Allat Goddess worship in Syria during the Hellenistic and Roman period

Abstract

The article studies the worship of the Allat Goddess in Syria during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. It traces the roots of her worship in the region, its relationship and development with local deities, and then the flourishing of its worship in classical times and its merging, like the rest of the local deities with the gods from Greece during the Hellenistic era. It also traces her symbols, qualities and functions during these two eras, as well as the features of her representation on stone carvings, coins and Tessera. The Article also discuss her existence in ancient writings like Safaitic, Palmyrian and Nabataean inscriptions, and traces its places of worship, especially with the flourishing of her worship in southern Syria - Bosra and Salkhad - and in Palmyra and Dura-Europos, where they built temples in her honor. The article also compares these different representations of her and analyzes the local characteristics of her and their reflection in the sculptures, the method of sculpting, and the extent to which she preserved her local symbols despite her integration with the Greek goddess Athena.