under threat. The gods are moved by Venus's despair. Although they can't alter fate, they try to warn Rome of the imminent tragedy by filling the streets with omens: blood rains from the clouds, owls hoot, dogs howl, priests botch sacrifices, and the streets are haunted with ghosts. Despite these warnings, the two traitors enter the Senate Hall holding swords. At this moment, Venus attempts to hide Julius Caesar in clouds. Jupiter asks Venus why she is fighting fate. He has read the tablets written with the destiny of the world and knows that Julius Caesar has come to the end of his time. Venus will make him a god, and Caesar Augustus will avenge his death. In the ensuing battles between the Roman and barbarian lands, Augustus will be the hero. When he has brought peace to the world, Augustus will return to Rome and rule it justly. When he dies, he too will be made a god." Jupiter tells Venus to rescue Julius Caesar's soul from his dead body and make him into a comet. Venus goes to the Senate Hall in Rome and retrieves Caesar's soul. As she carries it up to heaven, she feels it blaze; it escapes from her arms and flies higher than the moon, when it becomes a star. The people in Rome say that Caesar Augustus is an even greater emperor than his father, although Augustus won't admit it. Throughout history, fathers yield their glory to their sons. Ovid calls on all the gods who fathered great men, praying that it will be a long time before the great Augustus leaves the world. He prays that when Augustus does become a god, he will continue to listen to the prayers of the people. This here shows how important and central Venus is to the people of Rome.

These myths were especially popular in classical and Renaissance art, and themes from the story have become common motifs in Western culture. The name Adonis is often used today to refer to an exceptionally handsome young man. The representation of Venus or Aphrodite in art has undergone significant transformations from the classical Greek period to the Renaissance. Aphrodite was typically depicted as a beautiful and modestly standing or seated woman, often partially robed or nude. The most famous statue from the classical era is the Aphrodite of Knidos by Praxiteles, which was revolutionary for being one of the first full-scale depictions of the nude female form in Greek history. Praxiteles' statue became immensely popular and influenced numerous later representations of Aphrodite, seen as a divinely inspired statue. During the Hellenistic period, depictions of Aphrodite became more diverse, and the goddess was often shown in more informal and sensual poses. The Venus de Milo, now in the Louvre, France, is an example from this period. It depicts Aphrodite in the middle of undressing, a theme known as Venus pudica (modest Venus). During the Roman period (from the first century BCE to the fifth century CE), the Romans adopted Aphrodite as Venus. Venus was a popular subject in Roman art and was often depicted in a variety of contexts, including domestic settings and public sculpture. The Capitoline Venus, a type of Venus pudica, is a notable example from this period. During the Roman Republic days, Venus Genetrix was imported from Cyprus and was said to give Rome power over their enemies. During the Middle Ages, pagan subjects, including Venus, were less common in art due to the dominance of Christianity and Islam. However, Aphrodite did.

Not completely disappear. She was sometimes included in illuminated manuscripts or moralized as a symbol of Earthly love or carnal desire.

By the Renaissance, in the 14th to 17th century, a revival of interest in classical mythology and art had become present. Venus was again a popular subject, often depicted as a nude or semi-nude figure in a variety of contexts. Artists like Botticelli in his *Birth of Venus* and Titian in *Venus of Urbino* and *Venus and Adonis* created some of the most iconic images of Venus during this period. Renaissance depictions of Venus often emphasized her roles as a goddess of love and beauty, but they also sometimes included moral or allegorical dimensions. This progression reflects larger changes in cultural and artistic norms over these periods. The classical Greek emphasis on idealized beauty and physical perfection evolved into the Hellenistic focus on individualism and naturalism, while the Renaissance reimagined classical subjects in the light of its own intellectual and artistic interests. Throughout all these changes, Venus/Aphrodite remained a powerful symbol of love, beauty, and desire.

After the collapse of the Bronze Age, it's almost as if the world started over again. The Etruscans populated Italy and brought with them the culture from the East, from Asia Minor and Greece. And while Rome is still a baby, it is surrounded by Sabines, Umbrians, Samnites, as well as Etruscans and Phoenician settlers. Rome is heavily influenced by the Etruscan religion. The Etruscan religion can be traced back to the Villanovan culture, directly post-Bronze Age culture of Italy. Gods and goddesses such as Matuta, an indigenous Latin goddess who the Romans eventually made equivalent to the dawn or Eos in Greek. Other major gods of the Italians and the Romans are Fortuna, Saturn, Janus, native original gods of the Italians. You also have what's called the Archaic Triad, made up of Jupiter, Mars, and Quirinus. Quirinus is also identified later with Romulus. This Triad, though, would end up being replaced by the Capitoline Triad of Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva. They also had a Pantheon of 12 gods known as the Dii Consentes, which consisted of Juno, Vesta, Minerva, Ceres, Diana, Venus, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Neptune, Vulcan, and Apollo. Apollo in the Etruscan religion is known as Aplu, which shows us how ancient Apollo really is, because Apollo is known throughout the entire Mediterranean world in some way, shape, or another. When Parmenides and the Pelasgians came from Turkey to Southern Italy, they brought Apollo worship there as well. The Greeks also worshiped Apollo at Delphi and other locations.

There's an ancient custom known as mos maiorum, ancestral custom, or the way of the ancestors. It is an unwritten code from which the ancient Romans derived their social norms. They also have what's known as the Twelve Tables, which was formerly promulgated in 449 BCE in the Forum. The Twelve Tables stated the rights and duties of the Roman citizen.

The highest known ranking priest is known as the Rex Sacrorum, or the king of the sacred things. He was chosen by the Pontifex Maximus from a list of patricians submitted by a college of pontiffs. That sounds like the Pontifex Maximus has more power than him. However, he didn't actually have that much power. He was known as the fifth highest ranking priest under Rex Sacrorum, as I've mentioned. Also, the Flamen Dialis, which is the high priest of Jupiter, the Flamen Martialis, the high priest of Mars, and the Flamen Quirinalis, high priest of Quirinus. Priesthood of Mars, though, had an opposite priesthood known as the Salii, or Leaping Priests, and they were chosen 12 young pre-adolescent boys who would serve a term for 4 years and then be replaced by another young boy. There was also different priest functions. For example, the Haruspices, which inspected the entrails of sacrificed victims for portents and prophecies, and the Augur would check for birds flying in the sky for prophecies as well.

With that being said, the women joined the Vestal Virgins, which was a college of priestesses. During the time of Augustus, they would have a term of 30 years of celibacy, and after which their 30-year term was up, the Pontifex Maximus would then strategically marry them to different kings or governors in certain parts of the Roman Empire. Every governor or king wanted to marry one of these Vestal Virgins because they brought with them a salary. The job of the Vestal Virgins was to read the sacred books of the Sibylline.

One of the other more important priesthoods of ancient Rome was known as the Quindecimviri Sacris Faciundis, which was a priesthood of 15 members of a college who also, like the Vestal Virgins, had to guard the Sibylline Books. The Sibylline Books in this video, you will see, is the most important thing in Roman religion of all time. You will see how the Sibylline Books affect Roman religion from the time of the Etruscans down up until the time of Christianity. The only thread that stays there is the Sibylline Books.

But before I get to that, let's look at the world that the Romans were a part of. Over in Greece, there are four major religious parts of the pagan world. Number one, Zeus at Dodona, where the Oracle of Zeus was staying. People flocked from all over the Mediterranean world to go and speak to the Oracle of Zeus. You also have Artemis at Ephesus. Once again, people would flock from all over the Mediterranean world to see the goddess Artemis at Ephesus. Next, you have Delphi, the Oracle of Delphi of Apollo was the most famous Oracle in the entire world at the time. And finally, the Eleusinian Mysteries is where everybody wanted to be initiated because the Eleusinian Mysteries promised salvation and eternal life. The Eleusinian Mysteries was centered around Demeter and Dionysus and the daughter Persephone. You also have down in Egypt, the religion of Isis, Osiris, and Ra. The Oracle of Ammon in the desert at Siwa was super ancient and famous. In fact, Alexander the Great himself visited this Oracle and was told that he would conquer the world and that he was the son of God.

When Alexander the Great conquered the East, upon his death, the empire divided up among his generals. After the dust settled between the wars of these generals, you basically have Lysimachus in control of Thrace and Asia Minor, you have Ptolemy in control of Egypt, and then you have Seleucus in control of Syria and Persia. Over in Greece, Cassander was succeeded by Philip IV of Macedon. Cassander's son, Alexander IV of Macedon, was ousted from power, and Greece was split up between Pyrrhus and Epirus and Demetrius, the first son of Antigonus the One-Eyed. What followed from this is the rise of Rome and the decline of Macedonia. To make a long story short, Pyrrhus tried to invade Italy and failed. He did win the war, but it's called a Pyrrhic victory, which is named after him because the win was so catastrophic that you might as well just call it a loss. At this point, there was no long-term success having been done. In fact, Rome just got stronger from it. But Greek ideals did start to spread in Italy at this time, and Hellenism. Cato the Censor, or known as Cato the Elder, was known to reject Hellenism, the old ways, and support the old religion, favoring over Hellenism. Strong and too popular Platonism, Pythagoreanism, or Stoicism all spread throughout Italy.

So during the Roman Republic, Rome has tons of festivals every month. Saturnalia in December, Lupercalia is in February, Liberalia in March in honor of Bacchus, Cerealia in honor of Ceres in April, Megalesia in April in honor of Cybele, and Portunalia and the Floralia also in April and May. Lemuria in honor of the goddess Mania in May, Vestalia in honor of the goddess Vesta in June, the Games of Apollo in July, Festival of Diana in August, the Games of Rome in September. Basically, every month the Romans are throwing a festival for some sort of god. These gods change over time, and there's some major events that happen, and it has to do with the Sibylline Books. But the Sibylline Books in Rome were held sacred, and they were guarded by these priesthoods. Thirteen of these Sibyls throughout the Empire: the Samian Sibyl was in Samos, the Tiburtine Sibyl in the city of Tibur, the Phrygian Sibyl in Phrygia, the Persian Sibyl, the Libyan Sibyl, the Hellespontine Sibyl, as well as the Delphic Sibyl, the Cumaean Sibyl, the Chian Sibyl, and the Erythraean Sibyl. The Erythraean Sibyl was the prophetess who was presiding over the Oracle at Erythrae, a town in Ionia opposite of Chios.

In 433 BCE, upon the advice of the Sibylline Oracles in the Sibylline Books, priests were told to import Apollo. It was in a time of a plague, and the Romans vowed a temple to Apollo for the people's health. The temple was dedicated two years later. According to Livy, it was situated outside the pomerium, apparently because Apollo was a non-Roman deity. There was probably an earlier shrine on this site of this temple that is laid later referred to as Apollo Medicus, the Healer. The Sibylline Books are guiding the Romans in changing their religion, and every time the Sibylline Books have a message for the priests, major changes to the Roman religion.

In 399 BC, in another time of plague, the Romans introduce the Lectisternium, originally a Greek practice, on the advice of the Sibylline Books. Here's what Livy says: "Plague was rife, affecting all living creatures, since no cause or end of this incurable disease was found. The Senate decided to consult the Sibylline Books. The lectisternium celebrated over a period of 8 days, the first lectisternium ever held in Rome, in order to win the favor of Apollo, Latona, Diana, Hercules, Mercury, and Neptune, spreading couches for them that were richly furnished, as was possible at that time." The ritual was also celebrated in private houses.

And then in 396 BCE, the Sibylline Books told the priests to perform an evocatio of Juno of Veii. In 396, when the Romans were about to take the city of Veii, an important wealthy Etruscan city to the north of Rome, they performed the ritual of evocatio, inviting their enemy's god to come over to their side. Camillus, the Roman dictator, addresses the Veian goddess Juno, offering her a temple in Rome in return for her desertion of the Veii. By the evocatio, the Romans deprived the enemy of divine protection while also adopting the gods of the vanquished into their own Pantheon. This is what's going to become the theme of Roman religion and Roman success for the next 500 years.

In 292 BCE, because of a plague once again, the Romans consulted the Sibylline Books, which had them to bring in Asclepius, the Greek god of healing, from Epidaurus in Greece. Envoys were eventually sent to Greece. That god is said to have approached them in the form of a snake, and when nearing Rome, indicated the Tiber Island as the location for his temple. In 292 BCE, again, a foreign deity was installed outside the pomerium.

During the Hannibalic War, several expiations were recommended by the Sibylline Books. After the Roman defeat at the Battle of Trasimene and the death of Flaminius, one was the building of a shrine of Venus Erycina. The epithet derives from Eryx, a town in Northwest Sicily where the principal deity, Aphrodite, was the Carthaginian equivalent of Venus. This area had been an important stronghold of the Carthaginians during the First Punic War and had only been conquered by the Romans with great difficulty. In 217 BCE, the fear was that this part of Sicily might defect from Rome. This importation would seem to be another instance of evocatio, even though not explicitly mentioned as such in the scanty sources. Since her temple was located on the Capitoline Hill, Venus Erycina is the first known example of a foreign deity to be brought inside the pomerium.

Then in 213 BCE, the continuing war resulted in religious hysteria in Rome and the abandonment of Roman ritual. The Senate ordered that the praetor to collect all the written prophecies and rituals and to forbid sacrifice in a new or foreign rite. The foreign superstition was evidently orgiastic and was perhaps an outbreak of Bacchic worship, or that of Magna Mater, or even both cults. But a year later, in 202 BCE, Livy reports the praetor's edict. Two oracles were published in response to the second games to Apollo were authorized after consultation of the Sibylline Books. And then a few years later after that, Hannibal was still in Italy, and his brother Hasdrubal was en route from Spain to invade the North in an attempt to bring him reinforcements. In 208 BCE, because of the plague, the Senate ordered that the Festival of Apollo be made an annual celebration. And then finally, in 207 BCE, Hasdrubal was defeated and killed at the Battle of the Metaurus before he could reach Hannibal, but the latter still remained in southern Italy.

In 205, the Romans were considering an invasion of Africa in the hope that this would cause Hannibal to withdraw from Italy. In the midst of this debate, the Romans consulted the Sibylline Books, which advised them to bring to Rome Magna Mater, the Great Mother, who is known as the Mother of the Gods, the Idaean Mother of Cybele from Phrygia. This goddess was worshiped extensively in the area later known as Asia Minor, Turkey, and throughout the Greek world. One of the most famous goddesses in all the Mediterranean. One of her most important sanctuaries was in Phrygia. Her priests were eunuchs known as Galli, and her cult was orgiastic. Lectisternium, an earlier imported Greek ritual, and new games that were given a Greek title, the Megalesia, all in apparent attempt to present her as Greek rather than an Asiatic deity. There are several variants in the sources, including three different versions of her provenance. The antiquarian Varro, writing in the late Republic, derives her from Pergamum. Livy reports that she was brought from Pessinus, and Ennius unequivocally states that the goddess was to be found on Mount Ida near Troy. Livy reports that a sacred stone was brought from Pessinus, where Ennius seems to imply an anthropomorphic statue. This is the transformation of Roman religion from outside conquering lands.

In 186 BCE, the Roman Senate made a decree to suppress the worship of Bacchus, but however, this wouldn't last long because during the reign of Augustus, the worship of Bacchus was stronger than ever. The era of the Gracchi, and then Marius, and then Sulla. Sulla would go to war with Greece, and during this time, the trading between the Greeks and Romans, and the Roman Empire would expand its borders throughout the Mediterranean world and import all of the ways of the Greeks, such as Athens, Eleusinian Mysteries, the Oracle of Delphi. All these things were now part of the Roman Empire.

And then in 63 BCE, Pompey the Great finishes this off and conquers Pontus, Phrygia, Syria, and Egypt. By Julius Caesar, 63 BCE was a year of big transformation. This is the year that Julius Caesar becomes elected as Pontifex Maximus, the high priest. Pontifex Maximus at this time is so important because the office of Rex Sacrorum was out of service. The last person to be elected as Rex Sacrorum was actually Julius Caesar, but because of Sulla, he had to abandon the priesthood, and it was never brought back again. And for 70 years, nobody was the Rex Sacrorum. So Pontifex Maximus was the highest priesthood and was the head of all of Roman religion. So Julius Caesar was the Pope, basically, of the Roman pagan world. That's the best way to look at it. He was the highest priest of all. And that same year, Augustus was born. And after Julius Caesar is murdered, he adopted in his will Octavian, who takes on the name of Gaius Julius Caesar. And Julius Caesar is deified. In Virgil's religious text, *Ovid's Metamorphoses*, Virgil's *Aeneid*, and these Latin texts are taking all of these ancient stories of Orpheus, or Medea, the stories of the religions of Cyprus, of Venus, or Adonis in Syria. All of these stories are taken and put into one story known as Ovid's Metamorphoses. This becomes a central text for Roman religion. In the first century, Virgil's *Aeneid* does the same thing. And in both of these texts, Julius Caesar is deified. What happens as a result of this is Caesar worship. Augustus transforms the Roman religion forever.

Throughout the Roman Empire, towns with the status of municipia were local citizens had the so-called Latin Right, and even full Roman citizenship shared some of the Roman religious features of the colony. Their principal priesthoods, for example, were named after and modeled on Roman institutions. As I mentioned earlier, the Pontifices, the Augurs, the Haruspices. And from the 2nd century onwards, municipia in North Africa also began to build their own Capitolia. A Capitolium was built at just the time that the group of Roman citizens was granted Imperial permission to receive legacies. The building of the Capitolium with its Roman style cult of the Capitoline Triad was presumably intended to promote the recognition as an independent community. Augustus gradually accumulated memberships of all the major priestly colleges, becoming the Pontifex Maximus in 48 BC, the Augur in 41 BCE, and the Quindecimvir Sacris in 37 BC. To mark this accumulation of priestly offices, a coin was issued in 16 BCE featuring the symbols of the priesthoods. In addition, Augustus was made a member of the three lesser priesthoods: Frater Arvalis, Sodalis Titii, and the Vitularii. Portraits of the emperor, both on coins and statues, frequently showed him veiled in a toga in the stance of sacrifice. In fact, from this period on, virtually no one else was depicted on a Roman public monument conducting sacrifice. Roman religion became tied to a particular person as well as a particular place.

In 7 BCE, Augustus divided Rome into 14 districts and 265 wards. This reorganization transformed the cults of the wards from 7 BC onwards, and they became known as two different cults: the Lares Augusti and the Genius Augusti. To the old festival of the Lares on May 1st was added a new celebration on August 1st, when the magistrates took up office, in honor of the Genius Augusti. The significance of these new cults is clear enough in outline, if not in detail. The Lares, usually translated as household gods, were an ancient but obscure deities, seen by some ancient writers as the deified spirits of the dead. Basically, this was ancestor worship. Caesar worship was above the worship of the other gods. The calendar itself would transform from a lunar calendar to a solar calendar under the era of Julius Caesar, which is why it's known as the Julian calendar. This changes all the Roman traditions as well. Whoever was Caesar was in control of all religion. And as a result of thinkers like Lucretius and Cicero, Middle Platonism would evolve from the combination of Stoicism and Platonism. The city of Alexandria would become a beacon for religious movements to come out of Christianity, Gnosticism, as well as other mystery religions. Through the Middle Platonist world, they are on the rise. By the time we get to the 2nd century, Christianity is not legalized yet, but it is a religion that is tolerated by some, and as a result of this, you have the 2nd century boom of Christianity and Gnosticism.

Roman religious institutions in the provinces were not merely reflections, then, on different levels of Romanization. They were also useful counters in the competition for prestige, honor, and status that was once the defining feature of the provincial culture across the Roman world. You see, as I mentioned, the Flamen Dialis was no longer in service anymore, but Augustus brought this back in 11 BCE, and the ancient priesthood of Jupiter, which was left unfilled. Not surprisingly, though, this has been a classic example of religious neglect. Some ancient authors write in approval of Augustus's appointment of a new priest after a long gap as one component of his revival of traditional religion. You see, Augustus fixed, mended, and rededicated 82 temples in one year. The revival of ancient Roman religion was back, but not just in Rome. In this time, it was all over the Mediterranean, and it was all Roman initiation.

Inevitably meant entry into another secret world. It was particularly associated with foreign cults which met privately. The cult of Mithras was adopted by the Roman Imperial cult throughout the Roman Empire, and as a result, the Magi influenced religion all over the Mediterranean. Mystery cults were the new thing now. In the cult of Mithras, individuals probably belonged primarily to one Mithraic sanctuary and its group of worshippers. Christians too had a set of procedures for new members which varied from group to group and over time. Augustus's reforms would change religion for the next 150 years. Even after the collapse of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty, the Flavians would follow suit. They would also build temples in honor of Isis, and foreign gods were seen as something that Rome was proud of.

Over in Egypt, an even more interesting story happens. This is the story of the Serapium, the religion of Sarapis. Let's see what Tacitus says about this story, how this god came to be. So Tacitus is talking about a story about Vespasian upon leaving Judea goes to Egypt, and at the request of a lame person, healed him and had his arm grow back in the name of Sarapis. "He was convinced that there were no limits to his destiny; nothing now seemed incredible. The great excitement of the bystanders, he stepped forward with a smile on his face and did as the men desired him. Immediately the hand recovered its functions, and daylight shone once more in the blind man's eyes. Those who were present still attest both miracles today, that there is nothing to gain by lying."

"The origins of the god Sarapis have not yet been canvassed in any Roman authorities. The priests of Egypt give the following account: King Ptolemy I of the Macedonians, to put the power of Egypt on a firm footing, was engaged in building walls and temples and instituting religious cults for the newly founded city of Alexandria, where there appeared to him in sleep a young man of striking beauty and superhuman stature, who advised him to send his most faithful friends to Pontus to fetch his image. This would bring blessings to the kingdom, and its resting place would grow great and famous. The youth then appeared to ascend into heaven in a sheet of flame. Impressed by this miraculous omen, Ptolemy revealed his nocturnal vision to the priests of Egypt, who are used to interpreting such things. As they had but little knowledge of Pontus or foreign affairs, he consulted an Athenian named Timotheus, a member of the Eumolpid clan, who he had brought over from the Eleusinian Mysteries to act as priest of the religious rites, and asked him what strange cult and what god was meant. Timotheus found some people who had traveled to Pontus and learned from that near a town called Sinope, there was a temple which had long been famous in the neighborhood as the seat of Jupiter Dolichenus. Indeed, near it, there also stood a female figure who was commonly called Pren or Prepon. Ptolemy was like most despots, easily terrified at first, but liable when his panic was over to think more of his pleasures than of his religious duties. The incident was gradually forgotten, and other thoughts occupied his mind until the vision was repeated in a more terrible and impressive form than before, and he was threatened with death and the destruction of his kingdom if he failed to fulfill his instructions. He at once gave orders that an embassy should be made ready with presents for King Scyris, who was then reigning at Sinope. On the envoy's departure, he instructed them to consult the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi. They made a successful voyage and received a clear answer from the Oracle: they were to go and bring back the image of Apollo's father, but leave behind his sisters."

Now think about what just happened in there. In that passage, we were just told that this god Sarapis is the father of Apollo, who's married to Pren, who's also Isis, and he's linked to the Eleusinian Mysteries through this priest Timotheus, and also the Oracle at Delphi is saying where to find this god. So we have Athens, Delphi, Sinope, Egypt. All these places are linked in a sort of universal priesthood that's starting to form in Egypt, where this god has the ability to be linked with oracles from all over the Greek world. The most famous and important: Delphi, Eleusis, Sinope, Egypt. This god Sarapis, who they found in Sinope, was important to Delphi and Eleusis.

"The story now grows grander still. The god himself, it says, embarked unassisted on one of the ships that lay beached on the shore, and by a miracle accomplished the long sea journey and landed at Alexandria within three days. A temple worthy of so important a city was then built in the quarter called Rhacotis, on the site of the ancient shrine of Sarapis and Isis. This is the most widely accepted account of the god's origin and arrival. Some people, I am well aware, maintain that the god was brought from the Syrian town of Sinope during the reign of Ptolemy the Third of that name. Others again say it was from this same Ptolemy, but make the place of origin the famous town of Memphis, once the bulwark of ancient Egypt. Many take the god for Asclepius because he cures diseases; others, Osiris, the oldest of the local gods. Many again think he's Jupiter, as being the sovereign lord of the world. But the majority of people, either judging by what are clearly attributes of the god, or by an ingenious process of conjecture, identify him with Father Dis, which is the ancient Roman Father Jupiter."

Now that is so, so appalling to read because the emperor of Rome is linked to this god, who is the highest god of all Egypt, who is important for Delphi, he's important for the Eleusinian Mysteries, he's important for the Sinope, he's important for the kingdom of Pontus. What Tacitus is trying to say here is that this god Sarapis is the most important god in the Roman Empire. That is a big claim. Now, the reason why I'm putting this up is because I just want to show you here is where the Sarapis priesthood gets famous from.

But let's go over to Pontus now, Pergamum. So I mentioned how after Alexander the Great conquered the East, his kingdom was divided up. Lysimachus was in control of Thrace and Turkey. Lysimachus, after his death, his kingdom got split up as well, and the Attalid dynasty reigned in what became the kingdom of Pergamum. And the kingdom of Pergamum becomes a Roman province in the year 63 BCE when Pompey the Great conquers all of the East. And so the priesthood in Pergamum was following suit of Egypt. They have an altar of Sarapis, and now this is adopted into the Roman Imperial cult. So a universal priesthood is forming now. Pergamum, Egypt, and this royal priesthood that Pompey the Great allows to stay in power in Syria.

Ptolemy V Epiphanes married Cleopatra, daughter of the Seleucid Empire. This royal marriage would bring a bond between the Egyptians and the Syrians that would last through the form of a royal priesthood. Ptolemy V was a descendant of Ptolemy I, who was the companion of Alexander the Great, while Cleopatra Syrian was the daughter of Antiochus the Great, who can trace her lineage back to Seleucus, also another general of Alexander the Great. This was all the way back in 200 BCE, which sets us up. And when Pompey the Great conquers the East, he will allow the priesthoods of the Eastern realms to stay in place, for example, Jerusalem, the temple to Yahweh, as well as this Syrian priesthood of Elagabalus. And the reason why I bring this up is to set up the setting for Sampsigeramus of Emesa, a member of the royal family, second-born son and child to the priest-king Sampsigeramus II, who ruled the Emesene kingdom from 14 until 42. He had an older brother named Gaius Julius Alexio, who was the first husband of the Herodian princess Drusilla, and had two sisters. So Sampsigeramus was born and raised in Emesa. His paternal grandfather was the former Emesene priest-king, Amatas II, who was installed by none other than Augustus. So Sampsigeramus married Drusilla, who was none other than the granddaughter of Mark Antony and Cleopatra, and they had a son named Gaius Julius Alexion. So Sampsigeramus, during his reign, was crucial for the Roman Empire because when Titus and Vespasian came to conquer Israel, he was a key ally and aligned himself with the Romans against the Jews. This would allow the priesthood of Elagabalus to survive for another century.

Which brings us to Julius Bassianus. Julius Bassianus was the high priest of Elagabalus at the Temple of the Sun in Emesa, Syria, where the solar deity was worshiped in the shape of a black stone, which was said to have fallen from heaven. The name Elagabalus derives from El, a Semitic word for God, and Gabal, an Arabic word for mountain god, god of the mountain. Bassianus was a member of the royal family, which I've just had described, tracing its roots back to the royal families of Ptolemy, Seleucus, Mark Antony, Cleopatra, and the Romans knew that this was a real royal priesthood that existed in the Eastern Roman Empire. Now, Bassianus had a daughter named Julia Domna, who married the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus. Julia Domna was so famous and so revered by the Romans, she was deified as Augusta. Soia in Athens, we have a Greek inscription from 211 of the Common Era. The inscription records a decree of honors granted to her by the Athenians. She has given the title Savior, implying that the decree was in gratitude for some protection accorded to Athens. The surviving sections of the text are concerned particularly with honors that identified Julia Domna with the ancient protective goddess of Athens, Athena Polias. So her full title becomes the Savior of Athens, Julia Domna Augusta. Here is the translation that we get from Mary Beard: "of her inherent philanthropy, cooperating for all, the Savior of Athens, Julia Domna Augusta. I propose that in all other respects it should be done as my colleague in office, Alferos, son of Atis, from Palin, during my absence proposed. All the annual agonistes are to sacrifice to Good Fortune on the most holy birthday of Julia Domna Augusta, and to make Setaria, the Savior of Athens, Julia Domna Augusta Athena Polias. The general over the hoplite, the archon, the day of the month is to be holy, the day in which Athens dedicated the ancient temple to her. The war agon is the sacrifice to the mother of the forces on the first day of the Roman year, and these sacrifices are to be started by the priestess of Athena, and she will receive the prerequisites, and a golden statue of Julia Domna is to be set up in the Parthenon, and the general is to perform the preliminary sacrifice to Good Fortune in the agonistes, and all the priests and the herald are to pour libations, and the priestess and the queen of the war agon are to sacrifice and to offer esteria of the priesthood of Athena Polias, and retiring agonistes are also to sacrifice and raise the torch and dance at the festival, in order that through these events also our reverence towards the Savior of Athens, Julia Domna Augusta, may be evident. The account of these matters shall be inscribed on a tablet and set up by the altar of the August Sebastos on the Acropolis." No woman in the history of the Roman Empire has ever been granted such high deification other than the wife of Augustus himself. She was seen as Athena incarnate and a savior, Sophia.

Now, with that being said, I've just laid out to you there's a royal priesthood that's in Syria that traces its roots back to some of the most famous people in world history, according to the Romans and the Greeks. And we also have a deified woman, Julia Domna. And why did I tell you all this? You're looking at the title and saying, what does this have to do with Eleusis? And when Severus died, Julia Domna became the mediator between their two sons, Caracalla and Geta, who inherited the throne, and she was the actual Empress, the most powerful woman, the most powerful person, actually, in the entire Roman Empire, more powerful than Caracalla and Geta. And this royal family produced a young boy named Elagabalus, who actually became the Roman Emperor himself. This is what would change Roman religion forever.

In 218 of the Common Era, he would transform Roman religion forever. Herodian tells us that when Elagabalus entered the city and was acclaimed the princeps, he enshrined Heliogabalus on the Palatine Hill next to the Temple of the Emperors and built a temple for him, being eager to transfer to that temple both the emblem of the mother goddess and the fire of Vesta, the Palladium, the sacred shields, and all the objects sacred to the Romans, so that no god should be worshiped at Rome except Heliogabalus. He used to say, furthermore, that the religion of the Jews and the Samaritans and the rites of the Christians ought to be transferred there, so that the priesthood of Heliogabalus might include the mysteries of every cult. This would be the move that would change the old pagan ways forever, coinciding with the rise of Neoplatonism and the rise of monotheism. This sun god worship religion became the central religion of Rome itself. A few decades later, Aurelian would dedicate a temple to Sol Invictus and would combine this Sol Invictus sun god worship that Elagabalus brought to Rome with the Mithraic religion and made this super Neoplatonist religion of Rome.

