Bust of Egyptian Goddess Found in Turkey Illuminates Ancient Religious Diversity

Bust of Egyptian Goddess Found in Turkey Illuminates Ancient Religious Diversity

Excavations at Satala in northeastern Turkey have unearthed a bronze bust depicting Isis, an ancient Egyptian goddess whose cult spread throughout the Greco-Roman world. Satala, located in Turkey’s Gümüşhane province, was a major military stronghold and administrative center on the eastern front of the Roman Empire. Strategically positioned near the headwaters of the Lycus River, it served as the base of Legio XV Apollinaris, a Roman Imperial …