page_title: Aphroditus
hierarchical_section_title: Aphroditus
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Anasyromenos statuette, terrakotta, aus einem Nymphenheiligtum bei Locri, Reggio di Calabria, Nationalmuseum; 2. Hälfte 4. Jh. v. Chr. English: Terracotta anasyromenos figurine, from a Nymphs sanctuary in Locri, National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria; late 4th century BC.
context_page_description: Aphroditus or Aphroditos was a male Aphrodite originating from Amathus on the island of Cyprus and celebrated in Athens.
  Aphroditus was portrayed as having a female shape and clothing like Aphrodite's but also a phallus, and hence, a male name. This deity would have arrived in Athens from Cyprus in the 4th century BC. In the 5th century BC, however, there existed hermae of Aphroditus, or phallic statues with a female head.
  Aphroditus is the same as the later god Hermaphroditos, whose name is a combinations of his parents Aphrodite and Hermes, who first occurs in the Characters of Theophrastus. Photius also explained that Aphroditus was Hermaphroditos, and cited fragments from Attic comedies mentioning the divinity. In later mythology Hermaphroditos came to be regarded as the son of Hermes and Aphrodite.
  One of the earliest surviving images from Athens is a fragment, found in the Athenian agora, of a clay mould for a terracotta figurine.
context_section_description: Aphroditus or Aphroditos (Greek: Ἀφρόδιτος, Aphróditos, [apʰróditos]) was a male Aphrodite originating from Amathus on the island of Cyprus and celebrated in Athens.
  Aphroditus was portrayed as having a female shape and clothing like Aphrodite's but also a phallus, and hence, a male name. This deity would have arrived in Athens from Cyprus in the 4th century BC. In the 5th century BC, however, there existed hermae of Aphroditus, or phallic statues with a female head.
  Aphroditus is the same as the later god Hermaphroditos, whose name is a combinations of his parents Aphrodite and Hermes, who first occurs in the Characters of Theophrastus. Photius also explained that Aphroditus was Hermaphroditos, and cited fragments from Attic comedies mentioning the divinity. In later mythology Hermaphroditos came to be regarded as the son of Hermes and Aphrodite.
  One of the earliest surviving images from Athens is a fragment (late 4th century BC), found in the Athenian agora, of a clay mould for a terracotta figurine. The figurine would have stood about 30 cm high, represented in a style known as ἀνασυρόμενος (anasyromenos), a female lifting her dress to reveal male genitals, a gesture that was believed to have apotropaic qualities, averting evil influences and bestowing good luck.
  This combination of the male and female in one divinity and being associated with the moon, both of which were considered to have fertilizing powers, was regarded as having an influence over the entire animal and vegetable creation.
caption: Greek terracotta figurine, late 4th century BC, National Museum of Magna Grecia.
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