Читать книгу The Herodotus Encyclopedia - Группа авторов - Страница 282

BRUCE LINCOLN

University of Chicago

An Arabian goddess Herodotus identified with Uranian APHRODITE. According to him, she formed a couple with the god OROTALT (= DIONYSUS), these being the only deities worshipped by the ARABIANS. He further details their patronage of OATH rituals (3.8). Elsewhere, he identifies Alilat with the Assyrian MYLITTA and Persian MITRA (1.131.3). The name ‘al‐Lāt, a contracted form of Arabic ‘al‐’ilāt (“the goddess”) is attested in pre‐Islamic inscriptions in North Arabia, Palmyra, Edessa, Dura Europus, and among the Nabataeans, as well as in the Quran (Sura 53:19). While textual evidence is sparse, Krone (1992) argues that iconographic representations emphasize the goddess’ erotic and aggressive character, while also showing associations to the planet Venus. Corrente (2013) concurs, but thinks Herodotus described a specifically Nabataean divine couple.

SEE ALSO: Ethnography; Religion, Herodotus’ Views on