Arsu
Arsu was a god worshipped in Palmyra, Syria.
| Arsu | |
|---|---|
God of the evening star | |
Relief showing Arsu from Temple of Adonis, Dura-Europos | |
| Planet | Mercury, Venus (as the Evening Star) |
| Personal information | |
| Siblings | Azizos |
| Equivalents | |
| Arabia equivalent | Ruda |
A deity known from Syrian and northern Arabian lands, being represented as either male or female (most often). Arsu was connected with the evening star.
Frequently portrayed as riding a camel and accompanied by his twin brother Azizos; both were regarded as the protectors of caravans. His worship is also confirmed by material evidence found in the Temple of Adonis, Dura-Europos. In the temple complex there was a relief depicting Arsu on a camel. The inscription under the figure reads: "Oga the sculptor has made (this to) 'Arsu the camel-rider, for the life of his son". It is likely he was associated with the planet Mercury early on.
Elsewhere in pre-Islamic Arabia, he was equated with Ruda (literally benign).