ad ruined
the traffic of the AEgean Sea, the Alexandrian worship was too deeply rooted
in the soil of Greece to perish, although it became endangered in certain
seaports like Delos. Of all the gods of the Orient, Isis and Serapis were
the only ones that retained a place among the great divinities of the
Hellenic world until the end of paganism.[21]

* * * * *

It was this syncretic religion that came to Rome after having enjoyed
popularity in the eastern Mediterranean. Sicily and the south of Italy were
more than half Hellenized, and the Ptolemies had diplomatic relations with
these countries, just as the merchants of Alexandria had commercial
relations with them. For this reason the worship of Isis spread as rapidly
in those regions as on the coasts of Ionia or in the Cyclades.[22] It was
introduced into Syracuse and Catana during the earliest years of the third
century by {81} Agathocles. The Serapeum of Pozzuoli, at that time the
busiest seaport of Campania, was mentioned in a city ordinance of the year
105 B. C.[23] About the same time an Iseum was founded at Pompeii, where
the decorative frescos attest to this day the power of expansion possessed
by the Alexandrian culture.

After its adoption by the southern part of the Italian peninsula, this
religion was bound to penetrate rapidly to Rome. Ever since the second
century before our era, it could not help but find adepts in the chequered
multitude of slaves and freedmen. Under the Antonines the college of the
_pastophori_ recalled that it had been founded in the time of Sulla.[24] In
vain did the authorities try to check the invasion of the Alexandrian gods.
Five different times, in 59, 58, 53, and 48 B. C., the senate ordered their
altars and statues torn down,[25] but these violent measures did not stop
the diffusion of the new beliefs. The Egyptian mysteries were the first
example at Rome of an essentially popular religious movement that was
triumphant over the continued resistance of the public authorities and the
official clergy.

Why was this Egyptian worship the only one of all Oriental religions to
suffer repeated persecutions? There were two motives, one religious and one
political.

In the first place, this cult was said to exercise a corrupting influence
perversive of piety. Its morals were loose, and the mystery surrounding it
excited the worst suspicions. Moreover, it appealed violently to the
emotions and senses. Al