Uni-Astre

Viewing her in the night sky, the earliest peoples may likely have considered the “morning star” and “evening star” - both in actuality the planet Venus - to be their protectors. But one may also imagine, that women who had learned to work with such “wisdom”, seeking to co-opt the power of this divine protector, particularly to seduce the most powerful men living amongst them - more often than not the warriors, soldiers, and commanders of armies - would offer a glamour to the mate they sought, embodying and appearing as this sovereign fertile lady - the one who can promise these men protection, and victory through her power. That a cult of such women would come to serve their land in many aspects, may have simply been a secondary trait passed down through generations.

This isn’t to say that such priestesses didn’t take their role responsibly, just because it may have originated mostly from a ritual to entice strong powerful men into seduction, for sheer pleasure, or other motives we might regard by our modern moral standards as “ulterior”. It’s simply that these motives and ideas changed over time. As Juniper changed from a plant for foraging, into an asset for trading, so this link between Astarte the sacred lover, and Astarte the sovereign of the land and divine champion of her armies, likely changed from a frivolous but regular act of debauchery, into a key civic role of those societies. So it is very possible, the cults of goddesses like Astarte were as much an adaptation, as they were a pastoral vocation.

Moving on, of course we have nomenclature of Astarte, and the planet with which she’s linked, together making it all rather obvious to link her in the Roman pantheon, to the lover goddess Venus. Except that, before Aphrodite - the Hellenic equivalent of both Astarte and Venus - was embraced into similar Roman cults, it’s evident that the peoples around that part of ancient Italy actually viewed Astarte as being more syncretic with Juno - known among the cults of Etruscans ; the first Hellenic spiritual export in those regions - as Uni.

What particularly caught my attention, in researching Astarte for these articles, was that the name Uni-Astre has not just featured in a written Etruscan record - the Pyrgi Tablets - but that record is also written in a script so closely resembling the Roman alphabet, that westerners like myself can understand its lettering. Or at least, the letters in the script used to denote the name of the goddess, Uni-Astre. It’s a small, superficial, and very personal thing that’s drawn me to the name. But sometimes, it is the smallest and most superficial things that can point the way in our journeys.

Ita tmia icac heramašva vatieχe Unial-Astres, θemiasa meχ θuta.
This temple and these Hermes idols are dedicated to Uni-Astre, built by the clanspeople.

Θefariei Velianas sal cluvenias turuce.
Tiberius Velianas the pleasing aedicula has given.

Munistas θuvas tameresca ilacve tulerase.
That burial of his own by these priests with idols was encircled.

Nac ci avil χurvar, tešiameitale, ilacve alšase.
For three years [in the month of] Churvar, with Her burnt offerings, with idols [it was] buried.

Nac atranes zilacal, seleitala acnašvers.
During the reign of the chief, in Her hand [he] would be brought forth

Itanim heramve, avil eniaca pulumχva.
And with these Hermes idols, the year(s) shall endure as the stars.

 - Translation of text from the first Pyrgi tablet - “Iscrizioni Etrusche”


The line in this Etruscan inscription - “in Her hand [he] would be brought forth“ - is so critical here. It means to say that Uni-Astre handed her sovereignty, to the chief Tiberius Velianas. So it was seen that this Etruscan tribal chief was given his power and position only at the will of Uni-Astre.

This naming convention may be a form of syncretism. But it’s also a recognition of “Astre” (Astarte) being a goddess bearing the same sovereignty, position, and symbolism as the goddess Uni. And we shouldn’t be surprised then, that this is a goddess of the Junipers - not merely owing to the names bearing those same three letters. But because Uni, to the Etruscans, was the same goddess as Juno, to the Romans.

So if it pleases you my friends, raise your glass to these goddesses. For the love and renown for these berries came from Astarte, and the Juniper groves are a gift of Juno. And that “first star” (well, planet) that greets our evening, and welcomes our libations of the Juniper, is the sovereign mother, Uni-Astre.

Next I will present you my personal choice of a late spring gin drink, in celebration of Uni-Astre...