Teutatès (Toutatis in Gaulish) is a major deity in ancient Gaulish religion, regarded as a god of war, protection, and the underworld. Romans identified Teutatès with Pluto or Mercury. Worship took place in sacred groves, and the deity is attested in classical sources such as Lucan and Julius Caesar. Rituals associated with Teutatès included offerings … Read more
Dagon, a second-tier demon, baker, and chief breadmaker of the infernal court, appears in the possession of Auxonne. The Philistines worshipped him in the form of a monster combining the torso of a human with the tail of a fish. They attributed to him the invention of agriculture, a credit given to many others as … Read more
Astiages (Astyages, Ἀστυάγης) was the last king of the Median Empire. The text mentions a prophecy connected to his grandson, Cyrus the Great (Kūruš). After Cyrus conquered Asia, it was said that Astiages had a dream where a vine grew from his daughter Mandane’s womb, covering all of Asia with its leaves. This dream was … Read more
Astarté (ʿAshtart, Ἀστάρτη) is presented as the female counterpart to Astaroth. She is often depicted with the head of a heifer. Astarté is a powerful goddess known throughout the ancient Near East, associated with love, fertility, and war. She is the Greek form of the Canaanite name Athart and the Phoenician Ashtart, derived from the … Read more