Serapis

Click a letter for the index

Or search the encyclopaedia:

 

 

Go

 

Ancient Graeco-Egyptian god, a combination of Apis, the bull of Memphis who carried the dead, and Osiris, ruler of the underworld. Invented by Ptolemy I to unify his Greek and Egyptian subjects, he became the official deity of the kingdom replacing Osiris. He was worshipped in Greek at the Serapeum, a Greek-style temple and statue in Alexandria, and was mainly regarded as a healer of the sick.

The flag was said to represent the nation's hope for a green revolution in agriculture. Green expresses the people's Muslim faith. Effective date: 20 November 1977. >>