Venus in Sicily

This goddess goes by different names. To the Romans she was Venus. The Greeks called her Aphrodite, while to the Phoenicians she was Astarte. And to complicate matters further, these are actually the English versions of these names derived from the original languages. All three peoples left their mark in ancient Sicily.

The goddess was venerated by a cult of love (or ritual prostitution) at Erice.  Read about her in the May magazine.