Topics (move over topic to see place in topic list)
02 Religious and ideological symbols and iconographic motifs
02 Religious and ideological symbols and iconographic motifs
01 Religious and ideological doctrines and imagery
01 Religious and ideological doctrines and imagery
01 Religious and ideological doctrines and imagery
01 Religious and ideological doctrines and imagery
01 Religious and ideological doctrines and imagery
01 Religious and ideological doctrines and imagery
Keywords
androgyny
Ištar
Tyche
Period
Parthian Empire
Channel
Hellenistic philosophers and scholars
Iconographic tradition
Text
Tyche corresponds to the Assyrian goddess Ištar, who is occasionally referred to or depicted as bearded, especially as Nanaya or Mullissu (the latter representing the heavenly aspect of the goddess). The beard symbolized the androgyny and perfection of the goddess, who as ‘holy spirit’ was the divine mother of the king and the model for man’s salvation.
Bibliography
Curtis 2007
Curtis, Vesta Sarkosh. “Religious Iconography on Ancient Iranian Coins.” Proceedings of the British Academy 133 (2007) 413-434.
Groneberg 1986
Groneberg, Brigitte. “Die sumerisch-akkadische Inanna/Ištar. Hermaphroditos?.” Welt des Orients 17 (1986) 25-46.
Parpola 1997, XXIX, LXXXIV (n. 97)
Parpola, Simo. Assyrian Prophecies. State Archive of Assyria 9. Helsinki: Helsinki University Press 1997.
Parpola 2000, 194, 203-204
Parpola, Simo. “Monotheism in Ancient Assyria.” In: B. N. Porter (ed.). One God or Many? Concepts of Divinity in the Ancient World. Transactions of the Casco Bay Assyriological Institute 1. Casco Bay: The Casco Bay Assyriological Institute 2000, 162-209.
Illustrations (click an image to view the full-size version in a new window)
Fig. 1: Silver tetradrachm of Phraates II (c. 138-127 BC) from Seleucia, showing the Arsacid Parthian king with a diadem. The reverse shows a bearded deity with a Tyche crown and cornucopia holding Nike.