Meanwhile, the Sibylline religion itself, as well as the Orphic religion, begin to blend with Judeo-Christianity in Alexandria, Egypt. And a movement known as the Hypsistarian religion, a Greek monotheism, is rising in Anatolia. The letters of St. Paul and the Gospels are circulating throughout the Eastern Roman Empire at the same time as the rise of the Sol Invictus religion. And these Hypsistarian or God worshippers, Theos worshippers, Greek monotheists are becoming Christian. Christianity takes over in the Eastern realms of the Roman Empire, and the Sibylline Oracles have texts about Jesus as well as Nero being the Antichrist. So the Sibylline Books that were so central to Roman paganism are now central to Christianity. And as that is happening, Sol Invictus is the main god of Rome. He is a triad of Jupiter, Mithras, and Helios, or Apollo. But by the time Constantine becomes the emperor, these are the two major religions: Christianity and Sol Invictus. And Christianity becomes legalized because of how popular it is at this time among ecclesias, among Christ association groups, monastic orders throughout the Roman Empire. They now have their own funding. And within a couple decades after Constantine, Theodosius and his dynasty decide that Christianity would be the only religion going forward. They shut down the Academy in Athens, they shut down the Temple of Sarapis, they shut down the Mithraeum of Mithras, they shut down the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, they shut down the Temple of Athena, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus. All of these major pagan sites are now shut down. In response to Julian the Apostate, a final attempt to restore the old ways of Rome, which was a failure. And Christianity would be the only religion in the Western World for the next thousand years.

When Aurelian dedicated the temple to Sol Invictus on December 25th, this became a national holiday. But Theodosius transferred this holiday to the birthday of Christ, which became Christmas. And many of the festivals throughout the Roman calendar were either completely removed or transferred into some sort of Christian festival, like Easter, for example. And Saturnalia would slowly morph into the holiday season.

The Babylonian month Tebetu, Ara Tebetum, or Tebeth in Hebrew. Cuneiform tablet from the Hellenistic period describes a ceremonial procession to mark the end of the winter solstice, which equates to the modern equivalent of January 5th. This marked the end of a 12-day period in which Babylonians perceived the sun to stand still in the heavens. As a result, the winter solstice was celebrated in Assyria and Babylonia during the month of Tebeth, when the lengthening daylight first became noticeable, rather than directly when the solstice began. The solstice was marked by special observance during which the cultic statues of the goddess Kazaba, a Cuneiform word which can be translated as sexual attraction, a goddess like Venus, who's the goddess of love and sex, and she was set up in the temple of Borsippa, the ancient site where a ziggurat was dug up and rumored by Muslims to be the Tower of Babel. And here the goddess was adorned in the temple and brought on a four-parasol, which is equal to about 14 miles, procession to Babylon, where they joined her statue with the statue of Bel Marduk in the temple of Babylon, not far from the Hanging Gardens. They performed a ritual marriage between the two gods, and these two gods were the regulators of sunlight in ancient Babylonian religion. And the journey of Kazaba and Bel from Borsippa to Babylon was intended to represent the delivery of extra sunlight to the land, hence the winter solstice and the coming of spring and the Akitu festival coming in the next three months. This was in many ways tied to the Akitu marriage between Dumuzi and Ishtar. In fact, Bel was considered to be a later period synchronization of both Dumuzi and Marduk, and Kazaba is considered to be connected with Ishtar and Inanna, in the same way that the Greeks tied Isis with Venus. Kazaba belonged to a group of deities invoked in love incantations, which also included Inanna, Ishtar, Naya, for example. One such text contains the formula: "Ishtar, Naya, Kazaba, help it." These goddesses are all represented by the planet Venus, just as Aphrodite is, who is far from a virgin in many ways. This goddess Kazaba, in name only, reminds me of an Arabian goddess, Qabū, who is also represented as the planet Venus. Although the former is clearly not a virgin, but Qabū, like Isis in Ephesus and Persephone, is called the Kore, or Perpetual Virgin goddess.

Here is what Epiphanius says regarding this goddess giving birth to Dionysus at the winter solstice: "Christ was born on the sixth day of January after thirteen days of the winter solstice and of the light and day of addition. But this day is celebrated by the Greeks and also by the pagans on the sixth of January, called by the Romans Saturnalia, by the Egyptians Kronos, and by Alexandria Kelia. For on the sixth of January this section takes place, which is the turning point, and the day of light receiving the addition begins, and it completes a number of thirteen days from the winter solstice until the day of Christ's birth. Those of the idolatrous religion, the leaders and deceivers, in order to deceive the idolaters who are convinced of these in many places, will celebrate the greatest festival on the night of the Epiphany. First, I was in Alexandria in the Korea, that is the Temple of the Daughter, for the whole night awakened song and hallowed to the idol, gnashing their teeth and celebrating with the wailing of Mania. They descend with torches into the subterranean cell and bring up a certain statue sitting naked on a wooden bier with the seal of a cross on the forehead, gilded on them. Two such seals on each other's arms and two more crosses on the two knees and five seals of gold engraved, and they will go around this temple seven times, circling the middle temple with courtyards and drums and hymns. Come to him underground in the sanctum, being asked what this mystery is, they answer and say that at this hour today the Virgin gave birth to Aion. And this is also done in the city of Petra, the metropolis of Arabia, which is Edom, which is written in the scriptures, in that idol in the same way, and in the Arabic dialect, praising the Virgin, calling her the Kore, that is a virgin, and Duara, she gave birth to, that is the virgin's only son. And this also happens in Elusa in the city that same night, January 6th, as there in Petra and in Alexandria, Egypt." Epiphanius, *Panarion* 51.

It turns out that this holy child born at the winter solstice by a virgin who is called Duara is considered by most scholars to be an Arabian Dionysus, a vine god whose devotees engage in Bacchic frenzy and Dionysian rivalry, just as for mentioned by Epiphanius. And it is here in Egypt that we first see any mention of Jesus's birth, known as the Epiphany, to be celebrated at this time. I will get into why they shifted the date from the 6th to the 25th later in the video. Epiphanius argues here that the idea of the virgin birth of a god is not unknown among the pagans and notes that such an event was celebrated at Alexandria, Petra, and Elusa on the 6th of January. In the temple of Petra, they chant hymns in Arabic both to the Virgin, calling her in Arabic Qabū, that is Kore, or rather virgin, and to him whom she has brought forth, Dūara, that is the only begotten of the Master. Here we not only see Saturnalia is linked to the solstice, but also with a similar 12-day period that follows the solstice, as we have already witnessed from the Babylonians who venerate Marduk and Ishtar. It reminds me of Justin Martyr in his apology when he tries to argue that these pagan myths are somehow copying Jesus, which is absurd. We see Christian apologetic games being played as early as Christianity is in existence.

"Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, said, 'This is my body.' And in the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, he said, 'This is my blood,' and gave it to them alone. Which the wicked devils have imitated in the mysteries of Mithras, commanding the same thing to be done. The same thing, for bread and a cup of water are placed with certain incantations in the mystic rites of one who is being initiated." Justin Martyr, *Apology*.

"The devils accordingly, when they heard these prophetic words, said that Bacchus was the son of God, and gave out that he was the discoverer of the vine, and they number the donkey among his mysteries, and they taught that having been torn to pieces, he ascended into heaven." Justin Martyr, *Apology*.

"And if we assert that the Logos of God was born of God in a peculiar manner, different from ordinary generation, let this, as said above, be no extraordinary thing to you who say that Mercury is the angelic Logos of God." Justin Martyr, *Apology*.

"And if we even affirm that he was born of a virgin, accept this in common with what you accept of Perseus. And in that we say that he made whole the lame, the paralytic, and those born blind, we seem to say what is very similar to the deeds said to have been done by Asclepius." Justin Martyr, *Apology*.

Justin Martyr really sums it up with this passage right here: "And when we say also that the Logos, who was the firstborn of God, was produced without sexual union, and that he, Jesus Christ our teacher, was crucified and died and rose again and descended into heaven, we propound nothing, nothing different from what you believe regarding those whom you esteem sons of Jupiter. For you know how many sons your esteemed writers ascribe to Jupiter: Mercury, the interpreting word and teacher of all; Asclepius, who though he was a great physician, was struck by a thunderbolt and so ascended to heaven; and Bacchus too, after he had been torn limb from limb; and Hercules, when he had committed himself to the flames to escape his toils; and the sons of Leda and the Dioscuri; and Perseus, son of Dna; and Bellerophon, who, sprung from mortals, rose to heaven on the horse Pegasus. For what shall I say of Ariadne and those who, like her, have been declared to be set among the stars? And what of the emperors who die among yourselves, whom you deem worthy of deification, and in whose behalf you produce someone who swears he has seen the burning Caesar rise to heaven from the funeral pyre?" Justin Martyr, *Apology*.

Both Justin Martyr and Epiphanius have no choice but to attempt to argue that Christianity somehow is original and the pagan gods are impostors of Christ. They have to do this because these gods are so close to Jesus and their rites are being done in similar fashion that it forces them into a corner of needing to argue that devils planned these rites in order to fool people. But all we have to do is see through the apologetics to look back way before Judaism was even created, before Moses could ever supposedly prophesy Jesus. We can see Egyptians, Greeks, and Babylonians already venerating the solstices and equinoxes. Duara, or the son of Osiris, was venerated long before Moses or Abraham was even mentioned.

Archaeological excavations have revealed a 3,800-year-old tomb from ancient Egypt, notable for its temple that aligns precisely with the sunrise during the winter solstice. This discovery might represent Egypt's earliest known tomb designed with the winter solstice in mind. The design of the temple's entrance was specifically crafted to allow sunlight to penetrate and illuminate the interior during the winter solstice. On each winter solstice sunrise, the day marked by the shortest period of daylight, both the statue of Osiris and the chapel itself would have been enveloped in sunlight. This tomb could potentially be the earliest one in Egypt known to align with the winter solstice. This winter solstice observing temple is situated close to present-day Aswan and just across the Nile from the Elephantine Island, an area once hosting a Yahweh temple. Numerous Jews fled here after the destruction of the First Temple of Solomon by Nebuchadnezzar, but long before that, Egypt's 12th Dynasty prosperous era, often referred to as the Middle Kingdom, this tomb was built in the Qubbet el-Hawa necropolis. It served as the final resting place for two high-ranking officials in the Egyptian Kingdom. The identity of the first governor who commissioned the

Tomb remains unknown. However, the second governor, identified as Heib Theii, a fact corroborated by an inscription in the tomb and historical records. Both governors held jurisdiction over the Aacan settlement in Elephantine.

Horus, who was called Harpocrates by the Greeks, was the younger sun god, equated with both Apollo and Osiris. He was the grandson of Ammon-Ra, equated with Zeus by the Greeks, and direct son of Isis and Osiris, who the Greeks equate with Dionysus and both Demeter and Aphrodite. This divine child, who we should continue to call Harpocrates, avenges his father's death and fulfills the will of the father who is in heaven.

Why do I bring him up? Because, according to Plutarch, he was born on or close to December 25th. Osiris is being buried at the time when the grain is sown and covered in the earth, and then resurrects when plants begin to sprout. For this reason also, it is said that Isis, when she perceived that she became pregnant on the sixth day of the month of Thoth, gave birth to Harpocrates about the time of the winter solstice, imperfect and premature, amid the early flowers and rushes. For this reason, they bring to him as an offering the first fruits of growing lentils, and the days of his birth they celebrate after the Spring Equinox.

Plutarch on Isis and Osiris: Osiris and Isis, just like Baal and Ishtar, are celebrated at this time. And just as the Greeks venerated Bacchus and Venus, notice how once again the winter solstice is being tied to the Spring Equinox here. Just as the Babylonians tied their winter solstice festival to the Akitu festival, and just as the Christians tie the birth of Christ on December 25th to the Easter Resurrection at the Spring Equinox, the Egyptians had a resurrection for Osiris around the Easter time and a birth for Horus around the time of Christmas.

This cosmic harmony between the solstice and equinox is one that is universal among religious doctrines. And again, I just want to repeat this fact: Osiris's resurrection was celebrated by the Egyptians at the time of the Spring Equinox, just as Jesus's resurrection was celebrated at Easter. And according to Plutarch, the divine child of Osiris, called Harpocrates or Horus, was born at the winter solstice, just as Jesus was born at the winter solstice, according to the 3rd-century Christians. And I do want to make this clear: this does not necessarily mean that the Christians copied or stole from them, but it does show us that the solstices and equinoxes are universally important to all cultures, and Christianity certainly does partake in this ancient veneration of these dates.

The god Iao is a Hellenistic deity associated with time, the orb or circle encompassing the universe, and the zodiac. In the Theogony, according to Nonnus, Iao is associated with the three goddesses known as the Moirai. He says he changes the burden of old age like a snake who sheds the coils of useless old scales, rejuvenating while washing in the swells of the laws of time. Marius Capella, in the fifth century, identified Iao with Kronos. In the Mithraic Mysteries, he's identified with Mithras. Iao is identified with Dionysus, according to Platonic and Christian writers. And Suidas calls him the son of Zeus. In the Suda, Iao is identified with both Osiris and Adonis. In the magical Alexandria, at the site of a dream oracle, this god is equated with Chronos and is known as Iao Plutonio. And in the Greek Alexander Romance, the god Chronos tells Alexander to build a city, which becomes Alexandria, where his father Plutonio Iao is enthroned. In reference to the god Ammon, the Alexandrian Iao is probably a form of Osiris-Dionysus, the merge between the two, which is also Chronos. He's reborn annually. His image was marked with crosses or ankhs on his hands and knees and was pointed out by Epiphanius that this god's birth was celebrated at the winter solstice, making him tied with Horus, as Plutarch informs us. His mother, the Kore or the Virgin, is in multiple sources conflated with both the Orphic Kore as well as Isis and Rhea. All of these conflicting sources make it very confusing to figure out who exactly Iao is, but it brings a lot of context to Macrobius's Saturnalia, who identifies all of these gods as one God born at the winter solstice.

Iao is central to the Mithraic Mysteries and the religion of the last pagan generation at the time of Constantine, that tended to use religious syncretism, which in my opinion has tremendous influence on Christianity. And even in the first century, the story of Jesus, this is what Jesus had to compete with. There is one obscure text from the Historia Augusta that says something about Christians in relation to Serapis. Here's what the text says: "From Hadrian Augustus to Serenus, the consul, greeting. The land of Egypt, the praises of which you have been recounting to me, my dear Serenus, I have found to be holy, light-minded, unstable, and blown about by every breath of rumor. For those who worship Serapis are in fact Christians, and those who call themselves Bishops of Christ are in fact devotees of Serapis. There is no chief of the Jewish synagogue, no Samaritan, no Christian presbyter who is not an astrologer, a soothsayer, or an anointer. Even the patriarch himself refers to the patriarch of Tiberias, head of the Jewish religion, after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE, when he comes to Egypt, is forced by some to worship Serapis, by others to worship Christ."

Now, I want to say off the rip, most scholars when it comes to this text right here say there might be a lot of problems with it. Number one is because the source, the Historia Augusta, has a lot of misinformation within it; it might have been propaganda. Number two, there's not a lot of evidence to suggest that Serapis and Christianity had anything in common or even got along, especially when you look at how the Temple of Serapis was basically destroyed by Christians and they had a little bit of a war in the streets. But the reason why I bring it up in relation to this video and why I think it's important is because at the very least, the Serapia, which was marked on the Roman calendars for April 25th, the same day as Easter, which would mean this author may have had some truth behind his claims that they had to share a holiday together. And maybe he was just sort of fluffing up the idea they celebrated a holiday on the same day. And on top of that, people in the lower classes, that are not ordained bishops and don't care too much about doctrine, will mix religions, as we see in the Greek Magical Papyri. It is not far-fetched to think that those people were mixing together the religion of Serapis and the religion of Christianity.

Ancient Egypt's sprawling Temple of Karnak was constructed in alignment with the winter solstice at Luxor more than 4,000 years ago. At dawn, the solstice starts as the sun streams into the temple through the eastern gateway, casting its light along the central axis and reaching the innermost sanctuary where the statue of the god Ammon resides. As noon approaches, the rays of the sun bathe the innermost sanctum, called the Holy of Holies, for an extended period of time, illuminating other sacred areas of the temple. Currently, the sun stands directly over the Tropic of Capricorn, marking its greatest distance from the equator. To the ancients, this omen marked the coming of new crops and new rains just around the corner, as they awaited the Spring Equinox for the next three months.

As far back as ancient Sumer and Babylon, the solstices and equinoxes were venerated and marked down. The New Year's, though, was celebrated at the Spring Equinox rather than the winter solstice. The Akitu festival, for 12 days, mourned for the death of Dumuzi and then celebrated the descent of Ishtar into the underworld and the triumph of their return from the underworld. This would later evolve into the Zag Mûk, which celebrated the triumph of Marduk over the forces of chaos. This New Year's season would evolve into the later Persian Festival of Nowruz, incorporating elements from both ancient Akkadian and ancient Indo-European traditions into the New Year's and Spring Equinox festivals. The Iranians still celebrate to this day. During the winter, however, Yalda Night was celebrated, marking the beginning of the Great Cold, or the 40 days of winter. This winter solstice celebration would begin with the holiest night of the year, Yalda Night, decorating with green and red, giving gifts, drinking wine, and celebrating. This was included in the official calendar of ancient Persia from a recovered stela dated to 502 BCE, during the time of Darius I. The festivities that take place on this night are an ancient tradition. They called this night the Night of the Sun's Birth.

Mithra, later known as Mithras, would evolve into the later Roman Mithras after Pompey the Great defeated the pirate army of Mithridates VI, whose name literally means "Mithra's Chosen," and whose entire nation of pirates were known to be devout worshippers of the Persian-Armenian Mithra. Here's what Plutarch says about this: "They also offered strange sacrifices of their own at Olympus and celebrated there certain secret rites, among which those of Mithras continue to the present time, having been first instituted by them." These Sicilian pirates, captured by Pompey and made into a legion for the Roman Empire, would be the beginning of the religious institution of Roman Mithras, a new religion molded from the old Persian Mithra but Romanized and in some ways flipped on its head. It would spread throughout the legions and catch like wildfire, where we would see Mithraea being built for the next 300 years from Britain to Egypt, from Armenia and the Black Sea to Carthage and Spain. Hundreds would be built, and this would become the most popular god of the Roman Legions and he would be identified as Sol Invictus, the Invincible Sun, sometimes as one God and sometimes as two separate bodies, Mithras and Sol. More on this later.

The Night of Yalda was a winter solstice celebration of Mithra, called the Sun's Birth. The development of the Sun into Mithra would slowly evolve from the Sumerian Utu, a god venerated all the way back in Uruk in the Copper Age, who develops into the Bronze Age Babylonian god Shamash. And as the Babylonians would spread their empire west, Shamash will be passed along to the Hittites, who already had a sun god named Shimige, and the two priesthoods seem to have evolved into what was called the Sun God of Heaven, a mediator god of oaths, law, legality, and truth, similar to Mithra, which in my opinion is how Mithra, the Vedic god from the Proto-Indo-Europeans, was converted into a solar deity during the Iron Age before the Persian Achaemenid period. Shimige, a solar deity worshipped by the Uru Empire, showed much prominence and has obvious connections to the Persian Mithra. All of the four mentioned cults and gods would form the basis for the Persian solar mediator Mithra, a god whose followers are called upon to mediate between the forces of light and the forces of darkness. It is on the night of Yalda, which corresponds to December 25th of the Julian calendar, where we have evidence that the Persians celebrate the birth of the solar Mithra.

According to Celsus, the Mysteries present the symbols of motion of the stars and planets in the passage of the souls through them with the seven-gate stairway as its symbol. Seven gates are connected with seven metals and seven deities. He claims that the Christians borrowed much from this teaching. According to Claudius, Mithras is called "rotating the stars," and the Emperor Julian the Apostate mentions the secret Chaldean teaching of seven rays. Since the end of the 2nd century, Roman emperors Aurelian and Diocletian patronized the cult of Mithras. In the 2nd to 4th centuries, Mithraism was one of the main rivals of Christianity.

"When I retire to this garden summerhouse, I fancy myself 100 miles away from my villa and take a special pleasure in it. At the Feast of the Saturnalia, when by the license of that festive season every other part of my house resounds with my servants' mirth, thus I neither interrupt their amusement, nor they my studies." - Pliny the Younger.

"A litter was ordered, the senators prepared the couch, and a public banquet for a day and a night. The cry of Saturnalia resounded through the city, and the people were ordered to make that day a festival and observe it as such forever." - Livy.

"To Umber, you have sent me as a present for the Saturnalia: Umber, everything which you have received during the past 5 days: 12 notebooks of three tablets each, seven toothpicks, together with which came a sponge, a tablecloth, a wine cup, a half-bushel of beans, a basket of pisan olives, and a black jar of Laodicean wine. There came also some small Syrian figs, some candied plums, and a heavy pot of figs from Libya. They were a present worth, I believe, scarcely 30 small coins altogether, and they were brought by eight tall Syrian slaves. How much more convenient would it have been for one slave to have brought me, as he might without trouble, 5 lb weight of silver." - Martial, Epigrams.

The Greeks and Romans were no exception to venerating and marking the movement of the sun. In Pompeii, at the Temple of Apollo, dedicated in 120 BCE by Pythagoreans from Greece, we can see a well-built sundial that was able to mark the hours of the day in a 12-hour period, a genius engineering feat for its day, probably passed down from someone like Archimedes of Syracuse, who built similar technologies and was known to design things that use the light from the sun.

The ancient Greeks celebrated a mid-December to early January festival that was 12 days long called the Haloa. Once again, 12 days being a theme for festivals at this time, in which Greeks celebrated Bacchus, Demeter, Persephone, and Poseidon. Bacchus and Demeter being the most important of these gods, although this month itself was named after Poseidon. Persephone is also noted as venerated because she is the one who was taken into the underworld and taken as Queen of Hades by Pluto. She is one of the gods who descends into the underworld and is able to return, like Ishtar.

Pan's annual journey between the underworld and the earth profoundly impacts the natural world, symbolizing the cycle of life and death, as well as the changing seasons. Her consumption of pomegranate seeds in the underworld, depending on the version, binds her to spend either six or four months with Hades. This period of separation plunges her mother, Demeter, into despair, causing the world's vegetation and flora to wither, marking the onset of autumn and winter. Demeter is her grieving mother, who saved her and celebrates her daughter's return with drinking Kykeon, a psychedelic potion that initiates of the Eleusinian Mysteries would also drink. Conversely, when Persephone returns, Demeter's elation results in the earth's vegetation blooming and blossoming, heralding the spring and summer seasons. Thus, Persephone's emergence from the underworld is not only a sign of spring but also a powerful symbol of rebirth and renewal of life, like the Arabian virgin goddess Qabalu, who was referenced in the previous sources from Epiphanius. Persephone also holds the same epithet, Kore, the Virgin, or Kore Soteria, the Virgin Savior.

The Orphic Persephone is said to have become by Zeus the mother of Dionysus, who in this case is called Zagreus, and after he is ripped apart and eaten by the Titans just after his birth, he is resurrected as Iacchus just three months later, once again connecting the solstice leading to the equinox. Also, Bacchus, the main god of merrymaking, wine, green and red ivy, and berry diadems, is arguably one of the many cultural influences behind what makes this time of the year so magical.

Macrobius, in his Saturnalia, cites Ides, who lived in Athens in the 5th century BCE and wrote the Bacchae. Dionysus, equipped with a thyrsus, pine, and deerskin, dances in the evergreen forest. The Haloa, primarily a winter festival honoring Dionysus, was also dedicated to Demeter. The celebration of not only grapes and wine, but grain and beer. The festival, held in late December through early January, coincided with the later Cronia-Saturnalia festivals, which in pre-Roman times of ancient Greece was celebrated at Midsummer. More on this shift later.

The midwinter time marks the pruning of vines and the first fermentation cycle's completion with rituals often conducted by women. The festival's name, Haloa, derives from the harvest activity of threshing, and the threshing floor remained a central venue for harvest celebrations. It is tempting to want to connect the name Haloa to the Indo-European word *yahola*, which is the root for the name Yule, the midwinter festival of Germanic pagans. And given Odin's connection to Dionysus and Roman Dis Pater, as I've talked about in other videos, this becomes likely in my opinion. And since we don't know the exact origins for the name of Yule other than it's the name of the midwinter festival, this guess is as good as anyone else's guess.

The Haloa festival included a feast honoring Demeter and Dionysus, as noted by Panyasis. During Haloa, first fruits were transported from Athens to Eleusis in tribute to these deities. The procession of the gods, Dionysus and Demeter, from Athens to Eleusis reminds me of the procession of the Babylonians transporting Ishtar and Baal from Borsippa to Babylon, as I mentioned earlier in the video, both being 12 days at the winter solstice too. Sporting events and general processions open to all citizens were held on the threshing floors, alongside a procession for Poseidon, revered as Vito, the god of plants. The feast featured gentle or civilized foods such as cereals, fish, fruits, and cakes, symbolizing fertility, but notably excluded any meat or flesh. Eleusinian traditions forbade certain foods like pomegranates, considered inappropriate for a feast honoring Demeter, as it was the fruit that condemned Persephone to Hades. They also chant "Eua" in honor of her, who Clement of Alexandria claims may be connected to Eve biting the fruit which cast condemnation from Paradise. Wreathed with snakes, they perform the distributions of portions of their victims, shouting the name "Eva." That "Eva," through whom error entered into the world, the Bacchic cry "Eua," identified with the biblical Eve and a consecrated snake, is the emblem of the Bacchic orgies. At any rate, according to the correct Hebrew speech, the word *heva* with an aspirant means "female snake." Demeter and Persephone have come to the subject of the mystic drama, and Eleusis celebrates with torches the rape of the daughter and the sorrowful wandering of the mother. Clement of Alexandria: The archons of Eleusis arranged the feast for the women, then waited outside, demonstrating to the visiting foreigners that civilized foods originated in Eleusis. Some sources even go as far as to say that this event was for women only, and that men had to fund their wives to attend.

Mythologically, the festival also commemorates a tragic tale involving Dionysus and the shepherd Icarus, who introduced the vine into Attica. Dionysus, grateful for Icarus's hospitality, bestowed upon him the gift of wine. However, this gift led to a fatal misunderstanding. Icarus's shepherd friends, unfamiliar with the effect of wine, mistook their drunkenness for poisoning and killed him. In retaliation, according to Lucian, Dionysus avenged this by transforming into a maiden, driving the shepherds into madness with desire. When the maiden vanished, their unfulfilled desires persisted until an oracle advised them to appease the gods by dedicating clay models of genitals, a custom that became a part of the festival.

The procession of the phallus, now outside of Athens and Eleusis in particular, in Eleusis, the country of Attica, and other places along the coast of modern-day Turkey, was the celebration of the Rural Dionysia, the midwinter solstice festival dedicated to Dionysus and Apollo and the birth of the new solar every year. The Orphic hymns invoked by these revelers Helios, whom Dionysus invokes, and again Orpheus, who equates these figures into one Godhead: one Zeus, one Hades, one Helios, one Dionysus. The festival was closely linked with that of Saturnalia in Rome.

Macrobius, in his masterpiece known to us as Saturnalia, argues that Bacchus, Apollo, Mercury, and Sol Invictus are all one and the same, born on December 25th, which was the winter solstice under the Julian calendar. But although Asclepius first asserted that Apollo and Sol were the same and taught afterwards that Liber, who is Apollo, there is no doubt from these that Sol and Liber are considered the father of the same deity. This, however, will absolutely be substantiated by more liquid arguments. For when the sacred arcane religion observance is held, that when the sun is in the upper, that is, in the daytime hemisphere, Apollo is invoked; when in the underworld, that is, at night, Dionysus is invoked. Now, these differences of ages are related to the sun, so that at the winter solstice, he seems to be a newborn child, such as the Egyptians bring forth from the Hades on a certain day. On a very short day, it is seen as a small baby. His age is set at the winter solstice; his age is set at the summer solstice when he attains his greatest height in the image of the beard. From then on, by diminutions, the god is represented as the fourth form of an aging man. Likewise, in Thrace, the same is to be had. We take Sol and Dionysus, whom they call Sabazius, and celebrate with a magnificent religion.

Notice how Macrobius is indicating that these gods are born at the winter solstice, which in his time, during the Julian calendar, would have been December 25th. Macrobius, in the same chapter, also argues that the rites of Chronos, Mercury, Hercules, Adonis, and Osiris are also related to these gods, and that the Saturnalia is not just a festival dedicated to Saturn, but also his grandchildren, the dying and rising gods, who are represented by the dying and rising sun. Chronos and Sol have one individual nature. Isis is celebrated in conjunction with religion, which is either the Earth or the nature of things underlying the sun. Macrobius, therefore, Mercury is adorned with feathers, as if the very nature of Sol. This is why the simulacra of Asclepius and Crotus are joined to the dragon, because these are related to the nature of Sol. And Luna. Hercules is that power of Sol which bestows upon the human race prowess and the likeness of the gods. There will be no doubt that Adonis is also Sol, considering the religion of the Assyrians, whom the greatest veneration of Venus, Astarte, and Adonis once flourished.

Macrobius lists numerous examples of dying and rising savior sons of gods in relation to the winter solstice, but also ties them to the Spring Equinox, just as Christmas is tied to Easter. I encourage you to read this book for yourself. I could spend an entire video going over how thorough Macrobius is on this very point. But when the sun has risen from the lower parts of the earth and the boundaries of the vernal equinox have been crossed by lengthening the day, then Venus is happy, and the field is beautiful with crops, and the meadows with grass, and the trees with leaves. This is why our ancestors called April the month of Friday. Now, when the main reason for the turning of the sun is these ceremonies, can also be gathered from this, that when their rite of catabasis is over and the fiend mourning is over, the beginning of joy is celebrated, the eighth of the Calends of April, which day they call Hilaria, when for the first time the sun extends longer into the night. - Macrobius, Saturnalia.

