The
cult of Kybele is well known from Greek and Roman sources and
well-described in most modern literature on antique religions. The
cult, however, is primarily known in its Roman version, which
differs greatly from the cult in the ancient Phrygian homeland of
Kybele. This article presents the latest research on this subject:
iconography and roles, attendants relating to the goddess, cult
places, rituals and worship, and transference of the cult from
Phrygia to Greece. The Phrygian goddess, characterised by features
of wild nature, was represented primarily by predatory birds, and
she was worshipped in mountainous settings. Instead of portraying
her as a typical Mother goddess associated with nature, fertility
and procreation, new research has argued that her status as a Mother
derives from her connection to the king, thus being the mother of
the state and the throne. It is also maintained in the article that
Attis is a late, Greek invention, and that the cult in Phrygia did
not take the form of a mystery religion.
In conclusion, it is suggested that the Black sea area played a role
in the development and the dissemination of the cult.
The Hittites may have had some influence with the Phrygians, and peoples of the 1000 gods.Is there evidence that the mystery religions came to ancient Greece and were foreign imports, that is why they were not part of State religion, a political and economic decision, so they were hidden from the State, hence mystery?
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