Attis
/ˈætɪs/noun
Attis was a Phrygian deity associated with vegetation, death, and seasonal renewal, later worshipped in the Roman world.
Did you know?Attis’s myth included self-castration beneath a pine tree, and Roman devotees commemorated his death and resurrection during the spring festival of the Hilaria.
Etymological Timeline
Before 1st Century BCE
Phrygian
Attis
“Probably a divine name or title; its exact meaning is uncertain, though some scholars connect it with a Phrygian term for “father.””
4th–3rd Century BCE
Ancient Greek
Ἄττις (Áttis)
“The name of a Phrygian vegetation deity adopted into Greek literary and religious tradition.”
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Latin
Attis
“A god worshipped in connection with Cybele, whose myth involved death, mourning, and renewal.”
2nd–4th Century CE
Roman Latin
Attis
“A central figure in the March ceremonies of Cybele’s cult, including ritual mourning and celebration of return.”
Modern English
English
Attis
“The conventional English form of the ancient Phrygian and Greco-Roman deity’s name.”