This same effect under different religious names took place among the Egyptians. When Isis mourned Osiris, it is neither in secret nor anything else that Osiris is other than the Sun, and that Isis is not other than the Earth, as we have said, or the nature of things, and the same reason which revolves around Adonis and Attis. Macrobius, Saturnalia: Attis, Adonis, and Osiris are celebrated in their respective regions at the Spring Equinox, which Macrobius ties together with the winter solstice as the god triumphs over death. He explains the Bacchic rites of the winter solstice that included decorations with green ivy and red berries, gift-giving, revelry, decorating the houses with wreaths. The name of Apollo refers to Sol in multiple interpretations. I will continue the order of the matter. Plato writes, "The sun is called Apollon." These things which we have said of Apollo may also be thought to have been said of Liber Dionysus, for Aristotle, who wrote the Theologumena, called Apollo and Liber the father of one and the same God. The Lacedaemonians also, in the sacred places which they celebrate to Apollo, called the Hyacinthia, green and red ivy is crowned with the Bacchic rite. Likewise, the Boeotians, remembering Mount Parnassus was sacred to Apollo, yet at the same time worship in the same place both the Delphic Oracle and the Bacchic caves consecrated to one God, and the divine thing is celebrated on the same mountain for Apollo and Dionysus, the father.

The Rural Dionysia is so ancient that we cannot even tell when it began. From the sources, it just seems to have always existed as long as ancient records were kept. It was also known as a Lesser Dionysia, and the City Dionysia was known as the Great Dionysia, which was held during the Spring Equinox. Once again, just like clockwork, we have another winter solstice festival with ties to a spring equinox festival, just like Christmas and Easter, just like the Akitu festival and the Zagmuk festivals in Babylon were tied together, just as the Egyptians connected the birth of Horus with the resurrection of Osiris. And here we have two festivals with the same name, same general rites, and greater and lesser Dionysia in honor of the Sun, Dionysus, and Apollo. Are you noticing a pattern yet?

I also forgot to mention in regards to the Egyptians celebrating the birth of Horus on December 25th and the resurrection of Osiris on April 25th. You might be wondering if this had any influence over the Romans. The answer is yes. Romans had an annual festival known as the Serapia, that is shown on Roman calendars on April 25th at the Spring Equinox as early as the 2nd century through the 3rd century sources and is thus replaced by Easter in the 4th and 5th centuries. And Serapis is a Hellenized form of the god Osiris, who was also syncretized with Dionysus, Zeus, and Dis Pater, as well as Pluto. Tacitus and Plutarch tell the story of how this god came to be.

"The origin of this god Serapis has not hitherto been made generally known by our writers. The Egyptian priests give this account: While Ptolemy I Soter, the first Macedonian king who consolidated the power of Egypt, was setting up in the newly built city of Alexandria fortifications, temples, and rites of worship, there appeared to him in his sleep a youth of singular beauty and more than human stature, who counseled the monarch to send his most trusty friends to Pontus and fetch his statue from that country. 'This,' he said, 'will bring prosperity to the realm and great and illustrious will be the city which gives it reception.' At the same moment, he saw the youth ascend to heaven in a blaze of fire. Roused by so significant and strange an appearance, Ptolemy disclosed the vision of the night to the Egyptian priests, whose business it is to understand such matters. As they knew but little of Pontus or foreign countries, he inquired of Timotheus, an Athenian, one of the family of the Eumolpidae, whom he had invited from Eleusis to preside over the sacred rites, what this worship was and who was the deity. Timotheus, questioning persons who had found their way to Pontus, learned that there was a city of Sinope and near it a temple, which, according to an old tradition of the neighborhood, was sacred to the Infernal Jupiter. For there also stood close at hand a female figure, to which many gave the name Proserpina." - Tacitus, Histories.

"Infernal Jupiter is none other than Dis Pater, a god equated with Pluto, but not in a one-to-one sense, but with much overlap, but also with Bacchus, Hades, and Osiris." Ptolemy was creating a new imperial priesthood, as stated in the previous passage, that included priests from the divine family of the Eleusinian Hierophants, known to the world as the Iacchos, but as we will see in the next passage, includes other sacred rites from Asia Minor and the Near East too. Ptolemy sent for this statue, who the god told him to find in the city of Sinope and Pontus. Tacitus relates a miracle that supposedly occurred in which this statue comes to life and boards onto a ship by himself and travels for 3 days from Turkey to Egypt. The story becomes at this point more marvelous and relates that "the god of his own will conveyed himself on board the fleet which had been brought close to shore, and wonderful to say, vast as was the extent of sea that they traversed, they arrived at Alexandria on the third day. A temple proportioned to the grandeur of the city was erected in a place called Rhacotis, where there had stood a chapel consecrated in old times to Serapis and Isis." Such is the most popular account of the origin and introduction of the god Serapis.

Tacitus goes on to say: "The God himself, because he heals the sick, many identified with Asclepius, others with Osiris, the deity of the highest antiquity among these nations, a few with Jupiter, as being supreme ruler of all things, but most people with Pluto, arguing from the emblems which may be seen on his statues or from the conjectures of their own." - Tacitus, Histories.

The reason why I think this is important to set here now in Roman religion is because it highlights the level of religious syncretism that was on the rise in Roman religion during the Common Era. Christianity is not exempt from this movement of religious syncretism that was taking place at this time. When we look at the midwinter celebrations of the winter solstice, Sol Invictus and Saturn are blended together in the celebrations of Saturnalia, blended into the solstice veneration, as we will see with the Roman Brumalia.

Dionysus and Saturn, grandson and grandfather, have much in common. Both cathartic gods, agricultural gods, both of them bring equality to the classes and are thus invoked through revelry and divine mania. The Lesser Dionysia was a Greek winter solstice vine festival, similar to the Thesmophoria, in which sacred games were played, drinking and festivities occurred. Young girls carrying baskets and offerings, procession of the phallus, people sang and danced in choruses, chanted Bacchic hymns, and performed Dionysian rites. In honor of Bacchus and Apollo, Romans also venerated Dionysus during the winter solstice.

When it comes to Rome, most people know a lot about Saturnalia and many know about the birthday of Sol Invictus on December 25th, which I will talk about later. But less people know about the Kalends of January, which is also a time of festivities, merrymaking, greenery, closing of businesses, and celebrating the new year. But what most people don't actually talk about as much, surprisingly, was a widespread Roman festival that took place in between the Saturnalia and the New Year's, known as Brumalia. Literally means midwinter in Latin. A minor holiday of Brumalia on November 24th took place, which reminds me of a Thanksgiving like in America, sparking off the holiday season at the end of November. But an even bigger festival of Brumalia took place during the winter solstice, long before Sol Invictus was given his own holiday, and also long before Christianity even existed.

First century BCE, Varro writes: "Bruma is so named because then the day is brevis, shortest. The solstice because on that day Sol, the sun, seems to sit still or halt, on which it is nearest to us." Varro apparently cutting down trees was a rite of passage for this holiday. According to Cato, oak wood and also wood for vine props is ripe for cutting at the time of the winter solstice. Other species which bear seed are ripe when the seeds are mature, while those which are seedless are ripe when they shed bark. Cato explains the ritual of cutting down trees at winter solstice. Many scholars will say that the act of hanging up pine trees is something that only seems to exist in modern times, but the pagan sources of the ancient world seem to do this rite for certain celestial events, such as equinoxes and solstices. And even Christian authors were aware of this.

Firmicus Maternus, in "The Error of the Pagan Religion," states: "In the Phrygian sacred rites of her whom they call the Mother of the Gods, a pine tree is cut every year, and an image of a youth is fastened on the middle of the tree. Wreaths carried by the College of the Canophori, probably designed to recall the birth, exposure, and rescue of baby Attis on the banks of the river Sangarius. Julian, on this day, the Brotherhood of the Dendrophori (tree carriers) cut a pine and carried it into the Temple of Magna Mater on the Palatine Hill in Rome. This was a day of mourning. They advanced the claim that he whom they buried at a little while earlier had come to life again. His resurrection is the sprouting of the scattered seeds and the annual turn of the seasons."

Firmicus Maternus, Arnobius, in his text called "Against the Nations," says: "What of the little branches of the tree decked and girt round with garlands of violets? Do they not signify how the mother adorned the pine with the earliest blossoms as a memorial and testimony of her sad misfortune? What is the meaning of the galley with her hair disheveled, beating their breasts with their hands? Do they not commemorate the sorrow with which the tower-bearing mother, together with the tearful Attis, lamented the boy? What is the meaning of the fasting from bread, to which we have given the term castus? Is it not an imitation of the time when, in poignancy of her grief, the divinity abstained from Ceres' fruit?" This Holy Week for Attis, celebrating during the Spring Equinox, starts off bringing in pine trees and wreaths, decorating the Temple of the Great Mother with greenery, and decorating the trees with images, and placing an image of Attis on top of the tree, similar to placing an angel on the top of the Christmas tree. The 22nd of March, which marks a day of mourning called the Day of Blood, is the day that Attis dies and is followed three days later by a day of rejoicing, celebrating the resurrection of Attis as the Great Mother makes him into a god. You can't make this stuff up. We literally have a death of a god followed by a resurrection after three days, just like Jesus, during the same exact week as Jesus. For some reason, many academics don't find this to be considerable enough to possibly be an influence on the Christian story of Jesus and the celebration of Easter. But I digress.

But as I have laid out in this video, the Spring Equinox is universally tied to the winter solstice due to both dates marking the rise of the sun over darkness. That's why the Greeks celebrated the Lesser Dionysia and the Greater Dionysia on the winter solstice and Spring Equinox, and it's why we see the Egyptians holding these two days above all others. Christians who calculated the death and birth of Christ to be on these exact two days would know this, and this cannot be a coincidence.

"What does that pine tree mean when you introduce on appointed days into the sanctuary of the Mother of the Gods? Is it not symbolic of that tree under which the mad and unhappy youth laid hands on himself and which the parent of the Gods consecrated as soulless for her grief? What is the meaning of the fleeces of wool with which you bind and surround the trunk of the tree? Is it not a recollection of the woolen cloths with which Rhea covered him with, believing that she could procure some warmth for his limbs as they grew cold?" - Arnobius.

Also, Arnobius, when describing the pine tree ritual for Attis, he also states that this was done on appointed dates, which indicates that this was not only done on the Spring Equinox but most likely something practiced on other dates as well. Given how already established the winter solstice being universally connected to the Spring Equinox, I think that it is no way a stretch to speculate that this ritual could easily be carried out during winter solstice celebrations, just as we have already found in the writings of Cato about cutting down trees on Brumalia, which fell on December 25th during the time of the Julian calendar. But no, the scholarly consensus is that pine tree cutting during Christmas was something that only showed up in modern times. To this I say, yes, I know, and scholars are correct for pointing out that the sources only show this to be the case in later sources. I admit that I am completely speculating on where this tradition could come from. However, at least I have sources for my speculation. Cutting down pine trees is nowhere to be found in the Bible, and as I've shown, it's in quite a few pagan sources. So at the very least, scholars would have to admit that my speculation is at least possible. Christians did not start hanging up Christmas trees for a biblical reason; they did this for another reason, and in my opinion, I think it is entirely possible and likely that the syncretic rites of paganism is the best candidate.

In fact, we know that Brumalia was still being celebrated all the way into the 13th century. How do I know that? Christopher of Mytilene, who lived in the 11th century, makes notes about this festival to his friend Niketas, who had sent him cakes around the time of the Brumalia. The celebration of Brumalia featured nocturnal festivities, decorating with greenery, wreaths, wearing ivy and berry diadems, replete with feasting, drinking, and jovial activities, just like Saturnalia and just like Christmas today. Throughout the festival, interpretations of prophetic signs were considered as forecasts for the remaining of the winter season, and people would make vows for the new year.

Although the 6th-century Emperor Justinian tried to suppress pagan practices, records such as those by Christopher of Mytilene indicate that this holiday persisted at least until the 13th century. Documentation of the festival ceases following the sack of the capital in 1204 by the Fourth Crusade. It is only after the sack of Constantinople in the 13th century that this festival would cease entirely. But given how influential Romans were over their European neighbors, it is entirely likely that the festivities of Brumalia blended together with the Christmas tide. And given how Saturnalia was blended with Brumalia and later Roman sources, we can easily see how Saturnalia and Christmas would be blended together as well.

It is generally agreed that the pagan gods viewed in the same way that Christians today would view a comic book hero like Superman or Thor. They don't worship them or believe in them, but could get entertainment and enjoy reading about them and making depictions of them in paintings and sculptures. In fact, many historians believe that the fall of Constantinople in 1453 is what led to the Renaissance Era. Many of the Greeks who fled the Ottomans throughout the 15th century went west to Italy and Venice and brought with them Greek culture, which venerated the old pagan gods in artwork, something that was not as popular among Germanic and Latin Christians. When the Latin Crusaders sacked Constantinople in 1204, they melted down gold and silver statues of Aphrodite and Zeus and destroyed ancient pagan relics that the Byzantines held onto. Given how much the Byzantines influenced Europeans in later times, especially Eastern Europeans, I think that it is safe to bet that among the lower classes, many of these ancient pagan rites survived.

Take the Greek Magical Papyri, for example. These are a collection of random texts that span across many centuries, and they show a blending of culture and religious ideas being done by normal, everyday devotees of gods outside of ordained priesthoods. People do what they want, and New Age movements are nothing new. John Chrysostom, the Archbishop of Constantinople in the early 5th century, complained heavily about the societal and spiritual environment of his day, which was heavily influenced by the enduring and widespread influence of paganism in urban life. A frequent subject of his discourse was the presence of pagan customs within the Roman world's culture. In his sermons, he vehemently denounced common pagan entertainments such as theatrical performances, horse racing, and festive celebrations associated with the holidays. He specifically reproached Christians participating in pagan activities during Christmas time.

"If you ask Christians who Amos or Obadiah is, how many Apostles there were, or prophets, they stand mute. But if you ask them about the horses or drivers, they answer with more solemnity than the Sophists or Orators." - John Chrysostom.

John Chrysostom, just to give you an idea of how terrible of a human being Chrysostom was, his former teacher Libanus, who was a pagan Sophist, who after the destruction of the Temple of Apollo, like Theodosius, wrote a really sad lament for the crumbling of the Hellenic culture that he was raised in. And Chrysostom, who was his student, wrote a mocking dissertation making fun of Libanus just for being upset over the loss of a false god's temple. The very things about Greek festivals that Chrysostom rallied against are the very things that we see in Christmas tide continue to take place long after he is dead. These lower classes, making up of everyday Joes and Janes, did not care about his ramblings about purity and sanctity. In their indecent nighttime gatherings, women were admitted to the performance. There you can see the obscene sight of a virgin sitting in the theater during the night amidst a drunken crowd of young men madly reveling. The festival was actually the darkness and the abominable deeds practiced by them.

It's not just John Chrysostom who was ripping his hair out over pagan culture continuing to be popular among the lower classes. "Our Lord also is born in the month of December, the 8th before the Calends of January. But they, the pagans, call it the birthday of the unconquered. Who indeed is so unconquered as our Lord? Or if they say that it is the birthday of the Sun, we may say he is the Son of Justice." - Chrysostom.

Chrysostom, as well as other Christian bishops, complain specifically against the rites of merrymaking, revelry, gift-giving, chariot racing, and decorations of wreaths and greenery, which they were clearly pagan rites. Yet these rites continue to be practiced by Romans all the way until the end, the Byzantine Roman Empire in the East, and even the end of the Holy Roman Empire in the West in the 18th century. There was just no stopping these rites, as they were popular. Merrymaking and revelry is pagan, period. Christian observance and Christian worship is specific in its practice as pertaining to piety, sobriety, humility, and self-containment. Setting up wreaths, decorations, images, and breaking into revelry is pagan by definition. There is no way around that. This is exactly what these Christian bishops are complaining about.

"It was a custom of the pagans to celebrate on the same December 25th the birthday of the Sun, at which they kindled lights and token the festivity in these saloons and revelries. The Christians also took part accordingly. When the doctors of the Church perceived that the Christians had a leaning to the festival, they took counsel and resolved that the true Nativity should be solemnized on that day." - Jacob Baradaeus.

This quote shows us that these very rites were still being practiced in the spirit of the old pagan Roman tradition well into the 12th century when Jacob Baradaeus was writing this. In fact, the reason why chariot racing was pagan to begin with was because Helios was depicted as a chariot rider, and the chariot races were performed during the solstice to honor Helios, known in Latin as Sol.

In the year 274, Emperor Aurelian established the celebration known as the Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun, on December 25th, coinciding with the winter solstice on the Roman calendar. Again, Brumalia was already that Roman holiday before this, and I remind you that because a lot of smug academics, Christian apologists, will leave that out when discussing Christians co-opting this date to make Jesus important. They only mention Aurelian's feast date, which is wrong and shows they don't know the sources at all. In Rome, this annual event was marked by 30 chariot races. These chariot races continued long after the abolition of paganism and were instituted long before Aurelian's feast, which proves that pagan traditions did continue to influence Christmas.

According to Gary Forth, Professor specializing in ancient history, "This festivity likely served as a delightful extension to Saturnalia, the 7-day festival from December 17th to the 23rd, dating way back to the Republic era, as renowned also for merrymaking, feasting, and gift-giving. This celebration would have formed a welcome addition to the 7-day period of Saturnalia, Rome's most joyous holiday season since Republican times, characterized by parties, banquets, and exchanges of gifts." - Gary Forth, PhD.

You cannot, without either lying or looking incompetent, the primary sources separate the winter solstice from Saturnalia. They are 100% connected as an entire holiday season, period. And this month was capped off by the Kalends of January, which also had closed businesses and shut down the Senate and government for festivities, lighting of candles, greenery, and revelry.

As Ovid states here in Fasti: "Lest you be unaware of the rules of the different days, not every light-bringer has the same function. Nefastus will be the day during which the three words are unspoken. Fastus, the day in which legal businesses will be allowed to resume. For as soon as the entrails have been given to the God, all utterance is permitted once again, and the honored praetor has freedom to speak. There is also the day when it's lawful to pen the people in the enclosures. There is also the day which returns on every ninth rotation, Idus Martiae. January." That's right, the Senate was closed until after the New Year, just like we do today in America.

Emperor Julian, in 362, referenced in his "Hymn to King Helios" that the Agan Solstice was a sun festival celebrated at the culmination of the Saturnalia in late December. The idea of venerating the solstices, equinoxes, or celestial...

Events in Judeo-Christian thought were considered heretical. "Unless thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the hosts of Heaven, should us be driven to worship them and observe them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all Nations under the whole Heaven." (Deuteronomy 4:19)

"For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workmen, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold: they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not." (Jeremiah 10:3-4)

Many scholars will point out that this verse is about asholes and not Christmas. And though I agree, I think at the very least these texts show precedent that these types of rituals of observing planets and stars, making objects from trees like idols, is pagan by default. And this is exactly what the Puritans who moved to the Americas in the 16th century decided was the case when they decided to outlaw Christmas and Halloween and other Roman religions that they believed had pagan origins.

"For preventing disorders arising in several places with the jurisdiction by reason of some still observing such festivals as were superstitiously kept in other countries to the great dishonor of God and offense of others. It is therefore ordered by this court and the authority thereof that whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way, upon such accountants as effers said, every person so offend ending shall pay of every such offense five shillings as a fine to the country." (1659 Puritan government)

The Plymouth Colony Governor tried to halt the use of evergreen trees and decorations. He considered them a pagan mockery of the holiday observance. In England, Anglican Church leader Oliver Cromwell preached against the heathen traditions of singing carols and the use of decorated trees. He feared they might distract Christians from the sacred event.

There is no biblical reason to celebrate Christ's birthday on December 25th, and no biblical reason to practice the rites of cutting down trees or shutting down businesses for any festival other than Sabbath or those prescribed in the Torah. If we do take the text that face value, all we get is the exact opposite of anything. We get passages that rally against these rites.

Early on, we see constant references from the early church fathers who reject the solsa celebrations and don't even want to celebrate any birthday for Jesus at all. In the scriptures, no one is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his birthday. It is only sinners like Pharaoh and Herod who make great rejoicings over the day in which they were born into this world. (Origin 250 AD)

But somehow these sources get ignored when we discuss this topic. Many Christians will try to argue that the gift-giving comes from the story of St. Nicholas of Myra, or Nicholas the Wonderworker, Bishop from Turkey who lived in the 4th Century. His name, St. Nick, through St. Nicholas, eventually becomes C-class, which is now evolved into Santa Claus.

Stories about his miracles are passed down through through the Bibliotheca Hagio grapha, ca dated to 1348, which preserves a text from Michael the Archimandrite in the first half of the 9th century (between 814 and 842). It is known as the Life of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

Here's what we are told: After Nicholas' parents had gone to the Lord and left him much property and an abundance of money and possessions, he reckoned that he had God as his father. Gazing fastly on him with the eye of his soul, he firmly begged the good God that he surrender his life in all his possessions if that seemed good to him. Nicholas did not cease to continually hand over his abundance to store it up in the secure treasure houses of Heaven. So he was repaid in full by the impoverished.

After this passage, the story tells us about three different poor people who St. Nicholas feels pity for. The first one being a father who was literally pimping out his daughters for money.

"There was a certain man among those who was recently famous and well-born; he was a neighbor, his home being next to Nicholas. Owing to the plotting and envy of Satan, who always has a grudge against those who prefer to live a life in accord with God, this man was squeezed by great poverty, lack of resources. He had gone from being well off to extreme indigence. He had three daughters who were both shapely and very attractive to the eye, and he was willing to station them in a brothel so that he might thereby acquire the necessities of life for himself and his household. For no man among the lordly or powerful Dean to marry them lawfully, and even the lower classes and those who own the least bit of something, there was no well-minded enough to do this. And so the man looked away from his salvation and, as it were, fainted at the thought of prevailing upon God with persistence in prayer."

By this logic, he came to assent to situating his daughters in the abyss of such dishonor. Nicholas then tosses a bag of gold into the man's window overnight, and the man finds it in the morning. Nicholas does this with two other people as well.

There is no indication that this happened during the winter time, let alone on Christmas. And I think it is more likely that this story was written as a way to distance the gift-giving rites from any pagan connection to Sedelia or Brumalia. Don't forget, Brumalia was still being practiced by Romans in the Eastern Roman Empire where Nicholas lived. Also, in Spain, Italy, and in the Western World, they claim that they gave gifts for other reasons that are not the same as Nicholas.

For example, in Spain, they credit the Magi for bringing gifts to Christ, and in Italy, they credit a completely different saint for the same reason. This all but proves that these alternative stories about gift-giving, all arising by coincidence for the same time period, are clearly motivated to purify pagan traditions of Saturnalia and Brumalia rites of gift-giving that the lower classes found so popular, and the bishops had no control of, and they had no choice but to Christianize them. Scholars, I'm sorry, are just lazy for not recognize this for what it clearly is.

The 9th-century text about St. Nick is the oldest story about St. Nicholas giving gifts that we have. However, a fresco known as the Charity of St. Nicholas from 720 is believed to be the most ancient St. Nicholas fresco in the West.

And here is the moment of truth: 1,500 of you voted in my community tab for the question of "Did St. Nicholas or did Santa Claus attend the Council of Nicaea?" The answer is technically yes. St. Nicholas is on the oldest list for the Council of Nicaea. There are some lists, however, that don't include him, although for some reason he's on the oldest one, and he has no official quotes stated from the council either. It is said that he slapped Arius in the face during the council. Arius was the founder of Arianism, the main opponent to Nicene Catholic Trinitarianism, the Orthodox religion of Christianity that won the Roman priesthood.

In my opinion, it is St. Nicholas who is given the rites of Patelia and Brumalia, and thus becomes the saint who purifies those ancient rites, just as we know that St. Demetrius, for example, who is also given the rites of the Eleusinian Mysteries, and how St. George is given ancient Druidic rights of dragon-slaying, along with St. Patrick and St. Orpheus, who like Orpheus plays the lyre. And it is no secret that these early saints were given roles similar to the Greek heroes and Greek gods of old, in a way to transfer over the culture to the Christian faith.

Santa Claus evolves over time from the jolly St. Nicholas of the early church to the magical, Germanic, Odin-like Chris Kringle character who is in charge of an entire fleet of elves and reindeer at the North Pole. Some say this is influenced by Yule Germanic paganism. Others suggest that the elves and reindeer are an allegory of the Amanita muscaria mushroom that are red and white and tend to grow underneath evergreen trees.

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Within the Temple of Saturn in Rome was a hollowed bronze cult statue of Saturn, which became the main stage event during the rites of Saturnalia when his feet were symbolically free from the woolen bonds that tied him up for the rest of the year. This act has led to Saturn being associated with liberation, certainly a feature of the Saturnalia festival.

The inscription on the exterior of the architrave relates to the construction carried out in the 360s-370s, which reads as follows: "The Senate and the people of Rome restored following the destruction by fire." It is now the month of December, when the greatest part of the city is in a bustle. Loose reins are given to public dissipation. Everywhere you may hear the sound of great preparations, as if there were some real difference between the days devoted to Saturn and those for transacting business. Were you here, I would willingly confer with you as to the plan of our conduct, whether we should dine in our usual way, or to avoid singularity, both take a better supper and throw off the toga.

Seneca. First thing to notice about this passage is that Saturnalia is not mentioned. "Sē" is used as a synonym for Saturnalia, which is common throughout the ancient sources, even outside of Seneca. Here, because the month of December and Saturnalia cannot be separated, this entire month was the holiday season, just like we view December and Christmas today.

As I will demonstrate in this video, at the Saturnalia and Sigillaria, Hadrian often surprised his friends with presents, and he gladly received gifts from them and again gave others in return. (Historia Augusta, The Life of Hadrian)

The Saturnalia during the month of December in Rome was the time of the year where people would celebrate the end of the year festivities. It was a time for being married, time for jolly cheer, decorations, lights, candles, wreaths, being good to neighbors, drinking wine, and being in good spirits during the darkest week of the year, leading up to the Sigillaria, the final day of giving and lighting candles and celebrations akin to that of Christmas, which was the day before the three days leading into the winter solstice event, which was also observed with the same ritual merry-making and gift-giving known as the Brumalia. For Sol Invictus was given this day as a feast, more on that to come. And this Brumalia festival would blend right into the final week of the year, in which businesses and the Senate floor would remain closed down until after the Kalends of January. Again, more merry-making, more greenery, more hanging wreaths, more gift-giving, especially for young children. And this was the merry and jolly season of December, basically, as it is today in America and throughout Europe and much of the world. The month of December was always this way, but Saturnalia and Christmas, two completely different things.

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Right.

The phrase "Io Saturnalia" was heard throughout the city of ancient Rome during this month. "Io" is a chant of triumph and excitement. It's a Greek phrase that comes from the Bacchic chant for Iacchus, a deity who in some ways is so much like his grandfather Saturn, both agricultural deities of festivities and egalitarianism. And Saturn, in the later Roman religion that was dominated by Sol Invictus, is also tied to the sun, as was Dionysus and Apollo.

When the Brumalia festival is covered over by Aurelian's new feast for Sol Invictus in 274, Saturn and Mithras could not be separated in Roman religion of the time. And so Saturnalia, through the celebration of the birthday of Sol Invictus on December 25th, should not be seen as separate other than events, but with connections to each other.

The Mithraic Kronos, who stands with the head of a lion, wrapped like Phryges with the serpent coiled around him, holding the keys to the cosmos and standing on the world as his footstool. This was the very Kronos known to the Romans as Saturn that was being venerated late into the last generation of the pagan Roman Empire. And many right now who are watching are probably saying, "But Neil, Christians calculated the date of the birth of Jesus long before 274, so that means there's no way Christians copied Sol Invictus." You are wrong. And to that, I would say: Number one, that is 100% true. And number two, it's also pointless for this discussion. Number three, just keep watching.

Before Christianity ever existed, we already see some overlap between Roman Saturnalia and the Jewish Festival Dedication, also known as Hanukkah. Although in the same month, they are not exactly celebrated during the same week, but both about roughly a week long, Hanukkah being eight days to be exact. But they start the festival on the 25th of Kislev and ending at the beginning of the month of Tevet, in close proximity to the winter solstice festival of the late Babylonians, who also celebrate the winter solstice after the solstice is over for 12 days leading into the new year. I will talk about the Babylonian Tibet festival later in the video as the 12 Days theme comes up again in regards to Christians.

Hanukkah, however, commemorates the triumph of the Maccabees over the Seleucid tyrant Antiochus Epiphanes, in which just a small amount of oil miraculously was said to last for eight nights during this time, hence the eight-day celebration. The winter solstice, and like Saturnalia, Hanukkah consisted of merry-making, drinking wine, stopping all business, and gambling. Romans at Saturnalia played with dice, while the Jews at Hanukkah played the dreidel. They both lit candles.

And Saturn, the god who's recognized by the Romans on Saturday, shares the sacred day of the Sabbath with the god El or Yahweh. In fact, the Phoenician writers of antiquity went as far as to equate the Roman Saturn with the Semitic god El and say that these gods are actually the same. The allies of El or Kronos were called Elohim, just as those named after Kronos, Saturn, would have been Chrono-Pho of Byblos. Kronos, who the Ionian call El or Saturn, had an only begotten son named Yude-Senon.

What I find interesting about Saturn in Roman customs is that his temple was also the treasure in the hands of the Saturnian priesthood, who acted as the bankers for the Roman people and held in their possession the gold, the silver, and the treasures of the Republic, just as in Israel, the Temple of Yahweh or El was also the state treasure.

Saturn is often portrayed in surviving artworks donning a veil and wielding either a sickle or a pruning knife, and often times winged. El is also depicted as a winged god, just as we see with this image of El from a Phoenician coin. Sanchuniathon describes the deity having four eyes, two in front and two behind, from which two are closed during sleep. On his shoulders are four wings, two flying and two resting. This symbol shows that he is awake during sleep and resting when he flies. Kronos or Saturn is also commonly depicted with four wings and four eyes. Sanchuniathon also describes ritual human sacrifice and circumcision rites being attributed to Saturn or El, in which these ancient rites were passed down to the Phoenicians by the god himself.

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Himself. In the ancient city of Dougga, North Africa, in Tunisia, which was once occupied by Phoenicians and Carthaginians, the famous Temple of Baal Hammon. Baal Hammon, who is usually equated with Jupiter or Zeus, was actually considered to be Saturn by the Romans, who took over this temple and repurposed this temple as a temple of Saturn. That is why I always say you should never look at two gods who are equated from different languages as being one to one in comparison. Even Zeus and Jupiter will eventually have their differences in their origins. Ammon or Hammon is sometimes equated with Jupiter and sometimes Saturn. In this case, the Roman Imperial cult decided that this was to be a temple for Saturn, the successor for the title of Baal Hammon. It is at this location that some Roman writers thought that ritual human sacrifice to Saturn was carried out.

"There was in their city a bronze image of Kronos Saturn extending its hands, palms up and sloping towards the ground, so that each of the children when placed thereon rolled down and fell into a sort of gaping pit filled with fire." (Diodorus Siculus)

Ritual ditches containing votive offerings were discovered in the excavation of the oldest layer of the temple. The Roman temple thus replaced an older Carthaginian sanctuary that dated back to at least the 2nd century BCE. This sanctuary consisted essentially of a wide open space for ritual sacrificing, designed to receive votive offerings for the sacrifices. The Temple of Saturn was built on top of this, which later was repurposed as a Christian Catholic Church in the early Middle Ages, one of the many hundreds, maybe even thousands, of ancient temples to be repurposed as a Catholic Church.

However, before the Christians took control of this building, it was remodeled during the reign of Septimius Severus in the early 3rd century, whose father Geta was himself a Carthaginian Punic, and his father, which was Severus's grandfather, was made prefect of the region during the reign of Trajan in the early 2nd century. And even before that, the poet Statius during the Flavian Dynasty in the late 1st century wrote about Geta, who he describes as a wealthy equestrian related to Gnaeus Octavia, the same family as Augustus. "Not Punic your speech, nor foreign in your dress or in your mind, Italian, Italian. There are in the city and in Rome's squadrons those worthy of being living Livy's sons."

It is during this time, the Flavian Dynasty in the first century, in which Sol is venerated as a giant golden statue, which was built to honor Nero originally but repurposed by the Asian with a huge solar crown as the sun. The Flavian Dynasty also issued coins with Sol on them, who was already at that time synched with the god Apollo since the time of Augustus. Augustus transformed the Roman Republic into an Empire that contained hundreds of cults and dozens of languages and made vast religious reforms to keep up with the new gods that Rome was acquiring from its new lands. Many gods were being synched together. One major synchronization is Apollo with the sun. Egyptian solar gods were also being equated with Apollo and Sol. This led to the eventual rise of Sol as a deity altogether.

Plutarch, in the late 1st and early 2nd century, explained Serapis in his many layers but having solar traits, but also how Horus was tied to the sun and born at the winter solstice. Coins issued with the Emperor as Sol or Helios in Greek were commonplace during the 2nd and 3rd century. Even though Pompey conquered Syria, Asia, and Judea, the Spian still had to reannexation in that previous ode by the Flavian era poet was well connected in the Roman Senate, even during the reign of Marcus Aurelius in the 160s, and became Consul during the reign of Commodus in 180. He then came out on top after the Year of the Five Emperors and established the famous Severan Dynasty, which was also, in my opinion, the beginning of Eastern influence over Roman culture that would not only lead to the very changes in Roman religion that gave us Sol Invictus, but also simultaneously gives Christianity a stronghold in Roman culture among the lower classes, military ranks, and eventually higher, more academic circles too, which leads to the moving of the capital from Rome to Constantinople in the 3rd century. The Eastern world just became more important.

It was during the Severan Dynasty period in the late 2nd, early 3rd century, which we see the rise of Sol in Roman religion. We also see for the first time in Roman history, coins issued with any Judeo-Christian references whatsoever, which depicts Noah and his wife in the ark. Half a century later, Philip the Arab, the first emperor to ever get baptized publicly, was reissuing the same coin once again, but with his own face on it. This shows us that not all Roman emperors were opposed to Judeo-Christian culture, let alone were persecuting Christians. Only a small few did, such as Diocletian, but it also highlights the massive amount of influence that Eastern culture was beginning to have over the West.

There are some scholars who think that Septimius Severus owned images of Jesus that were made by the Christian Carpocratians sect, the Marcionites, in the 2nd century. Many of the Severans were Christians themselves, including Julia Domna, whose son Alexander Severus became the Roman Emperor in 222. Septimius Severus married Julia Domna in the year 187. Julia Domna was so famous and well-connected that she was legally deified as a goddess and was given a statue of Athena in her honor. Julia Domna, who funded the Pythagorean Flavius Philostratus to write the famous Life of Apollonius of Tyana, also was born in Emesa, Syria, as a daughter of Julius Bassianus, the high priest of the Syrian god called Elagabal, god of the mountain. This specific name is a local Baal for Emesa, Syria, but was also representing a universal god who was solar and Mithraic, called Deus Invictus Sol Elagabal, unconquered sun god. Elagabal was represented by a black stone that was thought to have fallen from heaven. This stone is worshiped as though it were sent from heaven. On it, there are some small projecting pieces and markings that are pointed out, which the people would like to believe are a rough picture of the sun, for this is how they see it.

Herodian. One thing to note about that passage is the sun being pictured on the stone itself, showing that the solar traits of this god predate this cult being merged with the Roman Sol. What makes this god Mithraic is the priesthood itself. In Syria, local to the city of Emesa, as well as other cities throughout Mesopotamia and Central Asia, show evidence of sun-worshipping priests who are called Magi. They have their roots from the Persian Achaemenid Empire, and Mithra was a solar mediator god and one of the 108 names of the sun. From the Veda, who mediated between forces of light and forces of darkness. Even all the way over in India, in the opposite direction, we have texts from a sixth-century priest named Varaha Mihira from a family of sun-worshipping Magi. Sun worship seems to have been a central rite in his family's religion, as his father Adad Dasa's name literally means "slave or servant of the sun." The Magas, as they became to be known in India, originated from the Magi priests of the Achaemenid Empire. Mithra is central to this religion. Mithra is also found in the Persian Zend Avesta, once again as a mediator who Zoroaster calls upon and prays to. Mithra in Persian theology has much overlap with that of Apollo in post-Augustan theology. Both of them are separate, yet tied with the sun itself, and both are judiciary gods connected with truth and justice and oath binders.

There are many who would try to argue that the Roman Mithras has nothing to do with the Persian Mithra. I think this is complete nonsense. First of all, in the archaeology, the votive altars show Persian loanwords. For example, "nama," the word for hell, is Persian, and "nabari" is seen here on this photo. "Alar" is also a Persian word that means "victorious." These words are not just one small occurrence but commonplace in the archaeology. Also, the Phrygian cap that Mithras wears in the Roman iconography signifies Eastern. Anyone wearing the Phrygian cap in Roman depictions is of Eastern provenance. Persian Mithra is shown with not only the Phrygian cap but also with solar beams shining behind his head. So we have in this colossal statuary erected by King Antiochus and from 69 to 34 BCE at Mount Nemrut, Mithra is shown beardless, wearing the Phrygian cap, and on the back of the throne, there is an inscription in Greek which includes the name Apollo-Mithras-Helios in the genitive case.

Archaeologist R.D. Barnett has argued that the royal seal of King Saushatar of the Matani Empire from the Bronze Age in 1450 BCE depicts a Mithra slaying a bull. The earliest known mention of the Indo-Aryan Mitra, referenced as MIT-RA, appears in a peace treaty around 1500 BCE. This treaty, inscribed between the Hittites and the Hurrian kingdom of Matani, located southeast of Lake Van in Asia Minor, includes Mitra along with four other Indic gods as witnesses and guardians of the agreement.

In the Vedic tradition, Mitra holds a significant position as a deity in the Rigveda, particularly noted in Mandala 1, Hymn 2. He is associated closely with Varuna. Both Mitra and Varuna are part of the Adityas, a collective of solar deities, a grouping that persists in later Vedic texts. Vedic Mitra is revered as the god overseeing honesty, friendship, contracts, and gatherings, but also daylight, imperial, and mighty showers. "Lords of Heaven and Earth, beholders of the universe, you approach Mitra and Varuna with variegated clouds to hear the sound of your praises and cause the sky to send down rain by the power of the emitter of showers." (Rigveda)

Vedic scholar Dr. S.A. Dange says about this passage: "Mitra is associated with the light of dawn in the morning sun, while Varuna becomes associated with the evening and ultimately night. In the Atharva, Mitra is associated with sunrise, and accordingly, Mitra is worshiped in the sunrise prayers of the Hindus. In the morning upasana prayer recited to the risen sun after contemplation of the Gayatri Mantra is a collection of Vedic verses addressing Mitra. There is even a midwinter solstice festival known as the Mitro Utsavam, venerating Mitra as the sun." If that's not solar traits, then I don't know what is. Again, Mitra's name shows up as one of the 108 names of the Vedic Sun.

Also, researching for this video, I found deep in the Vedas a passage about Methra that is tied to bull sacrifice, conquering, and victory. "Yajur Veda 25.5: On the new moon he should sacrifice with the clotted curds for Mitra and Varuna. On the full moon the Soma is pressed for the gods. During the half month it is pressed forth for them, and a bowl for Mitra and Varuna is to be slaughtered for them at the new moon. In that he drives away the calves, he meets out the sea and the oblation holder. In that he sacrifices at the new moon with the clotted curds for Mithra and Varuna, the bow which is slaughtered for the gods becomes his also. He mounts upon the gods in truth who mounts upon their sacrifice. If he misses the mark, he becomes worse; if he does not, he remains so. For this sacrifice has a razor edge and swiftly becomes holy or perishes. His vow is: he shall not speak untruth; he shall not eat meat; he shall not approach a woman; they shall not clean his raiment with cleansing stuff, for all these things the gods do not do."

Not only are Mithas and Mithra 75% the same in their roles and functions, but even the sources themselves from the Neoplatonists living in that time period who follow the religion of Mithras also attest to this. The Neoplatonist pagan philosopher Porphyry, when discussing Mithras, states: "Indeed, among the Persians, those who have wisdom about the divine and servant are called Magi, and this class is held by the Persians to be so great that Darius, son of Hystaspes, actually had this among other things engraved on his tomb. They were divided into three classes, as Eubulus records in the History of Mithras."

And I think it's a good time to remind you that the Persians, since at least the time of Darius, who Porphyry just mentioned here, celebrated the birth of a solar Mithra at the winter solstice, called Yalda Night, which again becomes December 25th under the Julian calendar. The person who is initiated into the grade of the lion is invested with all sorts of animal forms. The reason for this is given by Palas in his work on Mithra. He says: "The common opinion is that these things refer to the circle of the zodiac; that the real and accurate explanation is that they state allegorically something about human souls, which they, the Mithraists, say are incarnated in all sorts of bodies."

Porphyry, the Persian, and Palas, who he cites here, was writing during the reign of Hystaspes. So the zodiacal Mithras was already imported at the time and had long been practiced in Roman religion. Since Pompey defeated the Sicilian pirates and added many Cappadocians and Phrygians to the Roman Empire, and during that time Apollo and Sol were already merged since the time of Augustus. But the Syrian priesthood of this god under the name Elagabalus had some unique features. All it took was for this god to be imported into the Roman Pantheon for him to become the super Apollo Sol Invictus god that we eventually find. Here's how it happens:

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Caesar Severus's wife, Roman Empress Julia Domna's sister, Julia Maesa, was the mother of the 13-year-old high priest of this god at Emesa named Julius Bassianus. The story of how he became Caesar is one that is so fascinating that I think we should read it here.

"Julia Domna, wife of Caesar Septimius Severus and mother of Caesar Caracalla, had a sister, Maesa, a Phoenician named after the city of Emesa in that country. During her sister's imperial career, the many years that Severus and Caracalla were emperors, this woman lived in the imperial palace. After the assassination of Caracalla and Julia's death, Macrinus ordered Maesa to return to her own estates in Phoenicia, allowing her to live there in full possession of her property. Since Maesa had lived for a long time under imperial protection, she had amassed a huge personal fortune. Thus, the old woman now went off to live on her estates. Maesa had two daughters: the elder was called Julia Soaemias, the younger Julia Mamaea. Each of the girls had an only son, so Julia Soaemias' son was named Bassianus Alexianus, and Mamaea's son was named Marcus Julius Gessius Alexianus. These boys were reared by their mothers and their grandmother. They were at that time about 14 and 10 respectively. They were priests of the sun god Sol, whom their countrymen worship under the Phoenician name Elagabal. A huge temple was erected to this god, lavishly decorated with gold, silver, and costly gems. Not only is this god worshiped by the natives, but all the neighboring rulers and kings send generous and expensive gifts to him each year. No statue made by man in the likeness of the god stands in this temple, as in Greek and Roman temples. The temple does, however, contain a huge black stone with a pointed end and round base in the shape of a cone. The Phoenicians solemnly maintained that this stone came down from Zeus, pointing out certain small features in relief. They assert that it is an unwrought image of the sun, for naturally this is what they wish to see. Bassianus was the chief priest of this god. Since he was the elder of the boys, the priesthood had been entrusted to him. He went about in barbarian dress, wearing long-sleeved purple tunics and embroidered with gold, which hung to his feet. Robes similarly decorated with gold and purple covered his legs from hip to toe, and he wore a golden ivy diadem of very colored precious gems. Bassianus, in the prime of youth, was the handsomest lad of his time, with physical beauty, bloom of youth, and splendor of attire combining to produce the same effect. The youth might well be compared to the handsome statues of Bacchus. When Bassianus was performing his priestly duties, dancing about the altars in barbarian fashion to the music of flutes, pipes, and every kind of instrument, the natives and the soldiers watched him with more than ordinary curiosity, aware that he belonged to the imperial family. His youthful beauty attracted the eyes of all. At that time, a huge army was quartered at Emesa to guard Phoenicia. This army was later transferred from the city. The soldiers were therefore frequent visitors in the city and went to the temple on the pretext of worshiping the god there. They delighted in watching Bassianus. Some were deserters and compatriots of Julia Maesa. While they stood admiring Bassianus, his mother, Julia Maesa, either inventing the story or telling the truth, informed them that Bassianus was really the son of Caesar, although it might appear that he had another father. She claimed that when she was living in the palace with her sister, Caesar Caracalla slept with both of her daughters, who were young and beautiful. The men repeated her story to their fellow soldiers, and it soon became common knowledge throughout the army. Maesa was rumored to be enormously wealthy, and it was reported that she would immediately give all her money to the soldiers if they restored the empire to her family. The soldiers agreed that if the family would come secretly to the camp at night, they would open the gates, receive the family inside, and proclaim Bassianus emperor and son of Caesar. The old woman agreed to the plan, preferring to risk any danger rather than live in obscurity and appear to have been discarded. And so she slipped unnoticed out of the city at night with her daughters and grandsons. The 16th of May, 218. Guided by soldiers who had deserted, they came to the wall of the camp and were warmly received inside. Immediately, the entire army saluted Bassianus as son of Caesar, and wrapping him in a purple military cloak, held him inside the camp."

This god is represented by a constellation of Perseus slaying the bull, but also the sun itself. In some texts, he is equated with Jupiter. An author from the Historia Augusta writes about Bassianus: "He was also a priest of Heliogabalus, or Jo, or Sol. The same author claims that the rites of all Eastern religions were included into the Roman religion during this time."

"As soon as he entered the city, however, neglecting all the affairs of the provinces, he established Heliogabalus as a god on the Palatine Hill, close to the imperial palace, and he built him a temple to which he desired to transfer the emblem of the Great Mother, the fire of Vesta, the Palladium, the shields of the Cures, all the Romans held sacred, proposing that no god might be worshiped at Rome save only Heliogabalus. He declared furthermore that the religions of the Jews and the Samaritans and the rites of the Christians must also be transferred to this place, in order that the priesthood of Heliogabalus might include the mysteries of every form of worship."

Sol Invictus veneration was a big deal during the reign of Caesar Heliogabalus. Herodian also tells stories about Heliogabalus during each solstice, which would perform ritual chariot rides through the city of Rome, carrying the stone from Emesa in the chariot through the sacred way (Via Sacra) and into the Palatine Hill, where he would enter into a newly dedicated temple called the Elagabalium. The huge temple was located in front of the Iseum, and the temple platform was originally built under Domitian between 81 and 96 in honor of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. Heliopolitan, the highest god with the solar face, was also worshiped in Baalbek, Syria.

Despite Heliogabalus's horrible fate, we know his religious reforms were still popular for multiple reasons. One being that his immediate successor rededicated the temple but dropped the name Heliogabalus back to Jupiter. But other than that, the name of Elagabal is being dropped. I don't think there is any reason to suspect much else was being changed. Well, the stone was gone too. But as Alexander was also from the same Syrian family, the primary sources also maintain that Alexander was also very much in favor of Syrian and Eastern culture, and some sources even claiming that he was very tolerant to Jews and Christians as well.

Severus Alexander had a very long reign after Heliogabalus, from 222 to 235, the longest of anyone since Antoninus Pius, and his death marked the beginning of the Crisis of the Third Century, which not much religious reforms happened during that time, but ended with Aurelian on top. A total of 15 emperors would come and go within a short span of 35 years. Aurelian would continue the trajectory of Sol Invictus as the head god of the Roman Pantheon, though the name Heliogabalus was long forgotten. However, the Mithraic elements would continue in the priesthood, as Mithras would continue to be popular for the soldiers and the legions, the same soldiers and the legions that made Heliogabalus Caesar. In my own vague opinion, Sol Invictus was one part Jupiter Optimus Maximus and one part solar Apollo, but also one part Mithras. But it would be too simple to say that this is 100% true.

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Here we could see a dedication made by a priest of Jupiter Dolichenus on behalf of the well-being of the Emperors to Sol Invictus and the genius of the military unit known as Aquila Singularis, the cavalry arm of the Praetorian Guard during the Principate period of Imperial Rome, dated to around 150 CE. As early as the first century, we see multiple inscriptions that use Invictus as an epithet for Sol. Invictus, unconquered or invincible, was also an epithet used for other Roman deities, including Jupiter, Mars, Hercules, Apollo, and Silvanus. Most of these gods were commonly portrayed in Roman Mithraea across the Roman Empire, including the god Saturn too, who like Mithras played a special role in initiation. Both Sol Invictus and Saturn played prominent roles in the Mithraic Mysteries, and Sol was equated with Mithras, even though they're also depicted as separate.

Mithras slaying the bull, or tauroctony, is an image that at one time was used for the goddess Nike slaying the bull, as I'm showing here. As you can see here, the bull looks exactly the same. The iconography of Nike slaying the bull stretches back to the ancient Greek Classical period. Bull-slaying rites were something central to the priesthood of Magna Mater in Rome, who would perform ritual bull sacrifice in the temple in which an initiate would stand under a secret room where the blood from the bull would rain down on them, and they would be richly washed from the blood of the sacrifice. Similar imagery is invoked in Christianity with saved souls being washed in the blood of the Lamb, who is Christ. These rites of Magna Mater date back to 200 BCE, when they imported Magna Mater from Asia Minor, and like Elagabalus, she also brought with her a secret stone that fell from heaven too. Something to note there.

An image of a man slaying a bull was discovered in Dacia, modern-day Romania, on the helmet. There are some who will argue that the bull-slayer hero is an early Mithras or even Perseus, due to the hat looking somewhat like a Phrygian cap, but I don't think this is so. However, this image is still connected to the Mithraic tauroctony in a different way. But even stranger, in my opinion, here we see Addis, Mithras, synched together. The Mithraic altar of Pantopaea is dated to sometime in the Hellenistic era. Some even say that this is neither Addis nor Mithras, but Oros, an oriental dress. Whoever the deity is, it agrees with Macrobius over half a century later, who synchs them all. Anyway, he is dressed in a pair of trousers and a jacket, leaving the stomach and genitals uncovered. He grabs the bull under control with one knee, grasping one of its horns with one hand, and the knife raised high. The opposite side is said to have a triangular fire hole, as we see. Addis is certainly depicted in similar fashion here in the first century BCE. Also, Oros Harpocrates, a Hellenized version of the god Horus from Egypt from the same era (1st century BC), looks almost identical to Addis.

The mixed conclusions to who the previous bull slayer is is understandable, but it also brings a lot of context as to how these sons of God's saviors became synched by the Romans. If we look at the image of Mithras slaying the bull here, now remember when I said that the bull slayer on the Dacian helmet could still be related to Mithras, even if it's not Mithras, but in a weirder way? This is why I said that it's very hard to see. But scholars have found Latin texts on the bull that is being slayed. The text reads: "Nama Seaso also Deus Invictus Mithrae."

Now, the image blew my mind right off of my head when I saw this for the first time, because if you watch my video about the roots of Dionysus, you would know that Seaso, or Seaso, is the most ancient Thracian/Hittite Bronze Age version of the god Dionysus. Zalmoxis, who some think is depicted on the Dacian helmet in iconography, as well as being the son of Zile, tied to Semele, both meaning "earth," is also a distant relative of this ancient god worshiped by the Dacians. I still don't know how to interpret this, but maybe this could be a topic for another day. Regardless, as we see here with this Cretan drama from 500 BCE, Hercules is slaying the bull. This typical iconography for the savior god conquering the elements of nature. Also, Hercules can be noted to have solar traits as well.

The other inscription on the Mithraic one: "Deus Sol Invictus Mithrae." This is just one of the numerous examples of Sol Invictus and Mithras being together in the same title. Another Greek inscription from the Common Era states: "Good fortune to Sol Invictus Mithras in the priesthood of Ulpius Secundus, Governor. The following contributed to the building of the sacred cave and displayed their piety." And again, in another inscription with both Greek and Latin from the first century: "In Latin: To Sol Invictus Mithras, donated by Titus Flavius Hennaeus Fanus, Freedman of the Emperor. And then in Greek: To Helios Mithras, Titus Flavius Hennaeus through Lucius Rufus, his father." Once again, Sol Invictus Mithras, all in one name. Also, in the Greek, instead of Invictus, we see Adamas. "Two Zeus Helios Megas Adamas Mithras, and the deities dwelling with him were given two bronze lamps, each with six wicks. I cast his father and cast his son, Holy Raven, and dedicated with the following attendant: Lucius Curtius Sporus and Pacus Lassus Potter Modestus." That same word, Adamas, both Plato and Hesiod use this word to describe the elements that the Demiurge uses to create life with. It is also the word that Hesiod uses to describe the sickle of Kronos/Saturn, which he uses to castrate his father Uranus. And the same Adamas sickle is used by Perseus to slay Medusa. Both the virgin-born Perseus and Saturn are heavily tied to Mithras, Sol Invictus in the Mithraic Roman religion.

Saturn, according to Ovid in his Metamorphoses, is the demiurge who created and separates the cosmos. Saturn, who takes the kingdom of Heaven from Uranus, is the sky king, while Ops is the earth mother. So the winter solstice and the sky god Sol Invictus is by default linked. Even though Saturn is deposed by Jupiter and cast down to the underworld, in Latin mythology, the entrance to the underworld is at Latium in Italy, and this can be accessed only during the week of the winter solstice, known as Brumalia, or in the case of the Roman world, this is when Saturnalia takes place. During the rest of the year, Saturn rules Aetium in Hades and is thus called Dis Pater, or Father Infernal. This god can be best described as a Bacchic Saturnian Hades, similar to the Germanic Odin.

But you can't separate Saturnalia from the winter solstice, nor the new year. They are all connected. Janus, being two-faced, looking back and forward, and Saturn being celebrated just before the solstice during the darkest days of the year when the underworld and the overworld collide. Saturn, closely associated with Janus, is linked to transitional points such as beginnings and endings, including sunrise and sunset, and doorways. He is often depicted as a hooded god, typically shown with a cowl. In his festival, Saturnalia, it was customary to light wax tapers in Saturn's honor, a shift from previous rituals, and to carry small masks to the Chapel of Dis near Saturn's altar, replacing the earlier practice of offering human heads. This led to the tradition of distributing wax tapers during Saturnalia and selling little clay figures as propitiatory offerings to Saturn for one's family.

Saturn's close link to Dis Pater is evident with rituals of human sacrifice shared between them. Both deities sharing a sacred space. The altar of Dis was part of the same temple that also served as the Roman state treasury. This association possibly led to the blending of Dis and Saturn into a single entity in some beliefs, and the name Dis Pater could be interpreted as referring to both.

Brumalia was dedicated to Bacchus and Proserpina, and they practiced planting seeds in the dirt with dung on this very day, according to Pliny the Elder. John of Lydus tells us that farmers would sacrifice pigs to Ceres and grain growers would sacrifice goats in honor of Bacchus, for the goat is an enemy of the vine. An attendant would bring offerings of first fruits to the priest of Proserpina. Proserpina is the virgin called Kore, who gives birth to Iacchus in Egyptian mythology. Dis Pater and Proserpina are king and queen of the underworld, the most honored during this week when the underworld and the Earth were thought to be in overlap of each other. The festival prohibited battle for several reasons. Saturn's reign was seen as peaceful, devoid of war, because it coincided with the opening of the underworld, and thus was a sacred time dedicated to Father Dis. Proserpina, who was deemed inauspicious to wage war when the jaws of Pluto were opened, symbolizing an open door to the grim infernal deities of the underworld. The Saturnalia's focus on the worship of these infernal gods, spirits, suggests it may have been seen as a time when the underworld's portals were open, a concept paralleled in Gallic tradition of Samhain, who also practiced similar rites of gift-giving and wearing masks. The notion that Saturn was the father of the Latin people is an original Roman idea, later overshadowed.

By Greek influence, stories about anas even in Tales of anas Saturn is acknowledged as the ancestral God, voluntarily revered by the Latin. This idea mirrors Julius Caesar's account of the Kelts, who claim descent from a deity and marked time by nights, not days, hinting at a similar belief in Saturn as an ancestor.

Other Italic peoples believed Mars fathered Picos, making Mars their ancestral deity. Macrobius mentions an annual ritual for a departed soul, followed by a day dedicated to Jupiter, believed to give and receive souls after death. This festival, dated December 23rd, concludes the Saturnalia with offerings to the dead, continuing the theme of Saturn's connection with the deceased.

Gladiatorial games, believed by some to be blood sacrifices to the god, were traditionally held during Saturnalia and at large funerals, similar to the funeral games in Greek epics and Gallic traditions involving martial contests. If Saturn is considered an ancestral figure, he would reside with the dead in the afterlife in Aethelum, making rituals for him associated with the dead and their gods and spirits.

Saturnalia encompasses these features. In its timing, at the sun's lowest point, it suggests an underworld link. Caesar mentions the Celtic deities in relation to the night sky, seen as the underworld, and the focus on the North Star, aligned with this idea. In Macrobius's Saturnalia, Saturn is revered above all other gods, reflecting the festival's popularity and scale. Again, to the Gallic Sanine, which also is a New Year's festival, too, makes you wonder if they bore the same rites but applied them to their own New Year festival. I mean, Saturnalia, some people will say, is not the New Year's festival, but it's the pre-winter solstice New Year's festival, while the Kalends of Janus is the post-winter solstice. They're both New Year's festivals in their own way.

As I'm trying to describe in this video, you cannot separate Saturnalia from the winter solstice, from Brumalia, or from the Kalends of Janus, the double-sided face. They are all connected in this magical time of December. Its alignment with the winter solstice and potential ancient connections with similar European festivals, such as Yule, further emphasize its significance and widespread cultural impact.

Brumalia, December 25th, is the beginning of the new sun and the end of the old one. I.D.F.Y. Saturn was chiefly honored during the Saturnalia festival, celebrated during this time, the week before the Brumalia, from at least the fifth century BCE, but some sources suggest that it is as old as Rome itself, predating even the Etruscans and the Villanovan culture. This festival, which spans several days, the sources highlighted how people looked forward to gift-giving and the temporary freedoms granted to the slaves, the wearing of less formal attire instead of togas, and widespread revelry, making it the most joyous Roman celebration by far. Its vivacity led the poet Catullus to call it the best of times.

Over time, Saturnalia evolved into the Brumalia festival, as I've been saying, originally venerated for Bacchus, just like the Lesser Bacchanalia is in Greece, and Ceres and Apollo as well, but which later blended with the veneration of Mithras and Sol Invictus, especially after Augustine priest syncretized Apollo with Sol, and then even more so after the second and third centuries when the Severan Dynasty, Elagabalus, established Eastern customs into the Roman religion, and Sol became the head of the pantheon.

This time of year was eventually replaced by Christmas, which survives until the fall of the Roman Empire of the East, and its features and the shift of its observance to later in December and later centuries have vast influence on the customs of Christmas. This is the part that everyone misses. They think, "Oh, December, Saturnalia ends on the 23rd, then therefore, how could it have any influence over Christmas?" That is false. Saturnalia rites blend in with Brumalia, which is a winter solstice festival, which continues all the way into the 11th century in the Eastern Roman Empire.

Every year, someone from the plebeian class, usually a slave, would be chosen by lot to be the king of Saturnalia and would thus reverse the roles of the classes for the time, giving a slave a chance to live like a king and for the masters a time to serve their slave. Brumalia, however, was an extension to this magical time period and the midpoint between Saturnalia and the New Year's Kalends of Janus. The remnants of Saturn's Temple, we know this because we know that New Year celebrations across Europe had these same Saturnalia-like rites being practiced, as if the week was just shifted to the end of the month.

The remnants of Saturn's Temple sit atop a base of travertine blocks and are constructed from materials repurposed from older temples. The structure features Ionic columns, with eight still standing on the northern side. These columns are crafted from Egyptian granite, with pink granite from Aswan for the side columns and gray granite from Mons Claudianus for those on the facade, highlighting their varied origins. Three columns are single pieces, while others are made from two fitted sections. The Ionic capital, the only parts explicitly made for the temple, are carved from Thasian marble in a typical late antique style. The architrave, adorned with an Ionic frieze of acanthus leaves and palmettes, originated from the site's previous temple, built by Julius Caesar's general, Lucius Mutius Scaevola, in 43 BCE, using spoils from the Syrian campaigns. This temple, in many ways, was the symbol of Rome's dominance over the Mediterranean world, with the addition of the Syrian columns marking its now dominance over the Mesopotamian world, too.

Saturn continued to remain mysterious, secretive, and highly venerated, even in later times when the Mithraic religion of Sol Invictus dominated the Roman Imperial cult. The highest grade of initiation, the Pater, was symbolized by Mithras's cat and Saturn's sickle. These are the seven grades of initiation: one, Mercury (Raven) with the cap and the caduceus of Mercury; two, Venus (Male Bride) with a lamp and diadem of Venus; three, Mars (Soldier) kit bag with lance and helmet of Mars; four, Jupiter (Lion) with sacred cestrum and Thunderbolt of Jupiter; five, Moon (Persian) sickle with the crescent moon; six, Sun with torch, whip, and halo of the sun; seven, Saturn (Father) staff and bow and Mithras's Phrygian cap and Saturn's scythe. Hail to the Sunrunners under the protection of Sol! Hail to the Persians under the protection of Luna! Hail to the Lions under the protection of Jupiter! Hail to the fierce Soldiers under the protection of Mars! Hail to the Male Brides under the protection of Venus! It is suggested that the highest rank of Saturn, the Pater rank, is not mentioned in this inscription due to its secrecy. The final and most exclusive level of attainment was the bond between Saturn and Mithras, the most secretive and most prominent level of initiation. It was known that the last high priest or hierophant of the Eleusinian Mysteries was himself a Pater-level initiate of the Mithraic Mysteries.

