Drepana & Eryx 6.

Drepana and Eryx part 6.

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The temple of Astarte.

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Despite all sieges and intakes the temple of Astarte experiencing its heyday. We have several inscriptions from there, who go there.

I 135 CIS from Eryx (3rd-2nd century BC) is a good example. M.G.Amadasi that has incorporated in her book: Le iscrizione feniche e puniche delle colonie in occidente,  M.G.Amadasi , studi semitici 28, Instituto di studi del viceno oriente, Univ.di Roma 1967, no.sic 1.

Alla signora Astarte di Erice

Penetrale? che ...................

che.......... penetrale? che .....

..... di fronte a ... ḥmlk, figlio di .... b‘ly,

Figlio di .... figlio di ... figlio di ....

Sufeti mgn e bd‘štrt e

…. nel luogo … bd‘št[rt?...

… poiché ha ascoltato la sua vo[ce …

In an English translation by Pasquale Mereu it could be :

' To lady Ashtart of Eryx

adyton that ........

that ....adyton ? that .....

..... In front of ... ḥmlk , son of .... b'ly ,

son of .... son of ... son of ....

Sufetes mgn and bd'štrt and ... .

….in the place ... bd'št [ rt ? ...

... because she listened to his voice...'

Adyton = area of the Punic temple reserved to priests only. Points are indicating, that here the inscription can’t be read.

Himilk, son of Baaly makes an offering to Astarte during the time of the government of the sufetes Magon and Bodastart. Are those sufetes of Eryx or of Carthago?

Another inscriptions comes from Cagliari:

CIS I 140. It was found at the Torre di Calamosca at the Cape S.Elia. It dates from the 3^rd -2^nd century BC.

“To Astarte of Eryx, this altar of br[onze…

……….”

The second line can’t be read.

Both of these inscriptions are battered, but it is clear, that it is about Astarte of Eryx. Ordinations to Astarte in general, or where it is simply called, also appear to El Carambolo (Spain), Preneste (Italy), Pyrgi (Italy), Gadir (Spain) and Ibiza (Spain). These places are more or less on the edge of the Carthaginian influence. In the heartland of Carthage in contrast reigns dominant and on a much larger scale: Tanit.

You maybe can make this distinction due to  the fact that the towns in the outskirts of the Carthaginian empire still retained the longest its original Phoenician features.

Jean Mazel, Avec les Phéniciens pour la suite du soleil sur la route de l'or et de l'étain (p.163-164) :

"Today there is little left of the temple of the goddess of love. Above the original structure are repeatedly other structures built over the course of centuries, and finally a large medieval castle ...

.... The Italian archaeological service has managed to expose the foundations and the base of the ancient temple, as well as some yet unidentified subterranean chambers. "

(translated from French)