Cybele - Goddess of Fertility

Cybele was the "Great Mother” and Goddess of Fertility in ancient Phrygia and later in the Roman and Greek pantheons. In Greek mythology, Cybele was associated with mountains, the fecundity of nature and wild animals, especially lions. In Roman mythology, Cybele was known as the "Great Mother” and the mother of the gods.

Cybele dwelled in the most dangerous and wild regions of the planet, and exerted her control over wild animals. She claimed to have the ability to grant her disciples the ability to achieve rebirth after their death. In the annual festivals taking place throughout the Roman Empire, Cybele would arrive seated in a chariot led by lions, and her procession was accompanied by music, the beauties of mother nature, and wine. Ritual practices involved the priests’ self-flagellating themselves using custom-designed whips, and their participating in mysterious ceremonies in her honor.

Cybele’s rituals often involved the blood sacrifice made by priests, a process that constituted their purification and rebirth.