Statue of Mithraic Kronos, also called Aion or Chronos Arara. Aion is the same name given to the god who was born of a virgin on the winter solstice, December 25th, who was worshipped in Egypt, according to Epiphanius. This statue was found at Lanuvium in Italy: a lion, phallic-like statue entwined six times by a serpent, the head of which rests at the skull of the god. Four wings, similar to the L of the Phoenicians, decorated the symbols of the seasons, denoting the solstices and equinoxes. Each hand holds a key, and in his right hand, a scepter, the symbol of authority in ancient Persia, and a thunderbolt engraved on his breast. On the base of the statue may be seen the hammer and tongs of Vulcan, denoting the craftsman or demiurgic power of Saturn, the thyrsus and pine cone consecrated to Hades, Bacchus, or Dionysus, as well as Sol Invictus, and the wand of Mercury, all characteristics of Mithraic Saturn, who is the embodiment of the power of all the gods. The Aion Saturn, in similar fashion, found at Rome. The Mithraic Saturn stands on top of the world, as well as the image of Mithraic Saturn found in Florence, in that same location in Rome as the former. Another bas-relief of white marble shows a Mithraic Saturn clothed in white trousers, the arms extended, and in each hand holds a torch, the image of Lucifer, the light-bearer. Once again, the four wings, as seen usually with Saturn or Phoenician L, and coiled by two serpents. He stands by a circular altar of burning hearth fire, and his breath extends the fire of the altar.

The Mithraic Temple at Lanuvium was designed with an inner sanctum, like a holy of holies, which held the images of Saturn, Mithras, and Silvanus. Silvanus, as we see in this image, a god of rustic nature, somewhat of a cross between Dionysus and Pan, who looks strikingly Christ-like here. The mosaic stood in a vestibule near the baptism room, where sacred baths were carried out, and this temple was also conjoined to a sanctuary of the Great Mother Magna Mater. It was constructed in 162 during the reign of Antoninus Pius. The iconography found all over the Mithraea show Kronos or Saturn, who is equated by the Persians as Zurvan and Zoroastrian thought, the father of time, who is above even Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu. And the Mithraic Kronos holds the keys to the upper and lower worlds and has the serpent of wisdom coiled around him as he stands with the Earth at his footstool.

You cannot separate Saturnalia from the winter solstice. We, the Praelia or Dies Natalis Solis Invicti festival, would not make a difference. This month of December was a magical time, and it always has been. This was known to the Christians before they decided to calculate his birthday. In the year 274, Emperor Aurelian established the Dies Natalis Solis Invicti festival, translating to "the birthday of the unconquered sun" on December 25th, aligning with the winter solstice on the Roman Calendar. This annual celebration in Rome included an impressive 30 chariot races, according to Gary Foresight, a professor of ancient history. This festival was a delightful extension to the Saturnalia from December 17th to the 23rd, which was the most festive time in Rome since the days of the Republic, marked by revelry, feasting, and giving gifts.

Further, in 362, Emperor Julian mentioned in his hymn to King Helios that a Sol Invictus festival took place at the conclusion of the Saturnalia in late December. Most of the religious rites of the Mithraic religion were done in secrecy, and not much written down in texts survive outside of inscriptions in the Greek Magical Papyri. We do, however, have a few valuable sources from hostile witnesses, the Christian Church Fathers, who we can examine and take with a grain of salt to help us unpack the mystery of this religion. It is thought that the initiates into the mysteries of Mithras, blindfolded, headshaved, and taken naked inside a dark cave to go through a mock death and resurrection ritual. Moreover, what about the ludicrous performance that they experience blindfolded in the cave? They are blindfolded in case their eyes shut at being so disgustingly degraded. Some, like a bird, flap their wings, imitating the cry of a raven. Some roar like lions. Some have their hands bound by chicken gut and are cast over pits full of water, while some who call himself the Liberator comes up with the sword and breaks his gut. Pseudo-Augustine sources like these remind me of the close proximity the Roman Mithras cult is to the Orphic mystery religions of Bacchus: secret initiation and displays of divine mania. The initiation takes place in a cave, a veritable camp of darkness. A garland or crown is offered to the novice on a sword, a kind of mockery of martyrdom. It is then fitted on his head, but he is instructed to put his hand in the way and cast it from his head, transferring it, if possible, to his shoulder, saying that Mithras is his garland, and from then on, he never wears a garland, and this is the mark of his initiation whenever he is put to the test at the oath-taking and is immediately recognized as a soldier of Mithras if he cast aside the garland. If he says that the garland lies in his God.

Underneath the Church of Santa Prisca in Rome is an ancient Mithraeum with astrological inscriptions, and a hole in the wall allows sunlight to reach the place where Mithras's dwelling is, above the underworld. Where we can see the face of the Gnostic god Karapus, also equated with the god of the underworld. A Mithraic cameo showing the miracle birth of Mithras from a rock between the Dioscuri, surrounded by secret Mithraic symbols, among them the cup and bread of the Eucharist. As Plutarch states, "The great majority and the wisest of men hold this opinion: they believe that there are two gods, rivals as it were, the one the artifice of good, and the other of evil. There are also those who call the better one a God and the other a Demon." Zoras, or the Magus, who they record lived 5,000 years before the time of the Trojan War, he called the one Ahura Mazda and the other Ariman, and he further declared that among all these things perceptible to the senses, Ahura Mazda may best be compared to light, and Ariman conversely to darkness. And midway between the two is Mithras. For this region, the Persians give to Mithras the name of mediator. Zoroaster he has also taught men the rites of the Eucharist for Ahura Mazda and averting mourning offerings to Ariman. They pound up in a mortar a certain plant called haoma, at the same time invoking Hades and darkness, then they mix it with the blood of a wolf that has been sacrificed and carry it out and cast it into the place where the sun never shines.

The birth of Mithras is one that has wide-ranging views and debates. We don't really know much about it other than what the iconography says and what we know about the Persians celebrating Yalda, the night on the winter solstice, which could very well point to Mithras having been born at this time. But it's also a very nuanced concept to say that Mithras and Sol are one. There is a claim that three PhDs in the field hold Iranian mythology: scholar Mary Boyce, PhD, author of "The Mystery of Mithras"; Pam Navar, PhD; and Dr. Karen R. R. of UC Berkeley, who all concur that there is an Aramaic inscription from around 200 BCE that states Anahita, the immaculate virgin mother of the Lord Mithras. I was not able to find an image of this inscription, but I don't think they're lying either. Other than that, we do have quite a few images of Mithras being born from a rock. A bas-relief found in the crypt of St. Clement's at Rome, under a rock, dagger in one hand, torch in the other. Then there is the bas-relief of Mithras born of a rock, holding grapes, which replaces the Persian haoma drink, found in a villa in Italy. In this image, a naked Mithras emerges from the cosmic egg, surrounded by the zodiac, always carrying a torch and a dagger. Petroglynia, House heads, Northern Italy, near France. But even if we just aligned Mithras with Sol and went with what Macrobius says in Saturnalia, that too is much more nuanced. However, regardless of the time of his birth, I think the winter solstice would still be important to Mithras, just for the simple fact that this god is zodiacal and solar.

In this depiction here, we can put together scenes from the life of Mithras. Mithras is with Sol; he is crowning Sol with a radiant halo, then ascending in a solar chariot to heaven and smiting the rock from which the waters of life flowed. Here we have Mithras and Sol lounging together and enjoying a feast. And some depictions of Mithras show him carrying the bull, like Christ carries his cross. Mithras's painful journey was a symbol of human sufferings, like Christ, after all, he was a savior.

Now that we've demonstrated how important this time period was to the Romans, not only the winter solstice of December 25th, but just this time of the year in general, December, as a time of merrymaking, gift-giving, revelry, decorating the halls with greenery, and hanging wreaths. You have probably heard millions of times, especially around this time of the year, that December 25th, which was the winter solstice during the Roman Empire when the Julian calendar was in use, was chosen as the birthday of Christ in an attempt to steal the birthday of Mithras or Sol Invictus or Horus or something to that effect. And you probably also heard, equally as annoying, from either Christian apologists or some smug academics or wannabe intellectuals, that this is in fact a lie, that the oldest mention of Christ's birthday on December 25th actually predates Sol Invictus's birthday. Now, depending on who told you this, you were probably misled because the academic papers that they claim to cite don't actually say this. They only say that the feast dates of Sol Invictus issued by Aurelian in 276, in fact, after Christians calculated Jesus's birthday in 236, citing Hippolytus as the earliest to calculate these dates. But what they don't talk about is who cares about a feast date. Sol Invictus and the winter solstice were already thriving long, long before Hippolytus was even alive.

Let me circle back to that after I explain the calculation theory by Hippolytus. Hippolytus's Chronicon. Hippolytus places the Passion of Christ on Friday, March 25th, which, according to Hippolytus's calculations, occurred in 29 CE. Then a second note on the same table states that the Genesis of Christ occurred on April 2nd of 2 BCE. For some reason, nobody brings that blaring contradiction up, although they are in fact in the academic paper written by Naft, which all these Christians like to cite without ever mentioning that those are the facts. Also a fact is the rise of the sun god in Roman religion from the Severan Dynasty, long before Hippolytus wrote this, and in 220 AD, Elagabalus decreed Sol Invictus Solis, Elagabalus as the head of the Roman Pantheon. This is before Hippolytus wrote the Chronicon in 336, which is the other text that is needed to make the argument for the calculation theory. Chronicon. Another text written in 336 by Hippolytus says the following: "From Adam until the transmigration into Babylon under Jeconiah, 57 generations, 484 years, 9 months. And after the transmigration into Babylon until the generation of Christ, there were 14 generations, 660 years. And from the generation of Christ until the passion, there were 30 years. And from the passion up until this year, which is the year 13 of the Emperor Alexander, there are 206 years. Therefore, all the years from Adam up until year 13 of the Emperor Alexander makes 5,738 years." Hippolytus' Chronicon.

So what just happened here? Well, it is argued through speculation that the 9 months was added to signify a gestation period, which makes Jesus born 9 months after the world was created, in which we need to jump to another text called the Pascha Computus of 243 to see that Christians in that time believe the world was created at the Spring Equinox. And therefore, Jesus, using speculation about what Hippolytus may have thought, and also ignoring the text from Hippolytus himself that says he was conceived on April 2nd, and then only then we get an earlier date for December 25th, Jesus's birthday. And this is what annoys me so much about this helpful topic. It is perfectly fine to do all these calculations and wild speculations about a theory that moves the Christian December 25th birthday of Jesus back a few measly months, and Christians celebrate this as a victory over Aurelian's later feast date, while ignoring how the Solstices and Equinoxes never had feast days to begin with, but were nevertheless always listed on pagan calendars and noted by the ancients as long as records show. For some weird reason, any speculation about the winter solstice being an important date to a literal sun cult venerating a literal solstice is somehow going too far and needs more evidence, like some sort of conspiracy. But placing all these 9-month calculation games and speculating on what Hippolytus thought is completely fine.

We know Christians repurposed pagan temples, old Mithraea, and built churches over old pagan sites, and we know that Christians went even as far as making up stories about Demeter telling her priests to worship Jesus, the story of St. Demetrius, so they can co-opt what was left of the Eleusinian Mysteries. And get this: in a letter from the year 395, the early Christian Church Father Jerome says, "Bethlehem, which is now under our control, was once eclipsed by a Tammuz Grove, also known as Adonis. It was in this very cave where Christ as an infant once wept that the mournful rites for Venus's consort were conducted." This particular cave was apparently transformed into the location of the Church of the Nativity. The point of trying to make is, we know that the early church was notorious for repurposing ancient pagan sites, festivals, and ideas into Christian ones. I am in no way saying that Christians are secret pagans; I'm not saying that. I'm only pointing out the painfully obvious fact that the early church did what it had to do in order to transfer over cultural norms in the smoothest way possible. That December 25th was another example of the church purifying a popular tradition so they can co-opt it, like they did elsewhere. And as far as Saturnalia traditions go, the dates 17th to the 23rd are beside the point. The rituals during the month of December leading into the Kalends of January, which is also a time of festivities, is clear to me that these traditions held on within the lower classes in the empire and beyond. To me, that is just common sense, and I credit the church for keeping that time of the year a special time.

The earliest sources suggest with overwhelming evidence that this date was altered from January 6th, with the conception taking place in early April, either the 2nd or the 6th, and then was altered or shifted to December 25th and April 25th to align with the solstice and equinox. Bishop Epiphanius of Salamis writes that on April 6th, "the Lamb was shut up in the spotless womb of the Holy Virgin, He who took away and takes away in perpetual sacrifice the sins of the world." Even today, the Armenian Church celebrates the Annunciation in early April and Christmas on January 6th. The oldest mention of Christ's birthday being celebrated at all comes from Clement of Alexandria around 200. Clement of Alexandria wrote, "But all the followers of Basil celebrate the Epiphany, the day of his baptism too, spending the previous night in readings, and they say that it was on the 15th of the month of Tybi of the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar, and some say that it was observed the 11th of the same month." The Egyptian dates given correspond to January 6th and 10th. Basilides was an Gnostic from Alexandria, and he was in close proximity with the Carpocratians and the Simoniacs. And it was here in Alexandria that January 6th was the date that Christ's birthday was celebrated late into the 5th century. This would continue, eventually following suit with the December 25th change that was taking over in the church. The word Epiphany is used in reference to Christ's birth and the visit from the Magi, both being at the same time. To me, this is clear that the motivation behind the shift was to make Christ's birth into cosmic harmony with the solstice and possibly to counter Sol Invictus, who was Christ's main rival at the time period. Both the calculation theory and the more older theories about Sol Invictus have much overlap and can easily coexist as both being true. I still don't know why many can't see this obvious truth.

It is not until the Chronography of 354 that we get a clear reference to Jesus' birthday on December 25th, long after Aurelian and what would seem like light years away from the rise of Sol during the 2nd century. "Christus in Bethlehem, Judea, December 25th, Christ is born in Bethlehem." Chronography of 354. The Church Father Ambrose, around 390, for example, described Christ as the true son who outshone the fallen gods of the old order. Syllac, biblical commentator, Dionysius Bar Salibi states that in ancient times, the Christmas holiday was actually shifted from January 6th to December 25th, just as I demonstrated, so that it fell on the same date as the pagan Sol Invictus holiday. Puritans in later times would reject Christmas as Roman paganism and made laws that outlawed any festival during this month and kept businesses running in opposition to the spirit of the Roman Saturnalia and New Year's Festival of Janus. This level of nuance that opinions about this date suggests that this was clearly a late idea that was clearly known to be related to December festivities and the solstice. I don't know how clearer it can get, to be honest.

In fact, remember the ritual that I mentioned earlier about the slave who would pretend to be a king or a leader of the household for the day, known as the King of Saturnalia? In 400 AD, Aerius of Antioch, a Christian bishop and historian, complained about Christians practicing the mock king ritual and gift-giving, and also other Saturnalia rituals that Christians were adopting in his time. But it goes beyond his era. In the fifth century Roman Empire, that just recently was converted from a pagan empire to a Christian one, would it shock you to know that Christians in Germany, Scandinavia, and England, known as the Lord of Misrule, or Abbot of Unreason in Scotland, and in France, the Prince des Sots, a medieval practice of a civilian appointed by lot during Christmastide to preside over the Feast of Fools? The Lord of Misrule was generally a peasant chosen to be in charge of Christmas revelries, which often included drunkenness, wild partying, and the barons and yules were to play long as if they were the peasants for the day. This is in no doubt influenced by Saturnalia's King of Saturnalia. In fact, when the Christian apologists wave this off as just general merrymaking or just not enough evidence to prove this was influenced from Saturnalia, I have to wonder with amazement if they actually believe themselves. It's one thing to argue that merrymaking during a festival is just a general way to celebrate any festival, but here we are with something so specific as making a peasant into a king and the reversing of roles. Not only is this exactly the same as the King of Saturnalia, but it's during the same time of the year, celebrated by people living in the same part of the world, people who also have statues of the Roman emperors like Caesar still standing as heroes to the European folk, who use the same Latin alphabets as the pagan Romans did, travel on the same roads built by Romans, live in the same cities, who even as Christians, they still paint the old gods like Saturn and Venus and Mars, painted so beautifully by the Renaissance painters. Do you think these people just forgot about their cultural roots? To deny the cultural exchanges and inspirations is to just deny the cultural milieu of the Western world itself and to show a lack of any knowledge on this subject.

This is not only a Saturnalia and Kalends of Janus rite, but it also is practiced by Europeans in the Middle Ages for the months of December, along with the mock king ritual. And yet, to prove this even more, we can examine the pagans of Ireland practicing similar New Year celebrations, which were practiced in the days of ancient Rome during the Kalends of January, but for the eve of the Samhain festival, which is the New Year celebration for the ancient Celts, passed down to the Irish and then makes its way into the New World in Halloween in America. The ritual of having children go from house to house and trade gifts. This festival teaches even little children artless and simple to be greedy and accustoms them to go from house to house and offer novel gifts, fruits covered with silver tinsel. For these, they receive in return gifts double their value, and thus the tender minds of the young begin to be impressed with that which is commercial and sordid. Aerius, just for context, all Hallows' Eve or All Saints' Day was originally celebrated in the month of April, all the way up into the late 8th century, and then Samhain, which was still the New Year celebration for the existing pagans of Ireland at this time. And after the Franks were established as the new Holy Roman Empire by Charlemagne, being anointed by the Pope, Alcuin of Northumbria, a member of Charlemagne's court, introduced November 1st as the new date for All Saints' Day in the Frankish Empire. In 835, it became the official date in the Frankish Empire. Another clear example of the church co-opting existing pagan culture and purifying pagan rites.

To further demonstrate this, in a text known as the Song of Roland, we have a letter from Charlemagne to pagan Celts living in Spain and France, telling them to convert to Christianity or be wiped off the earth. They were given no choice. The bar that wrote this text brags and boasts about how the pagans were completely genocided and wiped off the planet. "Frank shall be slain and France a base be to Charles the old, when with his great blossoming beard all France we shall have seized till we can lie in the burg of St. Denis." The pagan king has bowed his head deep down. Then, in a later text known as the Ailill na nÓr, Tales of the Elders of Ireland, St. Patrick is depicted with Druids performing miracles on Samhain, and in this text, St. Patrick is not bothered by the Druids practicing their rites and celebrating their holiday, and thus illustrating the co-opting of All Saints' Day with Samhain and druidic culture. And this is perfectly in step with Paul's philosophy, allowing Christians to eat meat sacrificed to idols, as Paul states about eating food sacrificed to idols: "We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth—and indeed there are many gods and many lords—yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live." (1 Corinthians 8). And then Paul says to the Jews, "I became like a Jew to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law—though I myself am not under the law—so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law—though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law—so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all means possible I might save some." (1 Corinthians 9).

In the year 604 of the Common Era, Pope Gregory I sent a letter to the bishop of London, Abbot Mellitus. This is what he said: "After long deliberation about the English people, pagan temples of that race should by no means be destroyed, but only the idols in them. To consecrate these places, take holy water and sprinkle it in these shrines, build altars and place relics in them. For if the shrines are well built, it is essential that they should be changed from the worship of devils to the service of the true God. So, on the day of dedication or the festivals of the Holy Martyrs whose relics are deposited there, let the pagans make themselves huts from the branches of trees around the churches which have been converted out of shrines, and let them celebrate in their own solemnity with religious feasts the rites they once performed to the devil. Let them perform to the true God, for there is no doubt that it is impossible to cut off everything at once from their rude natures because he who endeavors to ascend to the highest place rises by degrees or steps and not by leaps." In my opinion, this strategy of co-opting pagan rites and Christianizing them and purifying them is ripped straight from the playbook of Paul himself, who says, "I am a Jew to the Jews, so I may win over the Jews. And I am a Gentile to the Gentile, so I may win over the Gentiles. I'm under the law to those who are under the law, so I can win over those under the law. And then I'm not under the law for those who are not under the law, so I can win over those not under the law." This was the blueprint laid out by Paul that allowed Christianity to co-opt and purify the pagan world in which they came out of.

Christian theology did not develop overnight from Paul's Epistles to the writing of the Gospels and then all the way down to the Nicene Creed. Christian theology was not something that was agreed upon. Christian theology was an evolution of ideas, and some of these ideas, such as the Trinity, salvation, heaven and hell, and the nature of Christ, are ideas that were not decided upon overnight. These things developed over time. The region of the Roman Empire known as Bithynia and Phrygia and Thrace, Northern Macedonia, Pergamon, where the seven churches of Asia in the Book of Revelation are, these are the main hotspots for Christian theology. These are where the Church Fathers lived and debated. These are Greek-speaking people, and I want to talk about where they came from. Why is it that Christianity has very different ideas than Judaism does? Could it be that the Greek world has just as much influence on Christianity as the Jewish world does?

So what was happening in this part of the world before Christianity? The popular religions of this region was Orphism and the religion of the Great Mother and Attis. The popular philosophy at the time, Middle Platonism, which is a combination of Stoicism and Platonism with some influences of the Peripatetics. Our sources for Phrygia are from Strabo, who wrote in the first century with a wealth of knowledge and information. He talks about the rites of the Phrygians coming from the ancient Minoans, ancient Crete. Let's take a look at what Strabo has to say about Phrygia.

"The Corybantes are called divinities or the attendants of the Gods by those handing down Creon and Phrygian matters, which are interwoven with certain sacred rites, some of which are mystical and some otherwise, about the rearing of the child Zeus on Crete and the celebration of the secret rites of the Mother of the Gods in Phrygia and the region of the Trojan Ida. The variation in these accounts is such that some show the Chans to be the same as the Corybantes or the Cabiri and the Idean Dactyls. The hand of Sabazios speaking in general, for the most part, they are all inspired and Bacchic with martial dances, uproar, noise, symbols, drums, and arms, as well as the flute and cries causing fear to their sacred rites in the manner of religious servants. These rites are considered to have something in common: those of the Samothracians, which is a mystery religion in the first century, and a number of other places, because the divine servants are said to be the same. But any such topic of investigation is theological and not alien to the speculation of the philosophers."

Plato in his Phaedo 61 and the Pythagoreans called philosophy music, and they say that the cosmos is constructed according to harmony, assuming that every form of music is the work of the Gods. Thus, the Muses are goddesses, Apollo is the leader of the Muses, and everything poetic is properly praised. Similarly, they attribute to music the building of character, as everything that proves the mind is near to the Gods. Most of the Hellenes attribute to Dionysus, Apollo, Hecate, the Muses, and by Zeus, to Demeter, everything pertaining to secret rites, Bacchic or choral, as well as mystic initiations. They call both Dionysus and the divine leader of the mysteries of Demeter, Iacchus. The carrying of branches, choral dances, and initiations are common with these Gods. The Muses are set over the choruses, and Apollo over both these divination, but all educated people, especially musicians, are servants of the Muses, and these, as well as those connected with divination, belong to Apollo. The initiated torchbearers and hierophants belong to Demeter. The Satyrs, Bacchae, as well as those called Lenai, Thyiades, Nymphs, and Nyssae belong to Dionysus. These ceremonies, especially those sacred to Zeus, were performed on the island of Crete with secret rites, such as servants as those who are around Dionysus, the Satyrs. These were called Corybantes, young men who exhibited martial movements along with dancing, presenting the myth of the origin of Zeus, introducing Kronos as being accustomed to swallow his children immediately after birth. Rhea attempting to keep her labor pains secret for this, she took the Corybantes as helpers with drums and other such sounds, and the noisy martial dance protected the goddess and would create panic in Kronos, secretly stealing the child away so that he would be given over to them to be carefully raised. Thus, the Corybantes, because they were young men doing this service or because they raised the young Zeus, it is said both ways were believed worthy of this name.

"Such are the Hellenes in regard to secret rites. The tribe of the Phrygians and the Trojans living around Ida honored Rhea and worshiped her in secret rites, calling her the Mother of the Gods, the Phrygian and Great Goddess, as well as the Idæan Mother, naming after the mountain. And on Crete, the Hellenes call her servants by the same name, Corybantes, but not for the same mythical tale, but another, as if there were certain assistants to the Satyrs, called them Corybantes. The poets are evidence for these conjectures. Pindar, in his death ode that begins "Forly there walked the song of the death ode, moving straight ahead," records the hymns about Dionysus, both the ancient and latter ones, and passing on from these, he says, "The August and great Mother, the whirling of the symbols begins among the loud exaltation of the rattles and the torch kindled in the yellow pines." He shows the customs of the Hellenes around Dionysus and those of the Mother of the Gods among the Phrygians, related to each other. Idyll does the same thing in his Bacchae, bringing the Lydian together with the Phrygian because of their resemblance. But those who left Tmolus, the fortress of Lydia, my revelers, women raise up their symbols, native to the Phrygian city, inventions of myself and the Mother of the Gods. Oh, blessed is he who is fortunate and lives a pure life, preserving the rites of the Great Mother Cybele and brandishing the thyrsus wreath with ivy. He who serves Dionysus becomes the Bacchante. Bring down Bromos, the son of a God, the God Dionysus, from the mountains of Phrygia to the wide streets of Hos."

Again, in the following, he weaves in Cretan matters: "Oh, inner room of the Corybantes, sacred interior of Crete, giving birth to Zeus in the cave where the three helmeted Corybantes invented for me the drum stretched with hide and mixed in intense Bacchic frenzy with the sweet-sounding breath of the Phrygian flutes placed in the hands of Mother Rhea, make the noisy Bacchic shout, maddened Satyrs obtained from the Mother Rhea and added them the third-year dances that praised Dionysus." Idyll in Palamedes, the chorus says of the hair of Dionysus, who rejoices on Ida with his dear Mother, with the Iacchos drums, they bring together into one Selenus, Marcius, and Olympus as the historical inventors of flutes, again associating the Dionysian and Phrygian matters. Often they confuse Ida with Olympus, making them resound as the same mountain. There are four peaks of Ida called Olympus near Entria, and there is the Mysian Olympus that borders Ida, but it is not the same. At any rate, they invented suitable names for the flute and for the noise of the rattles, symbols, and drums, and for the shouting, the bucket cries, and the foot stomping, as well as the servants, Corybantes, psalmist, and the attendance of the sacred rites, the Cabiri, Corybantes, Pans, Satyrs, calling the God Bacchus and calling Rhea Cybele. Sabazios is also Phrygian in a way, the child of the Mother, as he too transmitted Dionysiac matters. Similar to these rituals are those among the Thracians, among whom the Orphic ritual began. The Athenians, just as they continue to be hospitable to other foreign ways, are so in regard to the Gods. They admitted so many foreign rituals, especially Thracian and Phrygian, that they were ridiculed for it. Plato records the Bendidean and Demosthenes on the Crown, the Phrygian, when he attacks the mother of Aeneas and the man himself for being with his mother during her initiations, joining her in leading the rebels and often calling out "Eua! Eua! Sab! Sab!" and "Attis! Attis!" which belong to the Sabazia and the Mother, always adding myth to their accounts. It is not easy to solve accurately all the enigmas, but if their greater numbers of myths are near to divine inspiration, rituals, and prophecy, in such a way also is enthusiasm for the arts, especially the Dionysia and Orphic rites. So the native religion of what became Christendom, the origins of Christian Roman Christian Eastern Roman Empire, was this Phrygian religion surrounded around the Great Mother of the Gods, but also this character named Sabazios, whose name some people think might have a connection with Sabbath or the Sabbath.

The Byzantine Greek encyclopedia from the 10th century states that Sabazios is the same as Dionysus. He acquired this form of address from the rite pertaining to him, for the barbarians called the Bacchic cry "Sabatan," hence some of the Greeks too follow suit and cry "Sabazios." Thereby, Dionysus becomes his father, Sabazios. They also used to call "Saboy" those places that had been dedicated to him as Bacchantes, Dionysians, Athenian orator in his speech on behalf of Typhon mentions them. Some say that this "Saboy" is the term for those who are dedicated to Sabazios, that is, to Dionysus, just as those dedicated to Bacchus or Bacchic. They say that Dionysus and Sabazios are the same. Thus, some also say that the Greeks called Bacchus "Saboy."

In 139 BCE, Romans kicked out the Jews from the city, and according to Valerius Maximus, they wrote that Nas Hispalis, the praetor in the year of the consulate of Marcus Popilius Laenas, ordered that the astrologers by an edict leave Rome and Italy within 10 days, since by a fallacious interpretation of the stars they protrude fickle and silly minds, thereby making profit out of their lies. The same praetor compelled the Jews who attempted to affect the Roman custom with the cult of Jupiter Sabazios to return to their homes. Some of these Romans identified Yahweh Sabaoth, which is Yahweh Lord of the Host, as Jupiter Sabazios. This also is repeated by Plutarch, who maintained that the Jews actually worshipped Dionysus and that the Sabbath was the festival of Sabazios. Now, even if this isn't true, some of this might have influenced later Greek monotheists known as the Hypsistarians. These Hypsistarians inhabited the same lands as the Christians and worshippers of Orphics were, which was Anatolia and Thrace region, and they believed in a God Most High, Theos Hypsistos. And it turns out that this cult may have formed from the native Cappadocian cult of Zeus Sabazios with integration of Jewish ideals. However, these strict monotheists who also fraternized with the Jews and heavily borrowed from the Greek Septuagint also considered themselves free from the laws of Moses, something that lines up with the writings of Paul. Could it be that the people Paul is writing to in these letters are in fact worshippers of Theos Hypsistos, the God Most High?

Clement of Alexandria in his famous Protrepticus wrote that he had been informed that the secret mysteries of Sabazios, as practiced among the Romans, involved a serpent, a cathartic creature unconnected with the mountain god of Phrygia, Sabazios. And he says that "God in the bosom is a counter sign of the mysteries of Sabazios to the adepts. He said that this is a snake passed through the bosom of the initiates." Now, why is that so profound? Because the term "God in the bosom" from the Gospel of John in chapter 1, verse 18, it says that "No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known." This would turn out to be one of the most important verses in the Bible for Trinitarian theology. The Father is in the Son, and the Son is in the Father, in the same way that Dionysus or Zagreus is inside of Sabazios or Zeus. Sabazios is a god of dual nature, Father and Son rolled into one, connected through a mediator, which is the spirit that possesses the initiates in the frenzies. Sabazios to the Roman world, mediated in large part through Pergamon. The naturally syncretic approach of Greek religion blurs distinctions. Diodorus of Sicily conflated Sabazios with the secret second Dionysus that only initiates know about, not found in any text, who was born of Zeus and Persephone. The idea of a Trinity, usually a god of dual nature connected by a third spiritual nature that mediates in between them, we see this long before Christianity comes along. For example, Plato in his Timaeus says, "Anything created, then, is bound to be corporal, visible, and tangible. But fire is required for the creation of anything visible, and solidity for anything that is tangible, and earth for solidity. It follows that the god began to form the body of the universe out of fire and..."

