Research context
In 332 BC, when Alexander the Great conquered Egypt, the divine family of Isis and Osiris was still worshiped throughout the country, especially in the Delta region, where the new rulers, the Ptolemies, settled. The latter undertook various reforms to be accepted by the local population and especially by the influential priests of Osiris and Ptah in Memphis and of Amun in Thebes. Very soon Ptolemy I Soter (323–282 BC) and his advisers realized the need to change the structure of the divine family to adapt to the new political situation. Thus was created the new divine family of Isis, in which Osiris was replaced by Sarapis and Horus by Harpocrates.
The newly formed “Greco-Egyptian” family was not very well received in Egypt, but it quickly found its way through the Greek cities in the Eastern Mediterranean. The first sanctuaries of Isis and Sarapis appeared in Piraeus, Eretria and Halicarnassus. Ptolemy I Soter himself pursued a policy in which he wanted to show that he still had claims to the lands of his ancestors. He gave his daughter Arsinoe II to Lysimachus, the newly proclaimed king of Thrace. Most likely, their wedding was strengthened by certain benefits that lead to the permanent presence of the Ptolemies in southern Thrace. That situation continued during the entire 3rd century BC and without doubt was a prerequisite for trade and cultural exchange. One of the most visible remnants of this presence was the penetration of Egyptian cults into the Thracian religious space. There were two main hypotheses about their penetration in Thrace – by Ptolemaic propaganda for supremacy in the area or4 by trade ties and cultural exchange. Modern research shows that neither hypothesis is definite and that the diffusion of Egyptian cults into Thrace was nuanced and due to various factors. In the first place, it is extremely important to determine whether there was an initial penetration of the cult of Isis Pelagia “Isis of the Sea”, i.e. Isis, who was not part of the “divine couple”, as was the case in other areas of the Aegean.
The imposition of Roman rule in the Thracian lands reflected as well in the spread of Egyptian cults. According to some research, this happened during the time of Antoninus Pius (138–161 AD) and Marcus Aurelius (161–180 AD)7, i.e. relatively late compared to the other Roman provinces. In fact, according to the latest research, Isiac cults were already worshipped in the Roman Empire during the time of the Flavians (69–96 AD). The large cities of the Roman provinces began to issue coins with images of Egyptian deities in unison with the central government. However, the question arises about the degree of acceptance of Isiac cults by the local population. Our study of the monuments of Serdica showed that the cult of Isiac deities was not exclusively imperial and limited to the minting of coins as part of provincial policy.
Even more obscure was the end of Isiac cults in the Thracian lands. We know that the latest dated inscription associated with them comes from Rome of 25 May 390 AD. Two years later, the great temple of Sarapis in Alexandria disappeared in flames, and with it the long history of Isiac cults in the Greco-Roman world.
Research objectives
There are five main research objectives in the present research. The first one is related to the chronological identification and differentiation of the individual areas of distribution of Isiac cults in Hellenistic Thrace. The second goal of the scientific project is related to the analysis of the sources from the Hellenistic period (3rd – 1st c. BC) and an attempt to reconstruct the initial spread of the Isiac cults in Thrace. When did it happen and is there a preliminary penetration of the independent cult of the goddess Isis Pelagia “Isis of the Sea”? The third goal of the project is to study the spread of Isiac cults in the Thracian lands after the imposition of Roman rule (1st – 4th century AD). It is important to find out exactly when they find their way to the Thracian hinterland. The fourth goal of the project is to study separately the different cities of the Roman era in which there were Isiac cults and to determine, as far as possible, their significance for the local population but also who were the adepts of the Egyptian Gods in Ancient Thrace. The fifth goal of the scientific investigation is to draw a parallel between the Isiac cults in Thrace and those in the Macedonia and Dacia as these territories developed in a parallel way.
The implementation of a comprehensive study of Egyptian cults in ancient Thrace will significantly expand our knowledge of local beliefs during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. The study of the source base will show the mechanisms of penetration, the extent of their spread and their interaction with the already practiced cults of the local population.
