Apomyios

Apomyios ( ancient Greek Ἀπόμυιος , "the fly repeller") is an epiclesis of the Greek god Zeus .

A cult of Zeus Apomyios is only known from the Zeus sanctuary Olympia , where a bull sacrifice was made to him every year to keep the flies away from the Altis . Pausanias reports on the origin of the cult that once Heracles wanted to offer a sacrifice in Olympia, but was harassed by mosquitoes . He therefore directed his sacrifice to Zeus Apomyios, whereupon the mosquitoes withdrew to the other side of the Alpheios . In order to burn the victim, the Eleans are said to have used only the wood of the white poplar , as Herakles is said to have imported this tree from Thesprotia .

Representations of Zeus Apomyios are not known, but Zeus coins were found in Olympia, on the lapel of which a swarm of mosquitoes is depicted next to the thunderbolt. The statement that the function of Zeus as a “fly repeller”, revered only in Olympia, appears as a motif on Elee coins, is taken as a strong indication that the coins from Elis are primarily temple coins from Olympia.

According to Clemens of Alexandria , the epiclesis in Rome was used for Heracles, who was sacrificed as a fly repeller together with the fever god Pyretus and the god of fear Phobos .

literature

Georg Wentzel : Apomyios . In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume II, 1, Stuttgart 1895, Col. 171.

Remarks

↑ Jon D. Mikalson: Ancient Greek Religion . John Wiley & Sons, 2009. ISBN 140518177X , p. 110.
^ Pausanias 5:14 , 1.
↑ Pausanias 5:14 , 2.
^ Charles T. Seltman: The Temple Coins of Olympia. Bowes & Bowes, Cambridge 1921. p. 52.
^ Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation to the Gentiles 2, 38, 4.

[1] Jon D. Mikalson: Ancient Greek Religion . John Wiley & Sons, 2009. ISBN 140518177X , p. 110.

[2] Pausanias 5:14 , 1.

[3] Pausanias 5:14 , 2.

[4] Charles T. Seltman: The Temple Coins of Olympia. Bowes & Bowes, Cambridge 1921. p. 52.

[5] Clement of Alexandria, Exhortation to the Gentiles 2, 38, 4.