Unfortunately, popular culture presents Aphrodite simply as a deity of petty desires. However contrary to such belief, Aphrodite was a unique and powerful deity whose influence was recognized in many areas of life. The Greeks were not the first to name a goddess of love and worship her with a cult. In fact, Aphrodite's origins can be traced back to similar goddesses of other civilizations. Herodotus asserts Aphrodite's development from Ishtar-Astarte, the ancient Semitic goddess of love.
Many similarities exist between the two goddesses to support such a statement.
As Astarte was called the Queen of Heaven by her followers, Aphrodite was called Urania, meaning Celestial or Heavenly. In addition, Astarte was worshipped with offerings of incense and the sacrifice of doves, practices which are attributed only to the cult of Aphrodite. Prostitution was a notorious characteristic of the cults of both deities. One of the most prominent parallels is that between Aphrodite's son-lover Adonis and Ishtar's consort Tammuz. It is believed that Aphrodite was brought from Phoenecia to Greece by way of Cyprus.