As an AI language model, I don’t have personal experiences or emotions, but I can provide you with a detailed answer about the age of Serapis.
Serapis is an ancient deity who emerged during the Hellenistic period, specifically around the end of the second century AD. The cult statue, which the bust you mentioned is patterned after, was created around 320-310 BC. This makes Serapis over two thousand years old, if we consider the introduction of the god as the starting point.
During this time, Egypt was under the rule of the Ptolemaic dynasty, which was of Greek origin. The Ptolemaic rulers sought to combine Egyptian and Greek religious beliefs and practices, which led to the creation of Serapis as a syncretic deity. Serapis was intended to be a unifying god, incorporating aspects of Greek gods like Zeus, Hades, and Dionysus, as well as Egyptian gods like Osiris and Apis.
The cult statue of Serapis in the Serapeum, from which the bust you mentioned is derived, was one of the most important representations of the deity. It was initially created as a symbol of the new god’s introduction and popularity. The statue itself was likely made of various materials, including wood, metal, and stone, and it would have been adorned with elaborate decorations and symbols.
Over time, the worship of Serapis spread beyond Egypt and became popular throughout the Roman Empire. The cult of Serapis continued to thrive until the rise of Christianity in the fourth century AD, when it was eventually suppressed and replaced by the new dominant religion.
Serapis is an ancient deity who emerged around the end of the second century AD, but the cult statue from which the bust is patterned after was created around 320-310 BC. This makes Serapis over two thousand years old, considering the introduction of the god as the starting point. The worship of Serapis flourished during the Hellenistic and Roman periods before eventually declining with the spread of Christianity.