Serapis
Graeco-Egyptian syncretic god, popularized by Ptolemy I to unify his kingdom.
Serapis or Sarapis is a Graeco-Egyptian god, a syncretic deity derived from the worship of the Egyptian gods Osiris and Apis. He was extensively popularized in the third century BC on the orders of Greek Pharaoh Ptolemy I Soter as a means to unify the Greek and Egyptian subjects of the Ptolemaic Kingdom. The cultus of Serapis was spread as a matter of deliberate policy by subsequent Ptolemaic kings and continued to increase in popularity during the Roman Empire, often replacing Osiris as the consort of Isis in temples outside Egypt.
- field
- Religion / Mythology
- nationality
- Graeco-Egyptian
- known_for
- Syncretic deity unifying Greek and Egyptian worship; chief god of the Ptolemaic Kingdom
- cult_origin
- 3rd century BC under Ptolemy I Soter
- associated_deities
- Osiris, Apis, Hades, Demeter, Dionysus, Isis, Horus (Harpocrates)
Lore & Background
Originally known in Demotic as wsjr-ḥp ('Osiris-Apis'), the name derives from the syncretic worship of Osiris and the bull Apis as a single deity. The Greeks sometimes used the form Sorapis, closer to the Egyptian name. The earliest mention of a 'Sarapis' occurs in the disputed death scene of Alexander the Great (323 BCE), but this appears to refer to the Babylonian god Ea (Enki) titled Šar Apsi, meaning 'king of the Apsu'. This Babylonian Sarapis had a temple at Babylon and was consulted on behalf of the dying king, which may have influenced the choice of the similar-sounding Osiris-Apis as the chief Ptolemaic god.
Serapis was depicted as a Greek god in general appearance with Egyptian trappings, sometimes identified with Pluto (Hades), Osiris, Dionysus, Amun, Zeus, Jupiter, Pan, Asclepius, or Dis Pater. The cult statue erected by Ptolemy I in Alexandria portrayed him enthroned with a modius (basket/grain-measure) on his head, holding a sceptre, with Cerberus at his feet and a serpent at the base. He was generally considered god of the underworld, healer, and protector of the distressed, providing asylum in his temple.
Reader's Guide
Serapis represents a key example of deliberate religious syncretism in the ancient world, created by Ptolemy I Soter to bridge the cultural divide between Greek and Egyptian subjects. His cult was spread by subsequent Ptolemaic kings and later gained popularity across the Roman Empire, with temples (serapeia) established in many cities, including the renowned Serapeum in Alexandria. The cult declined under the Christian emperor Theodosius I, and the main cult at Alexandria was destroyed by a Christian mob around 391 CE. Serapis also influenced Jewish and Christian speculation: Tertullian and the Talmud believed the cult was inspired by the biblical Patriarch Joseph. The deity's iconography combined Egyptian and Greek elements, and his worship persisted for centuries, leaving a lasting mark on Hellenistic and Roman religious life.
Did You Know?
- The name Serapis derives from the Egyptian wsjr-ḥp ('Osiris-Apis'), a syncretic deity of Osiris and the bull Apis.
- The earliest mention of 'Sarapis' occurs in the disputed death scene of Alexander the Great, but likely refers to the Babylonian god Ea (Enki) titled Šar Apsi.
- The cult statue of Serapis in Alexandria depicted him enthroned with a modius on his head, a sceptre, Cerberus at his feet, and a serpent at the base.
- The main Serapeum in Alexandria was destroyed by a Christian mob around 391 CE during the rule of Theodosius I.
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