Astarte facts for kids

Astarte was a very important goddess in ancient times. People in the Middle East, especially the Canaanites, worshipped her. They thought of her as the "Queen of Heaven." People would make offerings and pour drinks to honor her.

Who Was Astarte?

Astarte was known as a goddess of war. She shared many qualities with another goddess named Anath. Some people think they might have originally been seen as the same deity. Their names together later formed the basis for another goddess called Atargatis.

Astarte was a major goddess in the ancient Middle East. She was the main deity of important port cities like Tyre, Sidon, and Elat, which were located near the Mediterranean Sea.

Astarte in the Bible

In the Bible, the goddess Ashtoreth is often mentioned. Scholars now believe this name was a mix of the Greek name Astarte and the Hebrew word boshet, which means "shame." This shows that the ancient Hebrews did not approve of her worship. The plural form of her name in Hebrew, Ashtaroth, became a general term for goddesses and pagan worship.

Where Was She Worshipped?

Astarte was worshipped in many places. This included Egypt, Ugarit, and among the Hittites, as well as in Canaan. Her similar goddess in the Akkadian culture was Ishtar. Over time, Astarte became linked with other goddesses. She was connected to the Egyptian goddesses Isis and Hathor, who was a goddess of the sky and women. In the ancient Greek and Roman worlds, she was seen as similar to Aphrodite, Artemis, and Juno.

Astarte is also known as a Semitic queen and a sister of Isis.

Images for kids

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  Astarte riding in a chariot with four branches protruding from roof, on the reverse of a Julia Maesa coin from Sidon

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  Fragment of a crudely carved limestone stela showing king Thutmose IV adoring a goddess (probably Astarte). From Thebes, Egypt. 18th Dynasty. The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, London

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  Phoenician figure representing an ancient Mideastern deity, probably the goddess Astarte, called the Lady of Galera (National Archaeological Museum of Spain)

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  Iberian representation of Astarte.

See also

In Spanish: Astarté para niños