Cybele, Attis, and related cults

By Eugene Lane

Book Description

This comprehensive scholarly exploration delves into one of antiquity's most fascinating religious traditions, tracing the worship of the mother-goddess Cybele and her beloved consort Attis across centuries and continents. From its mysterious origins in ancient Anatolia to its eventual spread throughout the Greek world and Roman Empire, this spiritual movement captivated diverse cultures with its profound mysteries and transformative rituals.

The volume examines the devoted priests known as the Galli, whose radical commitment to their goddess involved sacred acts of self-sacrifice that challenged conventional understanding of devotion and identity. Readers will discover how this powerful cult traveled through major port cities like Miletus, establishing sacred spaces from Ephesus to Sicily's dramatic rock-carved sanctuaries, adapting to local customs while maintaining its essential spiritual core.

The collection reveals how Cybele's worship eventually encountered and competed with emerging Christianity, creating a dynamic religious landscape where different paths to the divine coexisted and clashed. The philosophical dimensions of Attis within Neo-Platonic thought demonstrate how ancient seekers integrated mythological wisdom into sophisticated spiritual frameworks.

Drawing from international scholarship, this work offers modern readers insight into how our ancestors sought meaning through ritual, sacrifice, and devotion to divine feminine and masculine principles. The enduring appeal of these ancient mysteries speaks to universal human longings for connection with sacred forces beyond ordinary experience.