The Pantheon of Palmyra (Education and Society in the Middle Ages and Renaissance)

The author, a well-known scholar in the field of Semitic epigraphy, presents in this book his general view of Palmyrene religion, based mainly on a thorough knowledge and close reading of Palmyrene inscriptions. In a preface he expounds his religio-historical and theological views of the many names and epithets of the gods in relation to divine reality. In his opinion the many divine names describe concrete situations in which the believer experienced a personal and unique relationship to the deities and are, therefore, the genuine expression of a popular piety, to which mystery was a common experience of daily life. The monograph supposes a more than superficial knowledge of Near Eastern culture and history in general and of Palmyrene culture in particular, since it does not give a historical and cultural context in which the religious phenomena function and find their background. The author does not present all available inscriptions and other sources that might be relevant; rather, he selects from among them to support his expositions. The presentation mingles philological notes and commentaries with religio-historical interpretations, very much as J. T. Milik did in Dédicaces faites par des dieux (Paris, 1972). Teixidor's book, therefore, is the product of a specialist intended for other specialists. However, it would be preferable to present first all available sources, inscriptions, reliefs and statues, archeological monuments and the tesserae in a diachronical disposition in order to provide a solid base for a religio-historical reconstruction of Palmyra's pantheon and cultic practices. I. The Cult Of The Supreme God -- Bel -- Bell/bel Hamon And Manawat -- Baal Shamin-durahlun -- Poseidon -- Ii. The Cult Of The Sun And The Moon At Palmyra -- Yarhibol -- Aglibol And Malakbel: The Moon God And The Sun God -- Iii. The Goddess Of Palmyra And Her Associate -- Allat -- Rahim -- Shamash And His Astral Companions -- Atargatis -- Iv. Tutelary Deities -- Ginnaye -- Abgal -- Maan And Saad -- Ashar -- Slmn And Slmt -- Shai'al Qaum -- The Gad Taimi -- The Gad Of Tadmor -- The Gad Of Dura-europos -- The Gad Of The Village -- V. Oriental Deities -- Sadrafa -- Nebo -- Herta And Nanai; Nergal -- Vi. The Anonymous God -- A Cultic Formula. Javier Teixidor. Includes Indexes. Bibliography: P. Xi-xix. I. The Cult of Supreme God II. The Cult of the Sun and the Moon at Palmyra III. The Goddess of Palmyra and Her Associates IV. Tutelary Deities V. Oriental Deities VI. The Anonimous God