- This article is about the Egyptian deity Apis. For the Greek king, see Apis (Inachid).
Hepu (Apis or Hapis in Greek, alternatively spelled Hapi-ankh) is a bull-deity in Egyptian mythology, which was mainly worshiped in the Memphis region of ancient Egypt.
Hepu, as a deity, was worshiped since the beginnings of Egyptian history with a cult forming during that period.
Becoming Serapis[]
- Main article: Serapis
When Egypt was absorbed into Alexander the Great's Macedonian empire, he and his successor in Egypt, Ptolemy I, sought to integrate the local religion with that of their rulers. The Hellenistic Greeks had little respect for animal-headed gods, so Apis was combined with Osiris to make the deity Osiris-Apis, later becoming Serapis, which else eventually became a Roman deity.
Gallery[]
Apis as Serapis
See also[]
| Gods and goddesses of Egyptian mythology | |
|---|---|
| Gods | Ahy • Amun • Anedjti • Anhur • Anubis • Ash • Aten • Atum • Banebdjedet • Duamutef • Geb • Hapi • Hapi • Heka • Herishef • Horakhty • Horus • Imseti • Khepri • Khnum • Khonsu • Maahes • Montu • Nefertem • Nehebkau • Nemty • Nun • Osiris • Ptah • Qebehsenuef • Ra • Rem • Serapis • Set • Shu • Sobek • Sokar • Thoth • Wepawet |
| Goddesses | Amentet • Anat • Ankhet • Bastet • Buto • Ernutet • Hathor • Hatmehit • Isis • Ma'at • Menhit • Meretseger • Meskhenet • Mut • Neith • Nekhbet • Nephthys • Nut • Satet • Sekhmet • Serket • Seshat • Sopdet • Tawaret • Tefnut • Wosret |