Nanæa

1 Macc. vi. 1, 2, 3, &c.NANÆA. When Antiochus Epiphanes went into Persia,¹ with a Design to enrich himself at the Expence of the People, or rather to plunder the Temples of that Country, of what Gold and Silver he could find; he came to Elymais, where there was a famous Temple dedicated to Anais or Nanæa, the Goddess of the Country. He pretended that he would marry the Goddess, that he might have the better Title to the Riches in the Temple, by Way of Dowry. The Priests shew’d him all the Treasures of the Temple; but when afterwards he would enter in to take Possession of them, they opened a secret Door of the Temple, or a Hole that was in the Ceiling, and shower’d down upon him and his Attendants, such a shower of Stones, that they were overwhelmed with them. After which the Priests hew’d them in Pieces, cut off their Heads, and threw them out. Thus it is related in the second Book of the Maccabees.

But the first Book of the same History tells us, that Antiochus having heard there was a very rich Temple at Elymais, marched to this City with a Design to take and plunder it; and that the Citizens being informed of this Design, rose in a Body against him, and obliged him to retire to Babylon. To reconcile these two different Accounts, it may be supposed, that Antiochus came to Elymais, and went into the Temple of Nanæa with a Design to pillage it. But the Priests and Inhabitants rising in its Defence, this Prince was obliged to retreat as well as he could, after having lost some of his People, who had ventured too far into the inner Parts of the Temple. This happened in the Year of the World 3840, before Christ 160, and before the vulgar Æra 164.

Authors that mention this Temple of Elymais, are not agreed about the Goddess that was worship’d there. Polybius and Diodorus Siculus think it was the Goddess Diana, or the Moon. Appian maintains that it was Venus. Polybius calls her Venus of Elymais. Others believe it was Cybele, or the Mother of the Gods. But the most common Opinion is, that it was Diana, the same that Strabo calls Anais, or Anaitis. It was a Virgin Goddess, because Antiochus pretended to espouse her; and Plutarch relates, that King Artaxerxes being desirous to take away the beautiful Aspasia from his Son, being in love with her himself, devoted her to a perpetual Virginity in honour of Anais of Ecbatana. z 2 Macc. i. 13 14. Vide & 1 Macc. vi. 1, 2, &c.

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