Soteria (mythology)

For other uses, see Soteria (disambiguation).
Look up Soteria in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Greco-Roman mosaic from Daphne c. 500 CE, now in the Antakya Museum

In Greek mythology, Soteria (Ancient Greek: Σωτηρία) was the goddess or spirit (daimon) of safety and salvation, deliverance, and preservation from harm (not to be mistaken for Eleos).

Soteria's male counterpart was the spirit or daimon Soter. Both Zeus and Dionysus were titled Soter, so either may have been her father; her mother is unknown.

She had a sanctuary and a statue made in her honor in the town of Patrae,[1] which was believed to have been founded by Eurypylos of Thessaly. Various texts mention the creation of her sanctuary, for example:

Soteria was depicted as a woman wearing a laurel wreath crown, a symbol of victory.

In Roman mythology, Soteria is known as Salus (Preservation); however, Salus's domain more heavily featured physical well-being and health rather than security and safety. The Bible's use of Soteria indicates its etymology from Greek mythology, as the word is used to mean "fourfold salvation: saved from the penalty, power, presence and most importantly the pleasure of sin."[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Soteria in the Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology
  2. ↑ Soteria at Theoi Greek Mythology
  3. ↑ Thayer and Smith. "Greek Lexicon Entry for Soteria." The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon. http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/kjv/soteria.html.
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