Near the waters of the Vaphyras river, on top of the sacred springs, the ancient inhabitants of Dion built a sanctuary devoted to Aphrodite, as the goddess of the foothills of Olympus, and Artemis, as the goddess of childbirth. In the 2nd century BC, Artemis was succeeded by the Egyptian goddess Isis. Alexander the Great held her in the highest esteem and he greatly honored her by personally designating the location of her sanctuary, when building his royal city on the Nile Delta. The buildings of the sanctuary date back to the 2nd century AD, but ruins of older structures have been found underneath. Numerous statues and inscriptions in the sanctuary date to the Hellenist period.

The four-columned temple in the center was dedicated to Isis Lochia, the goddess protecting women following childbirth. A refief on the facade depicted the goddess holding sheaf and scepter was discovered here. On the marble steps, slabs with engraved footprints of the pilgrims, were found. To the right there is a small temple of Aphrodite Hypolympidia whose charming statue reflected on the water of the marble pool. To the left, the statue of Isis Tyche stands in the small temple beside a sacred spring which still spills its water throughout the building.

The elongated pathway flanked by low walls, presumably symbolizes the Nile, the sacred river of Egypt. The two marble bulls on the steps of the central altar depict the Egyptian god Apis. In the north wing the large statue of a women stands on its pedestral. It was placed there in the middle of the 2nd century AD by the city of Dion, in honour of the donator Loulia Frougiane Alexandra.

The Isis festival took place every spring and autumn. During that time, the area outside the sanctuary walls flooded with villagers, craftmen, and merchants who sold animals, gold and silver artefacts, and a wide variey of merchangise. However, only the initiated pilgrims could enter the sanctuary, where they spend the night waiting for the great goddess to visit their dreams, and listen to their prayers. Date 3 April 2012, 10:09 Source

Sanctuary of Isis, Ancient Dion

• Uploaded by Marcus Cyron

Author Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany