465 B. V. Head, _Historia Numorum_ (Oxford, 1887), p. 616. [However, Mr. G. F. Hill writes to me: “The attribution to Tarsus of the ’Atheh coins is unfounded. Head himself only gives it as doubtful. I should think they belong further East.” In the uncertainty which prevails on this point I have left the text unchanged. _Note to Second Edition._] 466 The name ’Athar-’atheh occurs in a Palmyrene inscription. See G. A. Cooke, _Text-book of North-Semitic Inscriptions_, No. 112, pp. 267-270. In analysing Atargatis into ’Athar-’atheh (’Atar-’ata) I follow E. Meyer (_Geschichte des Altertums_,2 i. 2. pp. 605, 650 _sq._), F. Baethgen (_Beiträge zur semitischen Religionsgeschichte_, pp. 68-75), Fr. Cumont (_s.v._ “Atargatis,” Pauly-Wissowa, _Real-Encyclopädie der classischen Altertumswissenschaft_, ii. 1896), G. A. Cooke (_l.c._), C. P. Tiele (_Geschichte der Religion im Altertum_, i. 245), F. Hommel (_Grundriss der Geographie und Geschichte des alten Orients_, pp. 43 _sq._), Father Lagrange (_Études sur les Religions Sémitiques_,2 p. 130), and L. B. Paton (_s.v._ “Atargatis,” J. Hastings’s _Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics_, ii. 164 _sq._). In the great temple at Hierapolis-Bambyce a mysterious golden image stood between the images of Atargatis and her male partner. It resembled neither of them, yet combined the attributes of other gods. Some interpreted it as Dionysus, others as Deucalion, and others as Semiramis; for a golden dove, traditionally associated with Semiramis, was perched on the head of the figure. The Syrians called the image by a name which Lucian translates “sign” (σημήιον). See Lucian, _De dea Syria_, 33. It has been plausibly conjectured by F. Baethgen that the name which Lucian translates “sign” was really ’Atheh (עתה), which could easily be confused with the Syriac word for “sign” (אהא). See F. Baethgen, _op. cit._ p. 73. A coin of Hierapolis, dating from the third century A.D., exhibits the images of the god and goddess seated on bulls and lions respectively, with the mysterious object between them enclosed in a shrine, which is surmounted by a bird, probably a dove. See J. Garstang, _The Syrian Goddess_ (London, 1913), pp. 22 _sqq._, 70 _sq._, with fig. 7. The modern writers cited at the beginning of this note have interpreted the Syrian ’Atheh as a male god, the lover of Atargatis, and identical in name and character with the Phrygian Attis. They may be right; but none of them seems to have noticed that the same name ’Atheh (עתה) is applied to a goddess at Tarsus. 467 As to the image, see above, p. 137. 468 Lucian, _De dea Syria_, 31. 469 Macrobius, _Saturn_, i. 23. 12 and 17-19. The Greek name of Baalbec was Heliopolis, “the City of the Sun.”