The Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism [1911] - Get a Free Blog

SYRIA. 107
During the imperial period, however, the slaves
were no longer the only missionaries that came from
Syria, and Atargatis was no longer the only divinity
from that country to be worshiped in the Occident.
The propagation of the Semitic worship progressed
for the most part in a different manner under the
empire.
At the beginning of our era the Syrian merchants,
Syri negotiatores, undertook a veritable colonization
of the Latin provinces. 11
During the second century
before Christ the traders of that nation had established
settlements along the coast of Asia Minor, on the
Piraeus, and in the Archipelago. At Delos, a small
island but a large commercial center, they maintained
several associations that worshiped their national gods,
in particular Hadad and Atargatis. But the wars that
shook the Orient at the end of the republic, and above
all the growth of piracy, ruined maritime commerce
and stopped emigration. This began again with re
newed vigor when the establishment of the empire
guaranteed the safety of the seas and when the Levan
tine traffic attained a development previously unknown.
We can trace the history of the Syrian establishments
in the Latin provinces from the first to the seventh
century, and recently we have begun to appreciate
their economic, social and religious importance at its
true value.
The Syrians love of lucre was proverbial. Active,
compliant and able, frequently little scrupulous, they
knew how to conclude first small deals, then larger
ones, everywhere. Using the special talents of their
race to advantage, they succeeded in establishing them
selves on all coasts of the Mediterranean, even in