Earth, but it's impossible for any two things to form from a proper structure without the presence of a third thing. There has to be some bond to mediate between the two of them and bring them together. The best bond is the one that most effectively unifies itself and the things it is joining, and nothing does this better than correspondence. For whenever, among three numbers, the matter, three solids, or three powers, one is a mean, such as the first in the series stands to be the mean, so the mean stands to the final number of the series, or conversely, as the final number stands to the mean, so the mean stands to the first, then the mean can also be treated as first or last. Or alternatively, the first and last terms can be treated as means, and so all of them will out of necessity turn out to be identical. And since they are identical, they are all three one.

The Greek Jewish writer, Philo, expands upon Platonism through the Jewish lens in his book titled *Who is the Divine Heir of All Things*. He says, "But there are three kinds of life: the first life, to God; the second, with respect to the creature; and the third is on the borders of both, being compounded of the two others." For since the soul is spoken of in two ways: first of all, as whole; secondly, as the dominant part of it, which, to speak properly, is the soul of the soul, just as the eye is both the whole orb and also the most important part of that orb, that namely by which we see. It seemed good to the lawgiver that the essence of the soul should be likewise twofold: blood being the essence of the entire soul, and the divine spirit being the essence of the dominant part of it. Accordingly, the soul of all flesh is the blood thereof. The Creator of the universe breathed into his face the breath of life, and man became a living soul, who also, it is recorded, was fashioned after the image of the Creator. So the race of mankind is also twofold: the one being the race and those who live by the divine spirit and reason is formed of the earth; but that other is an accurate copy of the divine image.

He then later on says, "The body, to fit it for its appropriate stationary conditions or motions, is invisible, spermatic, technical, and divine logos, which shall most properly be dedicated to the Father." A portion: cold and heat, and summer and spring, the different seasons of the year, divided by this dividing logos. For thus God allotted three days to eternity for the appearance of the sun; those which came after the sun, he allotted to time. The sun being the imitation of eternity, and time being the two primary powers of living God: the one his beneficent power, in accordance with which he made the world, and is called God; and the other the chastening power, according to which he rules and governs what he has created, in respect of which he further denominated Lord. And these two, he here states, are to be divided in the middle by him standing above them both. For he says, "I will speak to you from above the mercy seat, in the midst between the two cherubim," that he might show the most ancient powers of the living God are equal, that is, his beneficent and chastening power, being both divided by the same dividing logos.

So in Philo, we have this Platonic idea of the monad having a twofold nature with a spirit to mediate between the two. This, to me, is what later is adopted as Trinitarian theology.

Among Roman inscriptions from Nicopolis, Sasos is generally equated with Zeus and mentioned alongside Mercury. Mercury is called the angel and the messenger and the logos, which is also talked about in Philo's work as well. Which brings us to the next idea: is that if this really is a monotheistic tradition that evolved from from the ancient rites of polytheism, then what happens to all the other lesser gods? I think that it's quite possible that these lesser gods become angels and demons. As in, we know for sure that Mercury, Athena, Nike, as well as others like Diana, are titled as angelos, angels, messengers. And the other lesser deities sometimes called daemons. That term, daemon, which didn't necessarily mean evil deity, certainly became that way. As in Roman religion, there's the idea of lares, which are spirits of the mortals who passed away. But there's also what's called the genius, and these are equivalent to what is now guardian angels. In ancient Roman religion, manes de manibus are the chthonic deities, sometimes represent the deceased loved ones. Here we have a third-century Christian tombstone that stands "Dis Manibus," the spirits of the dead. So the same language is still being thrown around in these early Christian texts. Appuleius says indeed that the souls of men are daemons, and that men become lares if they are good, lemures or larvae if they are bad, and manes if it is uncertain whether they deserve well or ill. He also states that the blessed are called demones because they are good souls, that is to say, good daemons, conforming his opinion that the souls of men are daemons. Could it be that these are the origins of people who go to heaven, people who go to hell, and people who go to Purgatory? In fact, people who end up as lemur, the wicked ones, are belong to a category that was called daimon, and those who dwell below. These are the people who are going to the bad part of Hades, who have eternal damnation, if you will.

In Horace, a first-century BC writer, you can see these ideas are already reflected in their common thought, where in his own to Mercury, he says, "I call upon you, Mercury, you were the master who taught your pupil Aeneas to move stones by singing, and upon you, tortoise, so adept to make seven-string sound. Let lyre hear their crime and also of its famous punishment: the vat of water forever emptying through a leaking bottom." And the fate that awaits sinners in the underworld. So you have right there the imagery of a bottomless pit that is for sinners.

When Julius Caesar died, it was said that Venus came down from the heavens and brought his body up with her. The idea of the good rising upwards and the bad going down was part of Roman religion. During the Augustan age, Augustus on his death, the same thing happened. People said they saw Augustus rise up out of his grave and go up into the sky. And then, as well, for Claudius, a similar story occurs in which Claudius is seen flying up into the sky. Well, as a result of this, it became a common thing that people wanted to go up into heaven instead of going down into Hades, which was the common norm for everybody. By the time we get to the 3rd century, it's pretty much universal that heaven is up and hell is down. This becomes central to Christian theology, which these ideas are found nowhere in the Old Testament or in Judaism.

I also find it interesting that when Pliny the Younger is talking about the Christians in the 2nd century, he describes them as a group of people from Bithynia who are getting up at dawn every morning and singing hymns to Jesus. The singing hymns in Bithynia was the common practice of the religion of the Orphics and the Sabazian Mysteries. And in the earliest depictions of Jesus found in the catacombs, you can see he is depicted as Orpheus playing the lyre.

I'm going to leave you with one last idea, and this might be a stretch, but I think it's interesting to point out: when Jesus is on the cross, the last thing he says is "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani." Could it be that the author of this text was placed in a pun on Sabazios, Sabazios, a title for the underworld, infernal?

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Sabazios.

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You might have seen these posts on the internet: Horus born on December 25th, born of a virgin, star in the east, adorned by three kings, 12 disciples. Attis born of a virgin, December 25th, crucified, 3 days resurrected. Dying Isis born of a virgin, December 25th, performed miracles, King of Kings, Alpha and Omega. Krishna born of a virgin, star in the east, performed miracles, resurrected. Mithras born of a virgin, December 25th, 12 disciples, before miracles, dead for 3 days, resurrected. Tammuz, part of a trinity with the Queen of Heaven, Goddess Semiramis, and Nimrod, the Sun God.

Now, you know my channel loves to find parallels between religions and talk about them. I'll even throw out hypotheses and try to test the waters, but I'm telling you right now, this is all nonsense. As in, none of it is even remotely reflected in any primary sources [Music] whatsoever.

Starting off with the Tammuz Trinity with Semiramis and Nimrod, where does this even come from? There's not a single source anywhere that even mentions Tammuz being the son of Semiramis to begin with, and not a single source ever mentions her marrying Nimrod. So where does it come from? In the 19th century, a Christian minister, Alexander Hislop, basically made this entire story up, asserting that Semiramis was the queen consort and mother of Nimrod, and that after the death of Nimrod, she gave birth to his resurrection deity, Tammuz. Now, this has been already just ripped apart by scholars like Lester El Gravy and Ralph Woodrow. This just doesn't reflect any of the sources. Trust me when I say this, I look for it. Semiramis has well-sourced. She is written about from Diodorus of Sicily, Timaeus of Locri, Lucian, Plutarch, and Herodotus, as well as another handful of other ancient authors. Anything exists that can reflect anything that Christian Christianity brings to the table, it would be that she was protected by doves sent by the goddess when she was a baby, and the image of the dove became the image of her in the temple of Venus in Assyria, where there is a gold dove on top of the head of Semiramis, who points to the temple. You might be able to argue that this is some sort of Holy Spirit imagery, and that's as far as it goes. But as far as Tammuz being her son and their suban some sort of pagan trinity, it's just not real.

The next one we have is Horus. There is not a single source anywhere in any of the walls of Egypt, and any hieroglyphics, writings from the Greek authors that mention Horus like Diodorus does, ever say that he was born on December 25th, nor does it ever say that he's born of a virgin. He is the son of Isis and Osiris. There's no star in the East. He isn't adored by three kings, and he definitely doesn't have 12 disciples. However, in the case of Horus, you could argue that the image of his birth as the divine child could have been an inspiration for the Gospel of Luke in the image of the birth of Jesus. And Horus does avenge the father, just in the way that Jesus comes and does the will of the father. Those are parallels that are fair, and I think are legit. And this is why a lot of these memes really bother me, because they look so bad that if you even mention Horus and Jesus and try to compare them, people automatically assume that you're talking about this type of stuff, which is not the case.

In the case of Attis, once again, people say he's born of a virgin, 20th December 25th, crucified. Not true. None of that exists in any of the sources. However, with Attis, he does die and resurrect. And with his death and resurrection, he does bring initiation and salvation for those who follow in the rites. Attis is worshiped during the springtime in a holy festival of the Great Mother Cybele. The Holy Week for Attis and Cybele begins on March 15th, where wreaths and greenery and pine trees decorate the halls of the places of the temples. And then on March 25th, which is known as the Day of Blood, is when the Galli enter in a state of ecstatic worship. Those who have chosen to give their lives in service of the Goddess take a sharpened pot shard and cut off their testicles. They are put into a sacred box and placed in the cellar of Magna Mater's Temple. After this Day of Blood is followed by three days of worship, and ending as the Day of Washing on March 27th. You might be able to argue that the 3-day motif of death and resurrection might have some connection here.

I mentioned Tammuz right before this. In the myth of Tammuz and Ishtar, *The Descent of Ishtar*, Tammuz dies and is brought down to hell by demons. Ishtar ascends down into the underworld and saves him. And she descends down into the underworld for 3 days. And as she goes down to each layer of hell, she has to take off another clothing article until she is completely naked. And then she is pinned to a tree by nails, almost like a crucifixion, until she is at the point of death. And then after she defeats this death, she brings Tammuz up from hell with her and resurrects the god Tammuz. And as she resurrects the god Tammuz, the springtime ensues, and the world itself resurrects from the winter time. The Anunnaki, the judges of the underworld, surrounded her. They passed judgment against her. Then Ereshkigal fastened on Anana the eye of death. She spoke against the word of wrath she uttered against her cry of guilt. She struck her. Anana was turned into a corpse, a piece of rotting meat, and was hung from a hook on the wall. After 3 days and three nights, waiting for her mistress Nergal to follow the commands Anana gave her, goes to Anana's father, God Enki, for help, and receives two galli eunuchs to aid Anana to the Earth. The galli entered the underworld like flies and followed Enki's instructions. Attached themselves closely to Ereshkigal, the queen of the Dead. Is seen in distress. No linen was spread over her body. Her breasts were uncovered. Her hair swirled around her head like leaks. As ordered by Enki, the galli respond, "We wish only the corpse that hangs from the hook on the wall." And Ereshkigal gives it to them. The galli revive Anana with food and the water of life, and she rises from the [Music] dead.

This is an agricultural layer. This is the time of March and April. The Babylonians celebrated this as the Akitu festival, as the new year, which would be correlating to our March-April time. So it's possible that both the rites of Attis, in as in the rites of Inanna and Ishtar, have connection to this agricultural springtime festival.

The Book of Esther, which is part of the Old Testament canon, has a retelling of the story of Esther and Inanna. In this retelling, Inanna's role is portrayed by Mordecai, and Esther obviously is Ishtar. This is a clear case of mimesis. Same sequence of events occurs here. Mordecai is in trouble, and he's brought into prison. Esther goes into the kingdom, and as she descends into the palace and passes through each door, she has to take off an article of clothing, just as Ishtar does in *The Descent*. Ishtar then gets into the final chamber of the king, where she wins with her wisdom and is able to free Mordecai. This would become the Purim festival, which also happens to be in the middle of March, celebrated on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar, which correlates to the month of [Music] March.

Adonis has a lot in common with Attis. He has the story of his death and resurrection as well. When Adonis, who is a young beautiful hunter loved by the goddess Venus, is killed by a boar, she finds him and mourns over his death. And because of this, from her tears bring the resurrection of flowers and plants that the Greeks would call the Gardens of Adonis. In Syria, there is a river called the Adonis River, and this river would turn red every year during the springtime when the rains would come down and rub off the red oily rock on top of the mountains, it would cause the river to turn red. This was a symbol of springtime and fertility, and this was the blood of Adonis rushing through the river. Adonis can be seen as another retelling of the myth of Tammuz.

In the Book of Ezekiel 8:14, it states, "Then he brought me to the door of the gate of Yahweh's house, which was toward the north, and behold, there sat the women weeping for Tammuz." Then he said to me, "Hasn't thou seen this, oh son of man? Thou shalt again see greater abominations than these." What this tells us is that the mourning ritual, mourning for the death of the Son of God, was common practice in Israel, otherwise why would Ezekiel mention this? And so when we look at this area of the world, we see Adonis and Attis. But there's also another god called Eshmun. Just north of the Galilee in Phoenicia, and the cities of Tyre and Sidon, where Jesus himself even went during his ministry, you have a priesthood and temples to a god called Eshmun. Eshmun, or Eshmun-Melqart, or even Eshmun-Satyr in some cases. Nonetheless, Eshmun is an ancient god tracing himself back all the way to Tammuz himself, and he was a healer god, later identified with Asclepius, the healer god, the son of Apollo. He's attested all the way back into the third millennium BCE, before the use of alphabets, when cuneiform was still the main form of writing. The name Eshmun means oil or to oil. Also, Shimon means eight. Eshmun is the eighth son of the god Sidic, whose name means righteous in Semitic. It turns out that Sidic, who's a lot like the god Jupiter, has a possible etymology connection to Melchizedek and the Order of Melchizedek or the Sadducees. Eshmun is the eighth son of this god Sidic, and it turns out King David, who is the anointed king, was the eighth son of Jesse. Both Eshmun and David have seven brothers, do not share a common mother. Eshmun's mother was immortal. And the story of Eshmun is a lot like Tammuz and [Music] Adonis.

Eshmun, who is a young hunter like Adonis, is being chased after by the goddess Astarte. And so Eshmun, in a panic, castrates himself and dies and bleeds out. Astarte, who is a lot like Venus, mourns for the god, just like the ritual of the mourning over the dead god. In her mourning, she brings up the god and resurrects him from the heat of her body. And as he resurrects, he becomes the Asclepius-like god, the healer god. In the city of Carthage, Eshmun was depicted as the same as Apollo, both of them being savior gods. And just like King David plays the lyre, Apollo plays the lyre. I think there's a lot of connections that can be made with King David and Attis and Eshmun, which later on these attributes become part of Jesus's legendary story.

The seven brothers of Eshmun were known as the Dioscuri or Cabiri. The first epigraphical evidence of Eshmun is found in a treaty between two kings of Syria, Mattiel and Arpad, where Eshmun is mentioned in a group of Syrian gods who warrant a treaty together with Melqart. "May Melqart and Eshmun deliver your land to destruction and your people to deportation. May they uproot you from your land and take away the food from your mouth, the clothes from your body, and the oil for your anointing." The mention of oil here is connected with Eshmun's functions like a mosach or a messiah, an anointer, an anointed one. Eshmun was worshiped among the Phoenicians, and in his temple is evidence of baptismal sanctuaries where there are baths and inner sanctums like a holy of holies. The main center of Eshmun's cult is in Sidon, once again, one of the cities that Jesus visited, and he is called the Baal of Sidon. In a famous funerary inscription of Eshmun-Nater, whose name means Eshmun has saved, he is the most important god of Sidon, known as the Holy Prince of the City. And two giant sanctuaries located in this city alone. The sanctuary was built as a ziggurat with a sacral pool for therapeutic rituals, such as you would see with the healer god Asclepius, who holds the rod with the serpents entwined. Eshmun is even depicted on Roman coins during the reign of Elagabalus with, once again, the caduceus in his hand. The other shrine of Eshmun further down to the east has a cultic pool, once again, and a stone throne decorated with a sphinx and lions dedicated to Astarte. This temple complex, excavated in the 1960s, has votive statues dedicated to Eshmun on behalf of young children, 1 to 2 years old, who may have been sick or maybe subjugated to some sort of initiation ritual. These are called temple boys. We have them full preserved to this day in museums. He's also venerated in Beirut all the way up until the time of the Roman Empire. Damascus in the 6th century wrote that he was a young hunter named Asclepius was obliged to practice self-castration because of Astarte's passion for him. The mother of the gods brought him to life again after he died from the castration using vital heat. As I mentioned, this has a lot of parallels to the myth of Attis.

Early in Christianity, in the 2nd century, there was a famous Christian living in Anatolia named the Naassen preacher, whose name means snake prophet. And he had a hymn to Attis that said, "Blessed one, whether born of Kronos, Zeus, or Rhea, I loudly hail thee, Attis. You the Assyrian call Thrice-desired Adonis. All Egypt calls you Osiris. Samothracians call you Adamus. Phrygians, Papias, a corpse, a god, unfruitful goat-herd, green ear of harvested grain, player of the pipes, Jesus Christ." And he applied this homeric hymn to Attis to Jesus Christ and said that this same human Jesus becomes a god by transformation. He becomes a god when he rises from the dead, and through such a gate enters heaven. The Apostle Paul knows this gate since he opened it in a mystery. He said that he was seized by an angel and carried as far as the third heaven. This apotheosis was something that Eshmun or Attis would went through, and Jesus was no different in the eyes of these early Christians.

Inscriptions for Eshmun are found all over the Mediterranean: in Syria, Palestine, Egypt, all the way in Carthage and Sardinia. Some of these inscriptions mention sacrifices in honor of Eshmun. Others have temples like Asclepius with bathing and an oil anointing practicing thing. Going down in Cyprus, Eshmun's cult is well documented, sometimes together with Melqart, Semitic version of Heracles. These two Baals had salvific functions. In Citium, he's known as the Healing Lord, but also called Eshmun-Melqart. In Florida, by Apuleius, he tells us that Eshmun is the city's numen, and the temple in Carthage has Eshmun on the Byrsa Acropolis, and he was indeed very famous, and the Senate actually took place their meetings in this very temple of Eshmun. In 146 BCE, at the end of the Third Punic War, the last defenders of the city found refuge in the temple of Eshmun, and the Eshmun priests are often mentioned in the Carthaginian inscriptions. The Carthaginians had a golden statue of Apollo, which was taken by the Romans and placed in front of the Circus Maximus in Rome. Some people believe that this was Eshmun, who was another Apollo. Eshmun, under the name of Asclepius or Apollo. In Spain, there is a Cape of Eshmun located near Uda, where there was an important archaic temple of Apollo as well. In Sardinia, evidence of Eshmun once again shows up with a trilingual dedication to Eshmun-Ausis, which appears in Punic, Greek, and Latin on a bronze altar, similar to the Rosetta Stone, but in this case, it's dedicated to Eshmun who listens. Personal names including Eshmun have healing functions and saving functions, as Eshmun who protects, Eshmun who gives health, Eshmun who delivers, Eshmun who saves.

When we're on the topic of the Son of God influencing Jesus, this is why it bothers me when I see memes like this, because Krishna has none of these traits. In fact, if you want to compare Krishna and Jesus, a better way to go about it is the fact that they both want you to be devoted to them, to be saved. In the case of Mithras, once again, all these traits don't exist for Mithras, but you can argue that Mithras, like Jesus, is a mediator, and a mediator between the one and you, and that you can contact Mithras, who is the god of oaths and mediation, and he can be your guide to salvation, just like Jesus would. Dionysus is a dying and rising savior god who wants your devotion, but he wasn't born of a virgin or December 25th, and he's not the King of Kings or none of that. But you can say that Dionysus, like Jesus, has this death and resurrection and coming back and wanting the devotion of the followers, like Jesus does. You can say that Jesus is the True Vine, and his father is the husbandman, something that you see with Dionysus being the True Vine, his father being the reaper and husbandman, his grandfather Saturn, who is the reaper and husbandman. Dionysus was also by the Phrygians as Sabazios, a type of a godhead with father-son traits, where he takes on the role of a sky father and earthborn son. Sabazios, like Jesus, is a trinity in a way, where there's a father, son, that are mediated by some sort of Holy Spirit connection between the two, which is a very Platonic view of God. Sabazios having the Dionysian sun incarnation, but also the sky father incarnation as well. Clement of Alexandria says that "God in the bosom is a counter sign of the mysteries of Sabazios to the adepts." So not only does Clement of Alexandria recognize some of these comparisons, but you also have Justin Martyr, who says this: "And when you say that the Logos, who is the firstborn of God, was produced without sexual union, that he, Jesus Christ our teacher, was crucified and died and rose again and ascended into heaven, we propound nothing different from what you believe regarding those who you seem esteem sons of Jupiter. For you know how many sons your esteemed writers ascribed to Jupiter: Mercury, and the interpreting Logos and teacher of all, Asclepius, who, though he was a great physician, was struck by a thunderbolt and so ascended to heaven; and Bacchus too, after he had been torn limb from limb; and Heracles, when he committed himself to the flames to escape his toils; and the sons of Leda and Dioscuri, and Perseus, son of Danae, who through sprung from mortals rose to heaven on the horse Pegasus. For what shall I say of Ariadne and those who, like her, have been declared to be set among the stars? And what of the emperors who die among yourselves, whom you deem worthy of deification, and on whose behalf you produce some one who swears he has seen the burning Caesar rise to heaven from the funeral pyre? And what kind of deeds are recorded of each of these reputed sons of Jupiter? It is needless to tell that those who are already know this only shall be said that they are written for the advantage and encouragement of youthful scholars. For all reckon it an honorable thing to imitate the gods. But far be such thought concerning the gods from every well-itioned soul as to believe that Jupiter himself, the governor and creator of all things, was both a parasite and the son of a parasite, and that being overcome by the love of base and shameful pleasures, he came into Ganymede and those many women whom he violated, that his sons did like actions. But as we said above, wicked devils perpetrated these things. And we have learned that those who are deified, who have lived near to God in holiness and virtue, and we believe that those who live wickedly do not repent and are punished in everlasting fire. Moreover, the Son of God called Jesus, even if a man by ordinary generation, yet on account of his wisdom is worthy to be called Son of God. For all writers are called gods. The Father of men and gods, and if we assert that the Logos of God was born of God in a peculiar manner different from ordinary generation, let this, as said above, be no extraordinary thing to you who say that Mercury is the angelic Logos of God. But if anyone objects that he was crucified, in this he is on par with those reputed sons of Jupiter of yours who suffered as we have now enumerated. For their sufferings and death are recorded to have been not alike, but diverse, so that not even the peculiarity of his sufferings does he seem to be inferior to them, but on the contrary, as we promised in the preceding part of this discourse, we will now prove him superior, or rather have already proved him to be so. For the superior is revealed by his actions. And if we even affirm that he was born of a virgin, accept this in common with what you accept of Perseus. And in the same way that he made the whole, lame, the paralytic, and those born blind, we seem to say is very similar to the deeds said to have been done by Asclepius, otherwise known as Eshmun."

And so Justin Martyr, in this 2nd century, he sees it all around him. He's living in the world where these gods are being venerated still. There is no escaping this. He can't be like inspiring philosophy and pretend it doesn't exist. He can't. It's right next to him. It's standing right outside his door. So he has to address it. So that's the way he addresses it. He addresses it by saying that devils perpetrated these stories. And not only that, but why are you making fun of my dying and rising God when your dying and rising gods are the same? And notice how he mentioned Caesar, because Caesar Augustus was called Son of God, Divi Filius, on the coin. So Jesus has to compete with the Caesar cult, the Son of God, who were seen rising up after their death. Julius Caesar, on his funeral pyre, was witnessed by many, and this is documented in multiple sources, that Venus came down and took his soul up into the sky, and everyone saw this. And then his adopted son, Augustus, after a 40-year reign, when he passed away, people saw the same thing happen. His soul rose up into the sky. And then again, it happened with another Caesar, Claudius, who also rose up into the heavens.

You have Jewish writers like Philo writing that "this Caesar who calmed the storms which were raging in every direction, who healed the common diseases which were afflicting both Greeks and barbarians, who descended from the south and from the east and ran and penetrated as far as the north and the west in such a way as to fill all the neighboring districts and waters with unexpected miseries. This is he who did not only loosen but utterly abolished the bonds in which the whole habitable world was previously bound and weighed down. This is he who destroyed both the evident and unseen wars which arose from the attacks of robbers. This is he who rendered the sea free from the vessels of pirates and filled it with merchantmen. This is he who gave freedom to every city and brought disorder into order, and who civilized and made obedient and harmonious the nations which before his time were unsociable, hostile, and brutal. This is he who increased Greece by many Greces, and who Hellenized the regions of the barbarians and their most important divisions. The guardian of peace, the distributor of every man who was suited to him, the man who proffered to all the citizens favors with the most ungrudging liberality, who never once in his whole life concealed or reserved for himself anything that was good or excellent." And this very Augustus, *The Life of Augustus* by Suetonius, we are told by Julius Marinus that a few months before his birth, there happened at Rome a prodigy by which was signal that nature was in travail with a king for the Roman people: a star in the east that signifies a new king will be born. There's your parallel right there. And in the Senate, in alarm, came to the resolution that no child that year should be brought up, which is just like Herod killing the innocent babies that year because he did not want to have competition. But that those amongst them whose wives were pregnant to secure to themselves a chance of that dignity took care of that decree of the Senate should not be registered in the treasury, just like Mary hiding her child from the registry and not letting anyone know that Jesus would be born. You also have a miracle birth story with Augustus, that a serpent crept up to his mother and got her pregnant. Jesus has a lot of competition. And when he is being written down as the Son of God, there's a lot of ideas in the air that possibly are either polemicized or just straight up borrowed from.

Osiris is the original dying and rising God of the Mediterranean. Osiris's death and resurrection is the new year. He was killed and a full moon like Jesus, he rose up during the springtime, just like during Easter, celebrated during this time. And the mourning ritual, the mourning over the death of the God by Isis, who, just like Ishtar, was his also salvation as well. When we look at the Eucharist, it writes itself. Osiris's funerary texts that say, "Drink the wine that Ra has prepared, eat the bread that Ra has prepared. Whoever does this in my name will have eternal life." In the Eleusinian Mysteries, those who took part in drinking the Kykeon, which was an infusion of grain and grape, you were taking in eating the god Demeter and Bacchus, and those gods would enter you and possess you and give you salvation.

Jesus and Dionysus, also known as Bacchus, Zagreus, Sabazios, and Liber, both are the Son of God. But not just any of the sons of God, these two are the only two that are chosen to be the heir of the Kingdom of Heaven itself. They are the heir Son of God. I will show why Dionysus stands above all other sons of Zeus later in this video. But in short, in the *Dionysiaca* by Nonnus, as well as other older fragments and legends concerning Dionysus, Zeus in the form of a dragon impregnates the perpetual virgin or Kore, known as Persephone, and chose the child to wield the Thunderbolt and become the prince of Olympus and the heir to Zeus's throne, a status that no son of Zeus had ever been promised before, like Jesus, who is the heir of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Logos, who was one with God, in the same sense, Dionysus called Sabazios by the Phrygians, was in the bosom of the Father. Dionysus and Jesus both have a mortal mother and are miraculously born. Unlike Jesus, Dionysus has two mothers, one divine, one mortal. But one of them, Persephone, has the epithet Kore, which can mean virgin or young maiden, similar to the Hebrew word *almah* used in the famous virgin birth prophecy by Isaiah, cited by Christians and used for Mary and Jesus. Persephone's name was so sacred that it was not permitted to be spoken aloud by mortal lips. So the Virgin or Kore was her name, and she is who gave birth to Dionysus. And the *Dionysiaca* report that Dionysus, who he calls Zagreus, was conceived during the time when the full moon was seen in Virgo, and two times the author Nonnus reports that Virgo is present during the conception. There is also Sabazios, the Phrygian Dionysus, who Diodorus calls the oldest Dionysus. And according to multiple inscriptions and passages from both Diodorus and Cicero, is the son of the Great Mother Cybele, who, like Mary, holds the title for Mother of God. I will argue that the veneration and worship of Mother Mary has some of its roots of influence in Phrygian Cybele. More on this to come.

After Dionysus's death and resurrection, he was born again by a mortal mother, Semele, who was reported to be a virgin, according to the commentaries about the wedding between her and Zeus. But no virgin birth in a miracle sense. The text clearly says that she has intercourse with Zeus, and that Zeus loved her more than anyone before her, and the love was real love, regardless of the details. A mortal virgin miracle birth scene is present in both the Gospels and in the *Dionysiaca* legends and fragments. Both of these sons of God entered the world by the will of the Father in heaven, and they both tell this to anyone that doubts them too. Dionysus tells Pentheus that he is doing the will of Zeus in heaven. And Jesus tells the Pharisees that he is doing the will of his Father, Theos, in heaven. They are both born in the Near East. As Homer related that Mount Nysa, the birthplace of Dionysus, was in Lebanon, just a stone's throw away from Nazareth, where Jesus is born. Others like Diodorus and Herodotus thought that Dionysus was born in Arabia or Phoenicia. Other accounts say Mount Ida is in Asia Minor, but they both end up venerated in the West. Their disciples brought their beliefs from the Near East to Greece and Italy, spreading them everywhere. They both shared wine with their followers and used wine in their special ceremonies. Each of them had their own group of disciples, and many of them were women. Mary Magdalene and Martha are rubbing Jesus's feet with perfumes and alabaster, while the Maenads do the bidding of Dionysus and carry thyrsi and aphrodisiacs. Jesus and Dionysus die in violent ways but are reported to have been bodily resurrected within a matter of days. Jesus and Dionysus want one thing and one thing only from their followers: devotion. At the end of the *Bacchae*, Dionysus tells Agave that "the wages of sin is death, and that she is too late to repent, for she did not believe in him before the hour was too late." This is the very attitude that Jesus has for people who do not believe in him and will cast into hell when it is too late for repenting. And just as we all were taught that the Christians were persecuted by the Roman Empire, Bacchic followers of Dionysus were outlawed by a Roman decree in 186 BCE, showing evidence that the Dionysian religion was 250 years ahead of Christians as being the persecuted religion of the Romans. Both the early Christians and the Bacchans were promoting in a social justice, egalitarian worldview that conflicted with the hierarchical, traditional ways of Roman religion.

