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{{Short description|Phoenicia mythology deity}}

[[Image:Eshmun Temple.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Ruins of the 7th century BC [[Phoenicia]]n temple of Eshmun in [[Sidon]]]]▼

{{Infobox deity

'''Eshmun''' (or '''Eshmoun''', less accurately '''Esmun''' or '''Esmoun''') was a [[Phonicia|Phoenician]] god of healing and the [[tutelary deity|tutelary god]] of [[Sidon]].▼

| type = Phoenician

| name = Eshmun

| god_of = God of healing

| image = Eshmun Temple.jpg

▲[[Image:Eshmun| caption = Temple.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Ruins of the 7th century BC [[Phoenicia]]nPhoenician templeTemple of Eshmun in [[Sidon]]]]

| cult_center = [[Sidon]], Beirut, Cyprus, Sardinia, and [[Carthage]]

| symbols =

| planet =

| consort =

| parents =

| greek_equivalent = [[Asclepius]]

| roman_equivalent = Aesculapius

| script_name = Phoencian

| script = 𐤀𐤔𐤌𐤍

| gender = Male

| temples = [[Temple of Eshmun]] at Bostan el-Sheikh, Sidon

| symbol = Serpent

}}

{{Fertile Crescent myth (Levantine)}}

{{Middle Eastern deities}}▼

▲'''Eshmun''' (or '''Eshmoun''', less accurately '''Esmun''' or '''Esmoun'''; {{lang-phn|𐤀𐤔𐤌𐤍}} ''{{transliteration|sem|ʾšmn}}''; {{lang-akk|𒅀𒋢𒈬𒉡}} ''Yasumunu'') was a [[Phonicia|PhoenicianPhoenicia]]n god of healing and the [[tutelary deity|tutelary god]] of [[Sidon]].

==History==

This godEshmun was known at least from the [[Iron Age]] period at [[Sidon]] and was worshipped also in [[Tyre (Lebanon)|Tyre]], [[Beirut]], [[Cyprus]], [[Sardinia]], and in [[Carthage]] where the site of Eshmun's temple is now occupied by the chapel of [[Louis IXacropolium of France|Saint LouisCarthage]].{{Sfn|Lipiński|1995|pp=160-166}}

According to [[Eusebius of Caesarea]], Phoenician author [[Sanchuniathon]] wrote that [[Sydyk]], 'The Righteous', first fathered seven sons equated with the Greek [[Cabeiri]] or [[Dioscuri]], no mother named, and then afterwards fathered an eighth son by one of the seven Titanides or Artemides. (See [[Kotharat]]). The name ''Eshmun'' appears to mean 'the Eighth'.

The Neo-Platonist [[Damascius]] also stated<ref>Damascius, ''Vita Isidori'' 302:</ref>

{{bquoteblockquote|text=The [[Asclepius]] in [[Beirut]] is neither a Greek nor an Egyptian, but some native Phoenician divinity. For to Sadyk were born children who are interpreted as Dioscuri and Cabeiri; and in addition to these was born an eighth son, Esmunus, who is interpreted as Asclepius.}}

[[Photios I of Constantinople|Photius]] (''Bibliotheca'' Codex 242) summarizes Damascius as saying further that Asclepius of Beirut was a youth who was fond of hunting. He was seen by the goddess Astronoë (thought by many scholars to be a version of [[`Ashtart|‘AshtartAstarte]]) who so harassed him with amorous pursuit that in desperation he [[castration|castrated]] himself and died. Astronoë then named the youth ''Paeon'' 'Healer', restored him to life from the warmth of her body, and changed him into a god.{{Sfn|Cassel|1872|p=26}}{{Sfn|Court Ade village near Beirut named Qabr Shmoun, "Eshmoun's grave," still exists.Gébelin|1773|pp=67–68}}

A trilingual inscription of the 2nd century BCE from Sardinia<ref>''KAI.'' 66</ref> also identifies Eshmun with the Greek [[Asclepius]] and the Latin Aesculapius. [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]]<ref>Pausanias, 7.23.7&ndash;8</ref> quotes a Sidonian as saying that the Phoenicians claim [[Apollo]] as the father of Asclepius, as do the Greeks, but unlike them do not make his mother a mortal woman.<ref>Pausanias, 7.23.7–8</ref> The Sidonian then continued with an allegory which explained that Apollo represented the sun, whose changing path imparts to the air its healthiness which is to be understood as Asclepius. This allegory seems likely a late invention. Also, Apollo is usually equated with the Phoenician plague god [[Resheph]]. This might be a variant version of Eshmun's parentage, or Apollo might also be equated with Sadyk, and Sadyk might be equated with Resheph.▼

A trilingual inscription of the 2nd century BC from Sardinia<ref>''KAI.'' 66</ref> also identifies Eshmun with the Greek [[Asclepius]] and the Latin Aesculapius.

▲{{Middle Eastern deities}}

In Cyprus, Eshmun was syncretized with [[Melqart]],{{sfn|Sauer|2018|p=140}}{{sfn|Greenfield|1995|p=433}} and also in [[Ibiza]], as given by a dedication reciting: "to his lord, Eshmun-Melqart".{{sfn|Ogden|2021|p=470}}

▲[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]]<ref>Pausanias, 7.23.7&ndash;8</ref> quotes a Sidonian as saying that the Phoenicians claim [[Apollo]] as the father of Asclepius, as do the Greeks, but unlike them do not make his mother a mortal woman. The Sidonian then continued with an allegory which explained that Apollo represented the sun, whose changing path imparts to the air its healthiness which is to be understood as Asclepius. This allegory seems likely a late invention. Also Apollo is usually equated with the Phoenician plague god [[Resheph]]. This might be a variant version of Eshmun's parentage, or Apollo might also be equated with Sadyk, and Sadyk might be equated with Resheph.

