Cybele is an ancient Anatolian goddess who was worshipped as the Great Mother of the gods. Her cult originated in Phrygia (modern-day central Turkey) around 2000 BC. According to legend, she was a daughter of the sky god Uranus and the earth goddess Gaia.
Associations:
Nature: Mountains, forests, wildlife
Fertility: Animals, plants, human childbirth
Healing: Medicinal herbs and springs
Wildness: Lions, panthers, drums
City: She was also worshipped as the patron goddess of cities such as Pessinus and Rome.
Cult Practices:
Mystery Religion: Her cult was a mystery religion with secret rituals and initiations.
Corybantic Dance: Her priests, called Corybantes, performed wild dances accompanied by drums and cymbals.
Taurobolium: A ritual sacrifice of a bull in which the blood was poured over the initiate.
Public Festivals: Large-scale festivals were held in her honor, called Megalesia in Rome.
Influence:
Cybele's cult spread throughout the Roman Empire and beyond.
She was assimilated with other goddesses, such as the Greek Rhea and the Roman Magna Mater.
Her image can be found on Roman coins and sculptures.
The name "Cybele" was later used to refer to the Roman Catholic Mother of God (Madonna).