By about 150 years after Jesus lived, people started to really notice these similarities, and they talked about them a lot. Early 2nd-century Christian preachers compared Jesus with Bacchus, and later Nonnus, a pagan poet who wrote the famous *Dionysiaca*, the most extensive mythology of Dionysus in the form of Homeric prose, was reported by church tradition to have converted to Christ and wrote extensively on the Gospel of John, comparing the life of Jesus to the life of Dionysus. In the Gospel of John, Jesus is at a wedding in Cana and turns water into wine. This is like the legends from long ago about Dionysus, who could also make wine in miraculous ways. Pausanias, in the 2nd century, relates a legend about a temple of Dionysus located in central Greece that was said to have jugs of water converted to wine every year during a Dionysia festival. So when people who believed in many gods heard about Jesus turning water into wine, they would have thought it was very much like what Dionysus could do. Later in the Gospel of John, Jesus says, "I am the True Vine." Another phrase that readers of the Gospel of John would hear and think of Dionysus, the True Vine God, but could arguably be interpreted as Jesus supplanting Dionysus as the True Vine God. By saying this, Jesus was like a new version of Dionysus, but even more important. Before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead and rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, Dionysus rode into Athens on a donkey and raised the famous poet Asclepius from the dead after Dionysus himself descended into Hades and was able to return, like Jesus also was rumored to have done. Very few gods in the ancient texts could do these feats. Even when Asclepius tried to raise Hippolytus from death, Zeus angrily killed Asclepius for defying the will of the gods. And Orpheus was unsuccessful in his voyage to Hades to raise his wife Eurydice. It is Dionysus, like Jesus after him, who was the chosen heir of the Kingdom of Heaven, the chosen prince of the kingdom of Zeus.

Jesus and Dionysus are in direct competition in the first century and 2nd century for supremacy of who is the true Son of God. But these details about miracles and actions that Jesus and Dionysus have in common are small in comparison to the deeper Dionysian connections of Jesus Christ. In my opinion, it gets much deeper than just comparing miracles and both being sons of God who brutally die and resurrect. It gets into the fabric of the religious attitudes of the first-century Greco-Roman world. The heart of the Middle Platonist mystery religion world: Asia, Syria, Judea, and Egypt. The religious movements in this region that Christianity is born from has Dionysian elements at the heart of it all. The heartbeat of *daimon* or *theosebeia*, which are two terms in Greek that mean God-fearing, both terms used by the Apostle Paul and by Church Fathers, and is a Dionysian technical term. Which etymologically, *theosebeia*, which most know as God-fearing, also used to mean God-inspired, and contains the name Sabazios, the title of Dionysus. And *daimon*, which Paul also uses in the book of Acts and is translated as God-fearing or religious, breaks down etymologically as religious feeling of being inspired by God, and is purely Dionysian, as any classicist or philologist will tell you, or if you check the Liddell Scott Encyclopedia of Greek word usage. The word is either used negatively to describe superstitions or more positively in the cultic sense as the feeling gained from aphrodisiacs, entheogens, or the god Dionysus himself entering into the soul or psyche of the mortal human being. Dionysus is the principal god of religious inspiration through *mania*. *Daimon*, the inspiration of the god that enters the soul of the adherence or cultic initiates. Feeling the Holy Spirit and having Christ enter your heart is by definition *daimonia*. The entheogen Kykeon would allow one to feel the Holy Spirit of Dionysus and Demeter, the two principal parts of this sacred cup or Eucharist was also bread and wine, grain and grape, the body and blood of Christ. Early churches called *ecclesia* typically were operated in democratic fashion that are typical for Athenian and Corinthian Dionysia groups. Some were even called Baptist or *baptistai* in Greek, members of these Dionysia Baptist groups had titles given to the initiates such as torchbearer, temple bearer, Christ bearer, titles that we also see with early Christ assemblies in the Roman Empire, which I will discuss at length later in this video. I will demonstrate how deep the Dionysian roots of Christianity goes, and trust me, it goes deeper than I can even grasp myself. Please hit that like button, subscribe if you have not yet done so, and leave a comment about what you think about this, and share it to your friends who love Christianity and mythology. Let's get into this.

The Gospel of John shares a notable narrative resemblance with Euripides' play *The Bacchae*. In both stories, the central character is a deity who assumes human form, lives among humans, and faces rejection from his own community. This conflict forms the core of both narratives, yet they diverge greatly in their conclusions. *Bacchae* ends tragically, leaving its main characters either deceased or shattered, ultimately leading to the collapse of the Theban royal family in a poignant finale. King Cadmus, initially shown as devout for his faith in God, confronts Dionysus, critiquing the godlike wrath by stating, "It is not right that gods resemble mortals in their outrages." This challenges the righteousness of Dionysus's retribution. Conversely, in the Gospel of John, Jesus, portrayed as God incarnate, does not seek vengeance but offers eternal life, setting up a stark contrast to Euripides' violent Dionysus, with Jesus depicted as a benevolent world savior. These parallels are primarily found in the original version of the Gospel of John. Subsequent versions by later authors don't expand on the Dionysian aspects, suggesting that the likenesses to Dionysus are specific to the first version penned by the Johannine evangelist. Various academics have explored the similarities between John's Gospel and Euripides' *Bacchae*, though there's no consensus on direct imitation between the two works. John might not have intentionally recrafted *The Bacchae*, but my intention is that he subconsciously selected the tragic mythological framework while reshaping his narrative about Jesus, making the resemblances to Euripides' tale about Dionysus somewhat unavoidable.

At this point, it's crucial to clarify that I'm not suggesting John's writings were directly influenced by Euripides in a literary sense. Harvard Professor Dennis R. MacDonald, in two peer-reviewed books, *The Gospels and Homer: Imitations of Greek Epic in Mark and Luke* and *Luke and Virgil: Imitations of Classical Greek Literature*, Professor MacDonald employed a methodology that has come down to be known as mimesis criticism. His work utilizes these analytical criteria to show the similarities between John and *The Bacchae*. Dr. MacDonald illustrates that the Johannine evangelists not only emulated Euripides but also anticipated his audience to regard Jesus as superior to Dionysus. Professor Carl AP Ru, also a classical philologist from Harvard, has written extensively on the Dionysian roots of Christianity, in particular the Eucharist. *The Road to Eleusis* is a classic book that was criticized heavily by lazy academics who were not immersed in the material, but his work was later vindicated as the years went by. He shows the Eucharist rituals of the Dionysian religion as practiced by the early.

Christians, the heresiology Hippolytus even discussed his earlier sex of Christians performing Eucharistic rituals involving hallucinogens and making purple wine. This caused magic visions and the Holy Spirit to take over the initiates of Christ. Regardless of how the later Church viewed these rites, heresy or not, they admittedly were done by high-level ranking Christian Bishops in Rome, and these groups were extremely popular and had huge followings.

The Nasini, Valentinians, Carians, who had titles of Magus, and Jesus with Dionysus, as well as Addis, Adonis, Osiris, and others. Many academics will write these Christians off as heretics who somehow don't count, without realizing that they themselves are being bound by the dogmas of the later Middle Ages Orthodox Church, who try to distance themselves from their own past. The so-called heretics and Gnostics performed these rites and made these connections between Jesus and the Dionysian. They were closer to Jesus than the Church under Constantine was.

Even Justin Martyr, the face of Proto-Orthodoxy, in his apology, continually compares Jesus to Dionysus, who he admits is the resurrected Son of God; to Mercury, who he admits is called the Logos of God; to Hercules, who he says was the son of God whose passion saved the world; and Esus, the Son of God, who raised the dead, as well as Mithras, the Son of God, who gave Eucharist and ritual salvation. Even Paul himself wrote in his letters that sacrificing to other gods is permitted because he knew that these are the cults that the message of Christ would thrive under.

The ways in which the fourth Gospel of John, the most Gnostic-leaning of all the four main Gospels, diverges from the three synoptic Gospels can be understood through its imitations of the Bacchae. Mark's narrative centers on the revelation of the Messianic secret. Matthew constructs this story around the Jewish Traditions continuation and Jesus's new revelation. And Luke highlights the birth of a new religious movement and its global spread.

In contrast, the author of the First Johannine Gospel shapes his story with a clear emphasis on Jesus's divine origins and the resulting dichotomy between the acceptance and rejection of his openly declared divine nature. This narrative approach shows parallels to Euripides' portrayal of Dionysus. The fourth Gospel begins by identifying its protagonist as God: "In the beginning was the Logos, and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was divine. This one at the beginning was with God."

Like John's Gospel, the Bacchae begins with the god declaring his identity: "The Son of God has come into the world to the Thebans, Dionysus, whom Semele, daughter of Cadmus, once bore, induced to do so by a lightning bolt, after having changed himself into human form from that of a god." Not only do these introductions to these tragedies introduce the Son of God, but they also highlight the Oneness of both the Son of God with God. The Logos is with God, but also the Bacchae makes it clear that Dionysus is entering the world into the flesh, like the Logos, and leaving the bosom of the Father.

Once again, we can see what Clement of Alexandria meant in his Protrepticus when he says, "God in the bosom is a counter sign to Sabazius." To show you what he means, Sabazius is the Godhead of Zeus and Dionysus together as one. As Zeus sews the heart of Zagreus into his thigh and gives birth to Dionysus, Dionysus in the thigh of Zeus is what the Orphics call Sasus.

To prove this claim, let's examine the Orphic Hymn to Sabazius: "To Sabazius, fumigation from aromatics. He, me, illustrious Father, Damon, fain, great Saturn's Offspring, Sabazius name, inserting Bacchus, bearer of the vine, and founding God. Within thy thigh divine, that when mature the Dionysian God must burst the bands of his concealed abode." Sabazius is called the son of Kronos or Saturn, which is usually Zeus, Hades, or Poseidon. Here, Dionysus and Zeus are one, both son of Kronos, both being brought into the world.

The Logos from John was originally a title of Zeus, son of Kronos, was given by the Stoics as the Nous or Mind of God, incorporeal, immaterial Zeus, in a different sense than Mercury, who was also given the title of Logos by the Hermetic cult in Egypt for being Zeus's messenger or angel. Philo of Alexandria, who is a contemporary with Jesus and Paul, as well as being a supporter of Caesar Augustus, although not a fan of Caligula, said this in his On Creation: "The corporeal world was then completed, having its seat in the Divine Logos, and the physical world perceptible to the senses was made on the model of it."

In the first portion of it, the most excellent of all made by the Demiurge was Heaven, which he truly called the firmament, as being corporeal, for the body is by nature firm, inasmuch as it is divisible by three parts: corporeal, incorporeal, and spiritual. Here, we see Philo employ a Platonic, arguably proto-Trinitarian view of God creating the world through his Logos that goes from immaterial spirit to material matter. This is how Jesus is introduced into the Gospel of John, but this is also exactly how Dionysus or Sabazius is presented in the Bacchae and Orphic Hymns as being one with the God who stands outside of space and time, who creates his son from himself, gives birth to himself, places his spirit into the body of a mortal woman.

Clement's citation of "God in the bosom of the Father is a counter sign to the adept of Sabazius" can be directly found in John's Gospel. The Dionysian Gospel, as John 1:18 states, "No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father..." Some have even translated this to say "in the lap of the Father," which is even more akin to the image of Dionysus in the thigh of Zeus.

As Dennis McDonald points out in his peer-reviewed book, *The Dionysian Gospel*, "The sequence of events and which these characters are introduced are nearly identical with each analogous to each other operating with similar purposes in the plot. Dionysus entering the world, taking on flesh after being one with the Father, just as Jesus the Logos enters the world as flesh after being one with the Father." Cadmus is introduced by Euripides and praised as a forerunner, someone who is described with clustering foliage of the grapevine, but not Dionysus, who is the vine god, in a very eerie similar fashion. John introduces John the Baptist as not the light, but the one to testify to the True Light.

The crowds in the Gospel, like the chorus of Satyrs and Maenads in the Bacchae, jumping in from time to time to chant. Thean women in the Bacchae who believe in Dionysus and accept him, even as a mysterious stranger, like the Samaritan woman who accepts Jesus and believes in Him. Blind seer Tiresias, who is given the power of sight in the form of prophecy from the god Dionysus, whom he praises, just as the blind man in the Gospel is given sight from Jesus in a literal sense and praises Jesus. King Cadmus, who halfway believes in Dionysus but has some doubts, just as Nicodemus is portrayed in the Gospel. And of course, the most obvious parallel is Pentheus, the prince who is also the religious authority of Thebes and is the main opposition to Dionysus and his religious movement, just as we see the Pharisees, the religious authority in Israel, who oppose Jesus and his movement. The assistants of Pentheus, who are ordered to arrest Dionysus but find no fault in him, just as Pilate is to arrest Jesus but finds no fault in him.

Finally, the twist: because Pentheus is who was killed at the end, not Dionysus, who is already resurrected, but Pentheus is placed on top of a tree and ripped apart by the Maenads, one of them being his own mother. She repents after she comes and realizes that her son is dead. Jesus, who is crucified, is visited by his mother, who weeps over her dying son. Dionysus, disguised as a mortal, coming to enact justice on Thebes and revealed to be divine, is analogous to Jesus not revealing his true nature until his resurrection. Both Dionysus and Jesus are not received by their home nations, but both end up in triumph for witnesses to believe in after the sequence of events is on point. The Gospel of John is following the mimesis of tragedy laid down by Euripides' Bacchae.

A similar argument is made by Dr. John Moles in his peer-reviewed article, "Jesus and Dionysus in the Acts of the Apostles and Early Christianity," laying out the broad thematic parallels between Acts and the Bacchae, including the disruptive impact of a new god, judicial proceedings against the new god and his followers, bondage of the new god and his followers, imprisonment of the new god's followers, their generally miraculous escapes from prison, and divine epiphanies. More on this argument later.

Professor Harold W. Attridge suggests that the quasi-poetic form of John's prologue is not a secondary and casual addition to the Gospel. It belongs where it sits at the beginning of the complex Gospel, unlike any other Gospels. The fourth Gospel, John, begins as a drama. If one wants to understand the narrative rhetoric of the Gospel, it is important to attend to the drama of the Gospel. Many scholars have noticed the tragic poetic style of John's Gospel. We also know that the Hellenistic and Byzantine Roman education systems taught people to read and write Greek by copying the classics such as Homer and Euripides. It is not far-fetched in any stretch to suggest that the author of St. John's Gospel was using the Bacchae as a template to construct his own Gospel tragedy.

Clement of Alexandria noticed these parallels and wrote about them. The differences are what matters the most, not the similarities, which is the sequence and imagery, but Jesus is an anti-Dionysus, and Dionysus is an anti-Christ. To go back to Clement of Alexandria, he lays this out for me perfectly, as he describes the mystery of Christ using Bacchic imagery in Protrepticus: "Come, oh madman, man not propped up by ivy, not wreathed with ivy, throw off your headband, throw off your fawn skin, get sober. I will show you the Logos and the mysteries of the Logos, and I will describe them with your own imagery. This mountain is beloved of God and it's subject to tragedies like Cathon, Bacchic mountain, prominent in the Bacchae, but exalted by dramas of truth. A sober mountain and shaded by chaste woods. Reveling here are no Maenads, daughters of thunder-stricken Semele, initiates in the disgusting distribution of raw flesh. Instead, they are daughters of God, the beautiful lambs, who utter the solemn rites of the Logos and gather together a sober chorus. This chorus consists of the righteous, and their song is a hymn to the King of All. Young girls pluck their instruments, angels sing praises, prophets speak. The sound of music carries quickly. They follow the Theos, those who were called scoffers, longing to welcome the Father."

It's interesting that Clement uses the imagery of distributing raw flesh as the initiates of Bacchus, when in a spiritual sense, the initiates of Jesus Christ also eat the flesh of Christ in the Eucharist. Later in the same book, Clement calls Christ a "new Orpheus," singing the song of salvation, invoking the same Bacchic-orphic imagery laid down throughout this video. Orpheus was the theologian, Theos Logos, etymologically breaking down into God's Word, and Orpheus was the revealer or the apocalypse of prophetic wisdom given by Dionysus and Apollo, who he was high priest and son of. Jesus, like Orpheus, reveals a new apocalypse for a new world, who he is high priest and son of this God, the God Theos. And both Jesus and Orpheus sing hymns as they die. Jesus is reciting Psalms on the cross, and Orpheus is chanting Orphic hymns as he is torn apart by the Maenads in the river Heis.

According to the church tradition of Catholicism and Orthodoxy, there are three events that are said to have taken place on the same day but in different years. The first event being the birth of Christ, also known as The Epiphany, in which the three Magi visit the newborn child in the manger. The early church, corroborated by the earliest sources, indicates that they believed this took place on January 6th, 12 days after the winter solstice, hence the 12 Days of Christmas. Epiphanius of Salamis reports that "this was the day Christ was born at the same time as other predating pagan festivals. Christ was born on the sixth day of January after 13 days of the winter solstice and of the light and day of addition. But this day is celebrated by the Greeks and also by the pagans on the 6th of January, called by the Romans Saturnalia, by the Egyptians Kronia, by the Alexandrians Celia."

According to multiple sources, the Alexandrian church was the first to venerate the birth of Christ on this day, and this was started by the Basilidians, a Gnostic sect from Alexandria from the late 1st, early 2nd Century. Thirty years later, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist on this exact same day of January 6th, according to the church. And the same Basilidians asserted that the Feast of the Epiphany was to be celebrated on the same day. But the followers of the early Christian Gnostic facilities celebrate the Day of His Baptism too, spending the previous night in readings, and they say that it was on the 15th of Tibe (January 6th) of the 15th year of Tiberius, the baptism of Christ.

Along with the birth of Christ, these are two of the three events that are celebrated at the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6th. The third event is an odd one: the church asserts that the wedding at Cana, when Jesus turns water into wine, also occurred on January 6th and was also venerated at this Feast of the Epiphany, possibly due to this being the first miracle that occurs in the Gospel of John. But I think there could also be a Dionysian layer to this. In that same passage from Epiphanius about Christ being born on January 6th, he goes on to say something that is truly remarkable for this discussion: "They answer and say that at this hour today the Virgin gave birth to Iao, and this is also done in the City of Petra and in the Arabic dialect, praising the Virgin, calling her Kore, that is Virgin, and Tarus, she gave birth to that is the virgin's only son." And this also happens in Elusa, in the city, the same night, January 6th, as they're in Petra and Alexandria, Egypt.

It turns out that both of these gods mentioned here, Iao and Tarus, the former Greek, the latter Arabic, are gods who are closely connected and even identified with Dionysus by many of the contemporary sources. But it gets even deeper. The ancient Greeks had a Dionysian Epiphany Feast celebrated on the night of the 5th of January into the 6th of January. It was also a smaller feast that came roughly 12 days following a winter solstice festival known as Haloa, or the Rural Dionysia, celebrated during the week of the winter solstice, which was occurring on December 25th of the Julian calendar. This January 6th Epiphany festival for Dionysus was also mentioned by Pliny the Younger in the early 2nd Century, so we can be certain that this feast was around during the rise of early Christianity and was well known.

According to Pliny, in the temple of Dionysus in Andros, there is a fountain that tastes like wine every year on the 5th of January, a date called the Oschophoria. It is this exact same location, the Temple of Dionysus at Andros and Elis, that Pausanias in his Geography of Greece relates that jars are miraculously filled to the brim with wine by the god for his festival. Anna Isabel Jima, San Christo Ball, writes extensively on this in a peer-reviewed article titled "The Epiphany of Dionysus and Elis and the Miracle of Wine." Pausanias writes, "The Hellenes worship Dionysus with the greatest reverence, and they assert that the god attends their festival. Three jars are brought into the building by the priest and set down empty in the presence of the citizens and of any strangers who may chance to be in the country. The doors of the building are sealed by the priests themselves and by any others who may be so inclined. On the tomorrow, they are allowed to examine the seals and, ongoing into the building, they find jars filled with wine."

This means that not only are Jesus and Dionysus both turning water into wine, but they both have Epiphany Feasts on January 6th, which in fact also venerates the wedding at Cana, a literal wine miracle story, as well as the legends about Dionysus making wine for this event. And on top of this, three major cities in the East—Alexandria, Elusa, and Petra—all have similar Epiphany Feasts honoring other gods who are born of a virgin on the same day as Jesus, called Iao and Iarus, who are both identified with Dionysus by several authors. Both Plotinus and Proclus assert that Iao is just another avatar of Dionysus, and the Byzantine Suda identifies Iao as a syncretic Osiris, Adonis, and Addis, which makes things even more tempting to say that the character of Christ in John's Gospel could be influenced by the same dying and rising agricultural paradigm.

Charles Fossum, who was a professor at Michigan University, in a peer-reviewed article wrote that Iao is a form of Osiris-Dionysus resurrected annually. His image was marked with crosses on his hands, knees, and forehead. Dr. Fossum lays out yet another parallel between the virgin-born Iao with Dionysus, saying that Kore, the Virgin, was a title for Proserpina and was only mentioned giving birth to one god in hundreds of texts, myths, and fragments that mention her, and that is Zagreus, also called Sabazius by Diodorus, both being the firstborn.

The birth of the child in the gloomy cavern is also depicted in both Mithraic temples and Phrygian art. Here, on the right hand of Sabazius, we see the mother giving birth to the child in the cave. And again, in the Mithraeum of Ostia, an identical image of the child and the mother is present. The god Iao is in many ways a syncretic god of Mithras and Dionysus, which I will show shortly. And keep in mind, the rise of the Iao cult is running parallel to the Jesus movement at the end of the first century through the fifth century.

Iao, as we see in this artwork dug from Antioch, Syria, dated to the 2nd Century, showing Iao at a supper with three of his disciples called Chronos, although it turns out that these Chronos are three avatars of Iao himself, representing the three cycles of time: past, present, and future, and an almost Trinity aspect of the god Iao, if you will. Similar images of Jesus can be found during contemporary times: Jesus, young, not bearded, often looking like a magician, sitting at a supper with his disciples. This is also common among Dionysian paintings, as well as Mithraic. We can easily determine the influences of the Dionysian on the Iao culture, and I think this is just the same influencing of the Dionysian on Christianity. This was the cultural milieu in which Christianity grew up in and competed with.

Here at the Museum of Chicago is an early Jesus sculpture. It appears very feminine and was thought to be a goddess or a woman when first discovered. Only later did they realize that this was an early statue of Jesus, but also based on an earlier model used for both Apollo and Dionysus. Putting them side by side, you almost can't even tell that they are separate deities. Similar statues are used for Adonis, Mithras, Addis, and Iao. These savior gods are competing, but in the pagan world, they are synchronized.

Cobeius, in his Saturnalia, argues that Apollo and Dionysus are the same God, born at the winter solstice, and he says they are both called Iao. "Apollo is the same as Sol. These things we have said of Apollo may also be thought to have been said of Dionysus, for Aristotle, who wrote the theologomena, called Apollo Sol and Liber Pater, Dionysus are one and the same God. He goes on to say, for when the sacred arcane religious observance is held, so that when the sun is in the upper, that is in the daytime hemisphere, Apollo is invoked; when in the underworld, that is at night, Dionysus." Now, these differences of ages are related to the sun, so that at the winter solstice (December 25th), this God is a newborn child.

Macrobius, in the next passage, Macrobius calls this syncretic deity Iao, which is the same name of the god Yahweh in the oldest fragments of the Greek Septuagint. Apollo and Dionysus are all one God called Iao, the Supreme Deity. "The mysteries must be kept hidden and far from the uninitiated. But if you possess little wisdom and our restless mind, understand that the highest God is Iao, who is Hades in Winter, Zeus at the start of the Spring, Apollo Helios in Summer, and gentle Bacchus Iao in the Autumn."

"Yaho" was a common Bacchic chant that was shouted during Dionysian revels and festivals, being the precursor to the Roman "Io." Interestingly, this title for "Iao" for Dionysus shows up again in the Chaldean Oracles in relation to the Semitic Phoenician language. "Dionysus or Bass was called by the Chaldeans Iao in the light of the world in the Phoenician tongue, and he is frequently called Sabo, such as he who was above the seven poles, called Demiurge." Chaldean Oracles. This syncretic Dionysian God was so widespread during the first three centuries of the Common Era that his presence was felt in every corner and beyond the Roman Empire.

In Corinth and in Athens, the Dionysian religion of Cotys was called Bapti or Baptist in English and practiced water immersion rites and Eucharist involving Kykeon made from beer and wine, grain and vine. The character of Jesus Christ in the Gospels, though based on a historical person, is still in direct competition with the syncretic religions of the Roman Imperial cult, Mithras, Sol Invictus, and Greko-Syrian deities like Iao, Adonis, or Egyptian Karapus. In a similar way, the legends of Augustus and Caesar, although based on real people, are also modeled off different mythologies like Romulus or Apollo.

At this time, when Christianity was on the rise in the Roman Empire as the main competition of the Greek mystery religions and the Roman Imperial cult, there was another reoccurring holy symbol of iconography like the symbol of Christ on the cross. This symbol was central to the cult of Mithras Sol Invictus, the image of Mithras slaying the bull. Mithras, who is also equated with Apollo by both Persians and Greeks, as shown here in the inscription that shows Mithus Helios Apollo next to King Antiochus. But there is also a Dionysian layer that is even more interesting, and I think it shows close proximity to Christ as a sin offering.

An inscription reads: "Cestos, P. Karos, and Boan, consecrated by Father Cros and Garos." We see Mithras slaying a bull with a snake and a dog feasting on its blood. In the corners, we see Sol and Luna, who are also equated with the twins Apollo and Diana Lucifera. Identical images like this are found all throughout the Roman Empire, thousands even. Sol and Luna are also flanked by Lucifer and Vesper, like angels bringing light. Cobeius tells us that Janus, the two-headed god of time, is the Latin version of Iao, but he also says that Janus is linked to Saturn or Kronos, time, just as Iao is a time god. More on this later.

Etched on the bowl is the name of "Deo Sol Invictus Mithrae God Sol Invictus Mithra." And at the head of the bowl is the words "Nama Sabeso" in ancient Indo-European dialect. It states, "Give thanks to Sabazius." It turns out that this bowl represents Sabazius, who is Dionysus, who is the offering that brings salvation. In numerous texts, Dionysus or Sabazius was referred to as a bull or a ram. In Diodorus, he is the chosen heir of the ram god Ammon and was the horn child of Ammon, which technically would make him the Lamb of God, since a baby ram is literally a lamb. Ammon had prophesied the inhabitants that at an appointed time his son Dionysus would come, and that he would recover his father's kingdom, and after becoming master of all the inhabited world, would be looked upon as God. Dionysus, believing him to have been the true prophet, established there the oracle of his father, rebuilt the city, and ordained honors to him as a God and appointed men to have charge of the oracle.

Tradition has also recorded that Ammon had the head of a ram, that in very truth there were little horns on both sides of his temples, and that therefore Dionysus, also being Ammon's son, had the same aspect as his father. And so the tradition has been handed down to succeeding generations of mankind that this God had horns. More often than this, Dionysus was called bull-horned. And in an Olympian ceremonial song dedicated to Hera, Dionysus is summoned in the guise of a bull, described as "raging with bull foot." Walter Burkert notes that Dionysus often appears with bull horns in art and in Kyrios he is depicted in a bull-like form. Burkert also mentions an ancient town where Dionysus, embodied as a young bull, is brutally slaughtered in a sacrifice and sacrilegiously consumed by the Titans.

"I call upon you, blessed, many-named, and frenzied Bacchus, horned, Nannaean, Redeemer, God of the wine press, conceived in fire." Orphic Hymn to Bacchus. Other hymns go on to say that he is "bull-faced." Dionysus may have had origins in Crete, where the sacred bull was especially venerated. "Rural, ineffable, two-form, obscure, torn, ivy-crowned, Euan, pure, bull-faced, marshal, bearer of the vine." Orphic Hymn to Dionysus. Dionysus's most frequent manifestation is as a bull in Greek art and religious symbolism, representing his strength, leadership, fertility, and his overwhelming natural force. His bull-like aspect is often referenced in worship and poetry. Notably, Dionysus and his sacrificial bowls offered in his rites shared a common form. This is evident in Euripides' Bacchae, where the Maenads violently dismember bulls during the ritualistic sparagmos, as recounted by the cowherd. In the case of Pentheus, he perceives Dionysus as a bull. He attempts to bind the stranger but ends up grappling with the bull in the royal stables in the form that Dionysus took on under the influence of madness. The stranger appears to him as a bull.

Some writers of myths, however, relate that there was a second Dionysus who was much earlier in time than the one we have just mentioned. For according to them, there was born of Zeus and Pronoe, Corybant, Dionysus, who is called by some Sabazius, and whose birth and sacrifices and honors are celebrated at night and in secret. They state also that he excelled in sagacity and was the first to attempt the yoking of oxen and by their aid to affect the sewing of seed. This being the reason why they also represent him with bull horns.

Diodorus of Sicily, in another hymn to Dionysus, he is called "the son of dark Isis," which is a reference to Dionysus's dual nature and his connections with both Osiris and Horus. Diodorus, Herodotus, Cicero, and many other ancient accounts agree that Dionysus and Osiris are one and the same God. For "no gods are worshiped by all Egyptians in common except Isis and Osiris, who they say is Dionysus. These are worshiped by all alike. Osiris is in the Greek language Dionysus." Herodotus. During the Hellenistic era, Osiris became Sarapis by adding the Apis bull with Osiris (Osar + Apis = Sarapis). Like Dionysus, Sarapis has his bull form.

Sabazius, one of the many titles of Dionysus, is often linked to a lunar or solar bull. The bull is often depicted on the countless hands of Sabazius iconography, further connecting the bull to Sabazius. To solidify that Sabazius is the bull being sacrificed by Mithras, in the Vatican Museum, a rare sculpture of Sabazius from Phrygia is displayed. The sculpture shows a bust of Sabazius with a Dionysian pine cone in the hand. In front of Sabazius, there is a Mithraic figure in the typical pose from the bull's murder. However, there is no bull; instead, Mithras has stabbed the knife in Sabazius. The expression on Sabazius' face is unambiguous: Sabazius is dying. This, in my opinion, tells us that we should have no doubts: the bull sacrificed by Mithras for the salvation of the world is none other than Sabazius, who is Dionysus. And just as Jesus is the sacrificial lamb, Dionysus is the sacrificial bull.

Agriculture is inaugurated once again by the God as the tale of the collapsing bull turns into ears of grain. Walter Burkert, "The toolum central to the mysteries of the Great Mother and Adonis, which later became synchronized with the Mithraic mysteries in the Roman Imperial cult, had initiates enter a chamber surrounded by Bacchic dancers, flutes, and drums, and the priests would cut the bull, and the blood would drop down into the chamber, and the initiate would then be washed in the blood of the bull, just in the same way the initiates of Christ would become symbolically washed in the blood of the Lamb." The parallels are too striking to ignore.

In fact, in other ancient images of Dionysus, we can see his whole body is like lush grapes, and the same dog and snake seen in the Mithraic images are also seen flanking Dionysus, whose flesh is literal grapes. The dog and the snake from both the painting of Dionysus and the Mithraic taurobolium represent the levels of initiation of the Roman Imperial cult. "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food, and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him." Jesus in John 6:55. Somebody living in the late 1st Century in the Greek-speaking world would immediately hear this and think of the Dionysian imagery, obviously.