The name ''Astresmunim'' ("herb of Eshmun") was applied by [[Dioscorides]]<ref>Dioscorides, 4.71</ref> to the ''[[solanum]]'', which was regarded as having medicinal qualities.

==Worship==

The [[Eshmun Temple|temple toof Eshmun]] is found 1&nbsp;km from Sidon on the Bostrenus River,(now called the modern[[Awali River(river)|Awali]] Awwaliin southwestern [[Lebanon]]). Building was begun at the end of the 6thsixth century BCBCE during the reign of [[Eshmunazar II]], [[King of Sidon]], and later additions were made up into the [[Roman Empire|Roman]] period. It was excavated by Maurice Dunand in 1963-19781963–1978. Many votive offerings were found in the form of statues of persons healed by the god, especially babies and young children.

Also found near the Sidon temple was a gold plaque of Eshmun and the goddess [[HygeiaHygieia]] (meaning "Health") showing Eshmun holding a staff in his right hand around which a serpent is entwined. A coin of the 3rd century ADCE from Beirut shows Eshmun standing between two serpents.

== Place names ==

Bterram, a village in [[Lebanon]], possesses a very old underground temple called Eshmunit, comprising eight rooms (one large and seven small), carved into the bedrock and accessible by stairs. It is thought this may be a temple to a spouse of Eshmun.{{Citation needed|date=November 2008}}

A village near Beirut named Qabr Shmoun, "Eshmoun's grave," still exists.{{Sfn|Lipiński|1995|pp=|p=160}}

==See also==

{{Portal box|Mythology|Ancient Near EastAsia}}▼

* [[Delos#Landmarks|Delos]]

==References==

{{Reflist}}

▲{{Portal box|Mythology|Ancient Near East}}

==External linksBibliography==

*{{citation|last=Greenfield|first=Jonas Carl|year=1995|title= Solving Riddles and Untying Knots: Biblical, Epigraphic, and Semitic Studies in Honor of Jonas C. Greenfield|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=VLyUd1hau1IC&dq=to+his+lord+eshmun+melqart&pg=PA433|publisher=Eisenbrauns|isbn= 978-0-931464-93-5}}.

* '''Temple of Eshmun near Sidon'''

*{{citation|last=Ogden|first=Daniel|year=2021|title= The Oxford Handbook of Heracles|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=zy0zEAAAQBAJ&dq=to+his+lord+eshmun+melqart+ibiza&pg=PA470|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn= 9780190650988}}.

** [http://www.lebmania.com/photos/eshmoun/welcome.htm Lebmania: Eshmoun]

*{{citation|last=Sauer|first=A.|year=2018|title= The Archaeology of Jordan and Beyond: Essays in Memory of James A. Sauer|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=st6mDwAAQBAJ&dq=to+his+lord+melqart+eshmun&pg=PA140 |publisher=Brill|isbn= 9789004369801}}.

** [http://www.atlastours.net/lebanon/eshmoun.html Atlas Tours: Lebanon: Eshmun]

*{{Cite book |last=Cassel |first=Paulus |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7tOedtu4uJ8C |title=Esmun. Eine archäologische Untersuchung aus der Geschichte Kenaans ... Mit einem einleitenden Sendschreiben über Studien des Alten Testaments |date=1872 |publisher=Gustav Schlössmann |location=Gotha |language=de |trans-title=Esmun. An archaeological study from the history of Kenaan ... With an introductory missive on Old Testament studies.}}'

** [http://www.ikamalebanon.com/national_heritage/south_nh/sth_cities_nh/eshmoun.htm Ikama: Eshmoun]

*{{Cite book |last=Court de Gébelin |first=Antoine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e-AFv9-HgDQC&dq=All%C3%A9gories+orientales+esmunus&pg=PA68 |title=Allégories orientales, ou, le fragment de Sanchoniaton, qui contient l'histoire de saturne: suivie de celles de mercure et d'hercule, et de ses douze travaux ... |date=1773 |publisher=chez l'auteur |location=Paris |language=fr |trans-title=Oriental allegories, or, the fragment of Sanchoniaton, which contains the story of Saturn: followed by those of Mercury and Hercules, and his twelve labors. |author-link=Antoine Court de Gébelin}}

* [http://eshmunit.bterram.com/ Bterram: Eshmunit] (On the temple of Eshmunit in Bterram.)

*{{Cite book |last=Lipiński |first=Edward |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RKxLnTEqXwIC |title=Dieux et Déesses de l'Univers Phénicien et Punique |date=1995 |publisher=Peeters Publishers |isbn=978-90-6831-690-2 |location=Leuven |pages=154–168 |language=fr |trans-title=Gods and Goddesses of the Phoenician and Punic Universe |oclc=33211400 |author-link=Edward Lipiński (orientalist)}}

*

{{Middle Eastern mythology}}{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Eshmun| ]]

[[Category:West Semitic gods]]

[[Category:Tutelary deitiesgods]]

[[Category:Health gods]]

[[Category:Phoenician mythology]]

[[Category:Temple of Eshmun]]

[[Category:Melqart]]