The Worship of Isis

The worship of Isis is depicted in this wall-painting. The high priest stands at the entrance to the temple and looks down on the ceremony beneath him, which is supervised by priests with shaven heads. One priest tends the sacred fire and another behind him leads the two ranks of the faithful in worship.

This eastern cult of the Egyptian goddess Isis gained significant popularity in the Roman Empire during the first century CE. Miriam’s deputy Phoebe, who had been abandoned as an infant, was particularly devoted to Isis for her association with motherhood. In “The Bodyguard,” the first story in The Deadliest Returns, Phoebe depends on Isis’s guidance when charged to find one particular courier:

As the chill of the night replaced the heat of the day, my soul enjoyed none of that sweetness, not the balmy breezes through the cypress trees, the glow of torches twinkling through the foliage, nor the tuneless twitter of birds returning to roost. Instead, Isis helped me focus on a plan to find the one courier in this vast city who’d brought the ransom note to Professor Jason’s friend. I started my inquiry with the couriers in front of the Palace of Justice as they waited to make their last runs of the day.

In essence, the cult of Isis was a vibrant and influential religious phenomenon in the Roman world. As you read the Miriam bat Isaac mysteries, aside from the escape and suspense, you will have the opportunity to gain insight into the characters’ spiritual experiences. Just click here.