In the Eastern realms of the Roman Empire, in Northern Syria, Eastern Turkey, and Persia, the image of the horse rider, the solar hero, and mediator of the Most High God to the goddess Anahita. In the Western realms of Turkey, in Phrygia, and more north in Thrace, similar, almost identical images of the horse rider is Sabazius, also a solar hero, mediator, consort of the Great Mother Cybele. The Thracians give Dionysus the name Sabazios, call the priest Sabios. In another fragment cited by Macrobius, Alexander Polyhistor in the first century BC said that in Thrace, "the son is Apollo and Liber, or Dionysus, are one and the same deity called Sabazios." Macrobius also tells us that both Apollo and Dionysus, who are called the same God, Seas, are also called Iao.

In a passage a couple paragraphs later, also called Cyzius, is born on the winter solstice. This Sabazius was the main consort to the Thracian Great Mother Cotys or Bendis, who is described as a crossover between Cybele, Proserpina, and is called both Virgin and Mother of God. Cyzius is sometimes depicted with three heads, signifying his triad nature, being Zeus, Dionysus, and Helios Apollo in one Godhead. Even farther north, the Dacians and Getae honor the sun as Zalmoxis, who, according to Herodotus, is the only God they worship, but once a mortal man that became deified. And his name Zalmoxis is Thracian for "earthborn," Zile being Earth, and the roots for the name Semele, the mortal mother of Dionysus. This Zalmoxis, who was called Gbeleis in other texts, breaks down in the same way but replaces Semele with G or Cybele. This proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that this is the same God in a different language on a different evolutionary path, but connected deeply through their common Palaeo-Scythian ancestry. In both cases, the Great Mother, mother and consort of the God who is both father and son. This is strikingly similar to Jesus being one with his Father and being born of the Virgin Mother of God.

Keep in mind, we are talking about the same geographical location that the early Christian Church was first shown in the sources: Bithynia, where the first Christians are found singing hymns to the dawn in the passages of Pliny the Younger, and the Seven Churches of Asia in Revelation are in the core region where this Phrygian religion thrived. The question then becomes, did Christianity get influenced by this triad? After the Gospels, or is this baked in the text? It is not clear if Paul's Epistles or the Gospel writers had a Trinitarian Godhead in mind at all, especially one with the Virgin Mary in place of the Holy Spirit, which we see in Eastern Orthodox circles.

In early church texts, the Great Mother of the Son of God, who was depicted as a mortal, or in some cases, the Great Mother who is immortal, either way, in consort or mother of the God who no doubt is depicted in iconography as the horse-riding hero throughout Thrace and Turkey. We see this iconography all over the place, and the Great Mother is the most venerated figure throughout the entire Mediterranean world by the first century, especially after being imported by the Romans. On a prophecy written in the Sibylline Oracles, the same Sibylline Oracles that are later taken over by the Greek Orthodox Christians, the Great Mother of All, this goddess has traces all the way back to the Stone Age. That is correct: Magna Mater, or Cybele, in Phrygia, the very location where Christianity thrives and where we have the most important goddess of arguably all time and most ancient according to any of the sources of antiquity. So famous, in fact, that when she was imported to Rome in 204 BC by the Roman Republic on the orders of the Sibyl, the priests at that time thought she had helped them win wars and conquer the Mediterranean. And being the mother of Augustus, who was prophesied in the Sibyl, being her son, priest of the Mother of the Gods, as he beat his timbrel. "See how a woman's finger sways the world."

The Sibylline Oracles were pagan at this time, but these same exact Sibylline Oracles slowly begin to Christianize and are now even now utilized by the Orthodox Church and were used by the priests to invoke propaganda during the Crusades against Muslims, told to reject Bacchus. These are the same Sibylline Oracles that demanded the Romans to import the Phrygian goddess Cybele, who was renamed Magna Mater, and they went to war against Mithridates VI. This may be controversial to many Christians, but I don't care because it's true. You can read the Sibylline Oracles in James Charlesworth's *Pseudepigrapha*, see for yourself how the pagan Sibylline Oracles slowly go from purely pagan to being slightly Judaized and then becoming purely Christian. This is what possibly led to the concept of Mother Mary, Mother of God. Magna Mater was called Mother of the Gods long before Mary was called Mother of God. Common folk who normally are mixing religions, as we can see in the Greek Magical Papyri, would have easily identified Virgin Mother Mary with Virgin Magna Mater. It was then most likely established by Orthodoxy over time that Mary, the Mother of God, sneakily and stealthily replaced the role of Magna Mater, and this Mother Mary iconography was everywhere.

Mary, the Mother of God, was even prayed to. Some early Christian tombstones don't even have the name Jesus or Christ or even God on them. "Holy Virgin Drew with her hands from a fountain, and this faith ever gives to its friends to eat, having wine of great virtue and giving it mingled with bread." This Christian gravestone, this early saint from Cappadocia, says no mention of the word Christ, Jesus, Father, or God, but there is a holy virgin in a Dionysian imagery of a Eucharist, bread and wine. Paul's letters and the early Gospels show no signs of anyone praying to Mary, so this idea can't be native to Judeo-Christian theology. It must have been imported from the local region of Magna Mater worship.

In fact, the Dionysian-Sabellian imagery found in this region is through the roof, showing transitional fossils, in my opinion, from the Phrygian to the Christian religion. The gods Sabazius and Mithras both are commonly depicted in identical ways as horse riders in Persia and Armenia, as well as in Syria and Lebanon. We can see Mithras riding the horse, wearing his Phrygian hat, holding a spear, flanked by an eagle and a snake and a dog. This identical image is also present with Sabazius, who we have already established is a distant avatar of the god Dionysus.

From the East, in the regions of Cappadocia, Macedonia, Thrace, Bithynia, Caria, Ionia, Thessaly, and even some parts of Northern and Central Greece, the horse-riding savior, flanked by his eagle, holding his spear, stomping on a snake, and dominating the region. But it goes even deeper, as I mentioned, farther north, past the Bosporus and beyond Thrace, in Macedonia, is Zalmoxis' territory, whose name, according to Aristotle and a few other ancient Greek writers, means "Semele's son," making him a northern rendering of the god Dionysus. He is riding the horse, flanked by a bird, holding a spear, and stomping and stabbing a serpent or a dragon. Zalmoxis being the son of the Dacian goddess named Zile, whose name is the Dacian Gaia or Earth, proves without a shadow of a doubt that Zalmoxis is the Cathic solar Dionysus, born from the Earth goddess.

In Lithuania, a god named Zhelus is the son of the Sky Father King and Earth Mother Goddess Queen, depicted as a fruit-bearing ram or lamb that brought wine and fruits for humanity, further establishing that this God is none other than a distant cousin of the great God Dionysus. Down in the southern regions of Syria, the same image is used for Mithras riding a horse, holding a spear, flanked by a bird of some kind. This image being the archetype for the savior hero archetype. Mithras, rather than slaying the bull, is the sea-so the horse rider, showing that these phases of the sun and moon are interchangeable throughout lands, culture, geography, language, and purpose.

The very image of the horse rider with the spear and the eagle became the blueprint for St. George, the early Christian saint who slays the serpent with his spear and rides on a horse. But there is an undeniable reason why this image of the horse rider is Dionysian and not just a coincidence of two similar-looking images. What if I told you that this image of St. George killing the dragon, the very medieval image that *The Lord of the Rings* and countless other popular motifs is modeled after, is none other than an image modeled off an even older image that is purely Dionysian?

As I have shown, St. Demetrius of Thessalonica is a horse-riding hero whose name means "deer's son" in Greek, and he is also depicted as the horse rider, holding the spear like Sabazius, Zalmoxis, and Mithras before him. Church fathers of the 7th Century claim that St. Demetrius, during the 5th Century, was the final inherant of the Eleusinian Mysteries, a religion that is central to Dionysus. The legend states that the goddess Demeter, who is sometimes considered as a consort to Dionysus, visited Demetrius in a dream and told him to worship Christ and transfer her rites onto Christ. An ancient Orthodox Church still stands today where the Eleusinian Mysteries once stood: St. Demetrius' Church, one of the biggest churches that stood in the ancient Roman world besides the Hagia Sophia and a couple others.

Some sources suggest that the last inherant of the Eleusinian Mysteries at the time of Theodosius in 475 was also a level seven Potter of the Mithraic Mysteries. This horse rider God hero is seen everywhere. In Dura-Europos, Mithras is seen as the horse rider who triumphs over the elements of chaos and is the hero who saves mankind. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of images of Mithras as the horse rider are found all throughout Mesopotamia, the Mediterranean, and in Europe. They were even found on Roman coins from the Severan Dynasty, and these images are interchangeable with Mithras slaying the bull.

There is, of course, Jesus as the horse rider, which may very well be also influenced by these horse rider hero depictions, but not an iconography within the book Revelation. "Now I saw in heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on him is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called the Word of God (Logos of God). And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations, and He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."

One can argue that this Dionysian imagery in the text itself, with him treading the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God, in fact, the words in Greek *theou oinou pontou* (wine of the god Pontos), Phrygian titles all over the place in this passage itself. Also, the horse rider, just like we see with Zalmoxis, Mithras, and other Phrygian imagery. In the same way, Seasos being slain as the bull, Christ was slain on the cross, but Sabazius is also the horse rider, so he is triumphant and is also slain, showing two different cosmic visions of this God. The name written on his thigh, "King of Kings and Lord of Lords," gives me the image of Dionysus being in the thigh of his father Zeus.

What makes this text so intriguing to this discussion is that it is written and set in Western Turkey, the island of Patmos, by John, the very region whose writing to the Seven Churches of Asia in Western Turkey, the very region where this iconography of Sabazius and Mithras are depicted as horse riders slaying dragons and being flanked by angels in the heavens. Sometimes the depiction is of the Invincible Son on a chariot. This image of Mithras-Cybele flanked by an eagle, riding the horse, holding the spear, slaying a dragon or serpent, and often times with a solar halo on his head as the Invincible Son. This is a specific image that can also be seen previously with Zalmoxis, who, like I said, is Semele's son, who we already demonstrated is basically the God Dionysus by the Dacians, and his iconography also holding a spear, flanked by an eagle, killing a dragon or a serpent, and is triumphant over nature. But this God is rooted in the more ancient Sabazius, long before the birth of Greek Dionysus. Another Dionysus was born to Zeus and Pronoe, who some people have called Sabazius, celebrated his birth with secret sacrifices at night. This Sabazius, who is Dionysus, is also depicted with the same spear, same eagle, killing the same snake. This very model that the Christians in the 5th Century use to depict St. George, as well as St. Demetrius, and possibly even Jesus in Revelation.

Demetrius of Thessalonica, who also is a horse-riding hero, who I mentioned was the last priest for Demeter, the grain goddess, also religion central to Dionysus. This grain goddess, mother Demeter, the female counterpart to the vine god Dionysus, who visits Demetrius in a dream, tells him to close down the Temple of Eleusis but to reapply the rites that were central to Dionysus. Kore, or Virgin, and Demeter, which was the rituals of the secret Mysteries that involved a Eucharist, a drink made from wine and grain, blood and bread of Dionysus and Demeter. It is also reported by Demosthenes that the rites of Eleusis were brought from Phrygian rites of Saba, or what is known as the rites of Sabazius, and the Great Mother. Baptisms were involved, and those who drank from the cup of Kykeon were taken over by the God and saved from death. An undeniable salvation cult, which was so famous that Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Cleopatra, Julia Adna, Caesar, Alexander the Great, Olympias, and even kings from India came to be saved by the God Dionysus by taking part in his Eucharist and being initiated. If this does not show you the close proximity between the Eleusinian Mysteries and Christianity, then I think you are just not immersed in the history or the primary text and are too stuck in a "Bible bubble land," trying everything in your dogmatic power to make Judeo-Christianity into some pure religion that has no influences from any of the "dirty pagan religions."

As a Zalmoxis professor, Hans Kof, also a classical philologist who wrote extensively on this subject, has declared that St. Demetrius inherits his role from dying Isis and the pagan goddess Demeter. After the demise of the Eleusinian Mysteries, Dionysus and Demeter's cult in the 4th Century, and the Greek rural population had gradually transferred her rights and roles of the most famous universal religion of Eleusis in Athens onto the Christian St. Demetrius. And this wasn't just some random thing either. Famous legends were written by Christians in this time period, making Demetrius into a miracle wonder-working saint. And in some legends, the goddess Demeter, in the form of an angel, came to Demetrius in his sleep and told him to worship Christ, who is the true God. And if you know anything about the religion surrounding Dionysus, Demeter telling someone to worship Christ is almost exactly what Demeter would tell to ancient pagans to do for Dionysus. This is just a fact. The legend of St. Demetrius makes Christ into the new Dionysus. And like St. Demetrius and St. George, there are countless saints that replace the pagan heroes of the old pagan religion. For example, St. Soan, which means "Saint Savior," whose meekness becomes a model to live after. And even as obvious as Saint Orpheus, who plays the lyre like Orpheus from Greek mythology and had the power to play music that was so heavenly and beautiful that it can cure sins and cause the wicked to stop sinning. Follow Christ. In the midst of Orpheus was also a Thracian bard from the region that Zalmoxis and Sabazius was worshiped and was also the high priest of Dionysus and the...

Son of Apollo, who had the power to perform music that was so beautiful that it could heal the sick and make animals peaceful and come to listen to him.

As I've mentioned many times in this channel, St. Clement of Alexandria, who used Bacchic imagery inverted to portray Christ as the vine, but made Dionysus into the devil. But also called Christ the new Orpheus, singing the song of Salvation. Christ was depicted in early Christian catacombs as a new Orpheus. In some of these catacombs, they even have Orpheus himself playing the lyre. Christ can also be seen as the Good Shepherd, shown like Orpheus, surrounded by animals, but holding his cross rather than the lyre.

Some of the earliest Christian mosaics portray Christ in the same way as other mosaics portray Orpheus. Orpheus was written about by Alexandrian Jews speaking Greek in the first century before Christ as a prophet of God who revealed the future. Orus, known as the Logos, in whose texts were known as Apocalypses or Revelations, was a part of the Greek-speaking Jewish culture at the time when Christ was becoming known.

Those are just a few examples. The image of the phoenix, the ancient symbol of death and resurrection, as most people don't know, was for a long time a pagan symbol that was repurposed as a symbol for Christ's nature of dying and resurrecting. But the true origins and context behind the phoenix was a Bacchic symbol of transformation and metamorphosis that Prometheus and Dionysus alone had the power to bestow on mortals who were in need of salvation from a bad destiny. Most who know ancient Greek mythology know that bad destiny was only shifted by Dionysus or Prometheus, who can alter the course of actions either by madness or by stealing fire. Bacchus was the main god who dies, turns to ashes, and rises into a new god. Dionysus was the main god who dies, turns to ashes, and rises into a new god. The symbol of the phoenix.

Clement of Rome, in the first century, one of the oldest Christian texts that we have, writes about the phoenix in his letter and tells the same phoenix mythology for Christ as was once told for Dionysus and Prometheus.

"In this woman as fair as a goddess, mix them a mess of Phrygian wine, Dionysus' blood. She grated goat's milk cheese into it with a bronze grater, threw in a handful of white barley meal, deer's body. And having thus prepared the mess, she bade them to drink." - Homer, Iliad.

"The body of Christ and the blood of the Eucharist is the Kukeon. Cersei brought them in and made them sit on chairs and seats, and made for them a potion of cheese and barley meal, deer's body, and yellow honey with Phrygian wine, Dionysus' blood. But in the food she mixed painful drugs that they might utterly forget their native land." - Homer, Odyssey.

You see the imagery of the Eucharist in the texts of Homer. "The Meter offered Deiter a cup, having filled it with honey, sweet wine, Dionysus' blood. But she refused, saying that it was divinely ordained that she not drink red wine. Then Deiter ordered Meter to mix some barley, deer's body, and water with delicate peony and give it to Deiter, that potion to drink. So Meter made the Kukeon, Deiter, and Dionysus, and offered it to the goddess just as she had ordered it." - Homer's Hymn to Demeter.

Around the year 200 BCE, less than a century after the so-called translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek, known as the Septuagint, many Greek-speaking Jews who already were living in Egypt and traveling to Cyprus, Crete, and Cilicia, and Greek culture and Jewish culture was beginning to mix. Antiochus III the Great, who assumed the title of Great King, a traditional title of the ancient Persians, that put him in direct conflict with the Roman Republic, which was at that time the hegemon of the entire Mediterranean world and had the Macedonian King Perseus under house arrest. The last king of the Macedonians, in an attempt to restructure the power that Rome had already accumulated, Antiochus attempted to get King Perseus of Macedon to align with his Seleucid Empire, and he even attempted to make alliances with Mithridates III of Pontus in Turkey through a marriage, as well as Hannibal, the famous Carthaginian, who is still alive in spite of losing wars to Scipio and Rome. And thus did all this in order to regain hegemony on the Mediterranean by the Seleucid kingdom over the Romans and Ptolemies in Egypt, but was eventually unsuccessful.

These events lay the backdrop for the events that went down in the biblical Book of Daniel. The reason why I bring all this up is because all of the religions of these kingdoms were Dionysian to the core, and what we would call religious is synonymous with Dionysian. The following events, in my opinion, is what led to the rise of Christianity. Please try to follow along with me for a moment. This may get confusing at times.

In 192 BC, Antiochus led an invasion into Greece with an army of 10,000 soldiers and was appointed as the Supreme Military Leader of the Achaean League. Keep in mind, the Greeks under King Perseus were just a puppet army for the Roman Republic at the time, and the Achaean League was a scattered confederation of city-states consisting of Athens, Corinth, Delos, and other places in the Balkans that were anti-Roman and pro-Seleucid Greek. However, in 191 BC, the Roman forces led by Manius Labo decisively defeated Antiochus at Thermopylae, compelling him to retreat to Asia Minor and forced him to give up all his naval ships and trade routes to the point of the eventual collapse of the Seleucids within a century.

The Romans, capitalizing on their victory, proceeded to invade Anatolia. The critical triumph of Scipio Asiaticus, the Battle of Magnesia and Sipylus in 190, coupled with Hannibal's naval defeat near Sidon, resulted in Asia Minor falling under Roman control. Following these events, the Treaty of Apamea was signed in 188 BC. Under this treaty, Antiochus gave up the control of the territories north and west of the Taurus Mountains, which the Roman Republic then distributed mostly to its allies, Rhodes and Attalus II of Pergamon, while many Greek cities gained independence but with paying reverence and taxes to Rome. This agreement significantly weakened the Seleucid Greek Empire, prompting distant provinces previously claimed by Antiochus to declare their independence. Antiochus III embarked on another campaign in Luristan in the East, but his life ended in 187 BCE while he was looting the Temple of Bel in Susa, Persia.

As a major result of this defeat of the Eastern Greeks, who at this time were in possession of all of Syria and Judea, 2 million Jewish refugees to Pergamon, Cappadocia, Phrygia, Kia, and Byzantium were sent as refugees, which is what I was telling the story for, and even as far as Thrace. Jewish refugees. The reason why this is such a big deal for this video is due to the cultural ramifications of this event. On one hand, a Dionysian Phrygian religion of the Phrygians and Cappadocians is already dominant in the region. On the other hand, millions of Jews are now settling in large urban areas controlled by Rome, but culturally Greek, who worship Dionysus, etc.

In my opinion, this is how we get Christianity. Just as millions of Jews are taken to Alexandria by Ptolemy in 300 BC after he wins a major war at Gaza against Demetrius, we also see millions of Jews being relocated to Asia Minor, and the result is cultural fusion of these people in these regions.

Cybele and Dionysus, two gods who are often synced by Greco-Roman writers, are competing with Yahweh as the philosophy of Platonism and Stoicism began to influence theologians simultaneously, making the backdrop or soil for Christian theology to sprout from. This does not mean that Jesus did not exist, that his ideas are not his, but it does tell us a lot about the culture in which the Gospels are being written under.

To make this more apparent, Paul, who's from Tarsus, the port city of Cilicia, which was also at one point the capital of the Mithraic pirates defeated by Pompey, which is where Egyptians from Alexandria and Greeks from Asia Minor traded daily back and forth, and was a culturally rich city that blended Mithraic, Dionysian, and Jewish under Roman control, a place where Paul was from.

In my opinion, this is how the Bacchic religion of Sabazius became the religion of Theos Hypsos, God Most High, the first major monotheistic religion of Greek paganism. In fact, Hypsistarians, as they called themselves, Sabinians in Corinth, a few of these tablets list the members of more exclusive groups that call themselves worshippers of Theos, God Most High, Sabinians of Theos Hypsos. The term "Sainoi" is used in the New Testament to describe a group of Judaizing pagans, but it is used more widely in the Greek world to refer to worship or reverence without any special technical meaning. The word can break down into "seomenoi," which shows relations to Sabazius, possibly through the root word "seo," which means "revered one." They practiced Orphic religion with Neo-Pythagorean philosophical doctrines, Middle Platonist leanings, which include Stoicism and philosophical forms of the Good. They worshiped one God who seems to transcend all time and space, but allowed for this one, or monad, to reveal itself through a Logos.

The word "Eucharist" itself is not a Hebrew or Jewish concept. It breaks down to "eu" meaning good and "charis" meaning grace. It is a common word throughout Greek literature for giving thanks to the gods. The god Mithras, who I already mentioned, is shown to have much overlap with the Dionysian and is known to have given Eucharist involving bread and wine long before Christianity was even in existence. And even in contemporary sources, the Mithraic and Dionysian Eucharist were so common that we can find traces of them in the archaeology across the entire Roman Empire. My point being is that not one religion owns this or deserves a patent for it. It is just a part of religious observance across the board, just like frankincense and myrrh, even if they have a fake folk etymology found in the Bible which are proven to be false. We can find sources that predate these texts that use these words.

Cappadocians, the Eastern neighbors to the Bacchic Phrygians, were always in close proximity to the Armenians, Caucasians, Persians, as well as the Cilician pirates below them, who are followers of the Zenonists and the Goths, written by Zosimus. These very Cappadocians are the mixing pot of these religions that eventually lead to Christianity. Cappadocian Church Fathers are very influential later on, and they seem to be able to absorb a wide-ranging amount of philosophical and mystical doctrine that become entwined. I think it is highly probable that these are the very intellectuals who are able to find a middle ground between the Western Dionysian and the Eastern Mazdaean thinking. The Hypsos, influenced by Ahura Mazda from Zeus Sabazios, Dionysian Zeus, is the evolution of a god via the vehicle of Platonic thought that brings about the doctrine of the One or Monad.

Hypsistarians are a highly advanced Greek-speaking pagan-Jewish syncretic religion that arose around the first century BC of the Common Era, congruent with Christianity, and in many cases overlap with Christianity. It is related in several sources, such as Gregory of Nyssa or Gregory of Nazianzus, that these groups are in close proximity to Christianity, and both are borrowing philosophically from each other. These Hypsistarians, with their core roots in the Dionysian, worshiped one God and one God only: Theos Hypsos, God Most High, also called Zeus Hypsos, and in some cases Sabazius Hypsos. This God gets his theology from Pythagorean and Platonic principles, such as we see with Judeo-Christianity. He is outside space and time, he is in control of the cosmos, and his inheritors are saved by being initiated into his cult. They reject idolatry, practice piety, honest living, humility, and are god-fearing.

Professor John Claussen Borg points out that both Christian assemblies and Hypsistarian assemblies are almost identical in the way that they run their cults. Dionysian elements are apparent within both cults as well. An inscription in pre-Christian Nicaea reads: "Iao, Ang, Pr, Tai, OD, Erga, Gyai, for the Great Heavenly God Most High, Theos Hypsos, and His Holy Angels, and for His prayer house for worshiping where His deeds are done." The imagery can't get more Judeo-Christian than that. Theos Hypsos, which means God Most High, is the same title used in the Bible to describe God in the Old and New Testament. Pontokrator and Kosmokrator are also titles given to this God. They worship this God with no images, and they believe him to be supreme, require no circumcision, and do not require Jewish law to be necessary for salvation, especially circumcision. He is flanked by his angels. This makes it even more intriguing that it is found in this exact same location that Christianity arose from. Remember, Christianity is not a Jewish religion from Israel, but more of a Greek religion from the region of Asia Minor where the inscription is found, hence the Seven Churches of Asia and Pergamum, Ephesus, and Constantinople being the capital of the Christian world.

But what does this have to do with Dionysus, you ask? Hypsos, God Most High, is a title that is commonly used for both Yahweh in the Old Testament, as well as Zeus Arrenos, but also Dionysus, Apollo, and Zalmoxis, the various sun gods, and especially the Persian Ahura Mazda. But with all those titles out of the way, Jesus is called Kosmokrator and Hypsos, titles that are also applied to Theos Hypsos. Theos Hypsos, which means God Most High, is a common title for the God of the Hebrew Bible, along with El Elyon in Hebrew, but it also becomes the main name of the Platonic Good, the monotheistic God of the Monoplatonic period that combines Stoicism and Platonism. Theos Hypsos replaces the name of the Dionysian god Sabazius over time, when religion dominated by Platonism begins to replace revelry and mania with piety and humility.

To show how this is the case, Sabazius was also called Hypsos for most of his existence, and in Asia Minor, especially the regions of Phrygia and Cappadocia, Sabazius Hypsos is slowly becoming only called Zeus Hypsos or Theos Hypsos. Sabazius is the rendering of the cathartic nightly, while Zeus is the Hypsos being the highest. Sabazius' hands are a relic, like the tribolos and the crucifix. The hand of Sabazius becomes a magic icon for the god. The hand of Sabazius, the oldest known image of what became in Latin is the benedictio latina gesture, as we can see here: thumb up, two fingers up, two fingers down, very specific hand gesture. Noticing the hands always depict the dragon who sits in its roots in Hades and reaches the heavens. The mother giving birth to the child at the winter solstice, the beginning of time and the birth of the divine child, is the first hand. The second hand representing springtime, which is the lunar month of the lunar bowl, which is the time for plants and flowers to bloom. The third hand of Sabazius, the solar month, the month of heat.

It is almost undeniable that the early depictions of Jesus are using the same Roman benedictio latina gesture, which was originally an ancient Bacchic image from 500 BC, as we can see. This is used by royals, not just cultists. Here is Augustus, who was also initiated into the Eleusinian mysteries of Dionysus and Demeter, waving this symbol of peace to the people. This is the original image of that hand gesture, and it is purely Dionysian. Early images of Jesus show him with this hand symbol. The name Sabazius means free or peace, and Thracian and Phrygian, probably due to the interlocking of people having freedom during times of peace. The words "Theosebes," that is used in Paul to refer to god-fearers, as I already mentioned, has "sebes" rooted in there, the core religious cultic term of being free, holy, peaceful, and in the grace of the gods.

Sabazius is often pictured with animal and bird figures, such as a turtle, a frog, a bee, a lizard, an owl. And elsewhere on the hand are shown as a scarab. We also find the eagle of Zeus, which later becomes the standalone image used for Theos Hypsos, God Most High, in Greco-Jewish syncretic circles of Asia Minor. This same eagle symbol, which frequently surmounts Sabazius' extended index and middle fingers, perching on a thunderbolt on the bronze hands, which shows Sabazius is associated with Zeus, just as he is with Dionysus, making him a god, the father, and the sun godhead. A series of musical instruments, like the sistrum of Isis, a symbol or two symbols, a double flute, Pan pipes, and the lyre of Apollo, are found on some examples. A few hands have on the wrist a semicircular cavern enclosing the figure of a reclining mother nursing her child, the divine child image, which is present in the Gospel of Luke. Sabazius is associated with Mercury, who is called the Logos, the word of God, long before Jesus. Not less than 12 of the known hands are decorated with busts or heads of this god Mercury, possibly acting as the Logos or word of Sabazius, like his angel or messenger, wearing the winged sandals in addition to his winged staff of Caduceus, which shows Sabazius as a god of the afterlife and salvation from death.

Sabazius, the Eastern Dionysus from Phrygia and Cappadocia, began to evolve with the times. The religion of Sabazius was commonly equated with the title "Deisidaimonia," a term that means "religious feeling," which is also a term that was commonly used in close proximity to the term "Theosebes" or "god-fear." Theos Hypsos, which means God Most High, is also a term associated with Theosebes and Deisidaimonia. So, over time, these terms became synonymous with each other, meaning god-fearers or religious feeling, and a religious movement of piety and devotion to the Most High became a popular movement in a world of mystery schools and religious circles.

Zoroastrianism, through the Cappadocians and Armenians of Armenia, was a religion that held these principles central to its tenets. Very soon, Bakerans began to call themselves Magi. Fire veneration became a central doctrine among its adherents. It wasn't long before Judeo-Christian principles made their way into the fold. Finally, at the last stage of this religion's evolution was the mingling with the newly acquired migrants from Judea that were removed from Antiochus III around 200 BC, as well as the Jewish diaspora from 70 AD and Bar Kokhba in 135 AD, due to the total annihilation of the Temple of Jerusalem and the last wave of wars waged by Hadrian that brought many Jews to Pergamon, who, like the Jews before them, began to assimilate to the culture of the region. Many of these poor, down on their luck, were receptive to the idea of a Messiah who would come to bring revenge and peace to the world.

This is the perfect location for Christianity to grow out of, between the Bacchic salvation of Eleusinus, Mithraic magic of cosmic justice, and the promise of a divine savior hero, a Christ, or an anointed one. Asia Minor became the hotspot for religious syncretism and reform that was right for the growth of a Christian religion that opposed the Imperial cult, like many countercultures throughout history. And thus it became that people were sold immediately to this promise of salvation and took no time for someone like Constantine to move the capital from Rome to Constantinople, where the cultural capital was.

The promise of a savior king that would enter Jerusalem on a donkey would sound familiar to the Greek ear, as they would know about Dionysus, the promised savior entering Athens, or in some cases, Thebes, on a donkey in his triumphal entry, surrounded by his disciples of satyrs and maenads.

Play the music while he makes his triumphal entry. This is exactly the kind of interpretatio Graeca, translation, which is interpretation by means of Greek models, the tendency of the ancient Greeks and Romans to identify foreign deities with their own gods. Plutarch, in the early 2nd century, identifies Dionysus with Yahweh, saying they are the same God. Yaho, even the Chaldean Oracles called Dionysus by the name of Yaho. This would lead to the author of the Gospel of John to rewrite the synoptics into a Dionysian tragedy, as laid out by Dennis McDonald and the Ionian Gospel, and create a story of Christ called the True Vine, not the false one. Christ becomes the new Dionysus of salvation, and Dionysus becomes the Antichrist and the horned devil, leading the impure satyrs, who literally become the image of the demon, showing that even a polemic this strong against the old ways of paganism can have such a lasting effect that the core imagery still exists. And that is how the Dionysian religion influenced Christianity. You have just attained truth.