Arsu
Arsu is a god who was worshiped in ancient times , especially in Palmyra , but also in other places in the Middle East . Arsu, who is called Ares in Greek inscriptions in Palmyra , is mentioned in various inscriptions that show that a temple was dedicated to him in the city, which was one of the four most important places of worship in the city.
Arsu is mostly depicted as a camel rider and a soldier and is closely related to the god Azizu , who was seen as his brother. On the ceiling in the city's great Ba'al temple, it appears as a planet orbiting Jupiter / Baal. Azizu was seen as the morning star , Arsu as the evening star . Both deities exercised functions as protective deities. The God couple is also attested from other places, often with slightly different names. In Edessa he was called Monimos, but also appears here on the side of Azizu.
literature
- Finn Ove Hvidberg-Hansen: 'Arsu and' Azizu A Study of the West Semitic "Dioscuri" and the Cods of Dawn and Dusk (= Historiske-filosofiske Meddelelser. Volume 97). Selskab 2007, ISBN 978-87-7304311-0 .