Serap'is,

Serap'is, or SARAPIS (also found as Osarapis), the Greek name of an Egyptian deity, introduced into Egypt in the time of Ptolemy I. or Soter, and really a combination of the Greek Hades and Egyptian Osiris. He was not an Egyptian, but the Greek deity, with some Egyptian characters superadded; and his temple was not admitted into the precincts of Egyptian cities, finding favour only in the Greek cities founded in Egypt. It is said that forty-two temples were erected under the Ptolemies and Romans to this god in Egypt. His resemblance to Osiris consisted in his chthonic or infernal character, as judge of the dead and ruler of Hades. The god had a magnificent temple (the Serapeum) at Alexandria, to which was attached the celebrated Library; another at Memphis, in the vicinity of the cemetery of the mummies of the Apis, which was excavated by Mariette in 1850; and another temple at Canopus. It appears that he represented or was identified with the Hesiri Api, or Osorapis, the 'Osirified' or 'dead Apis,' who was also invested with many of the attributes of Osiris. The worship of Serapis, introduced into Egypt by the Ptolemies, subsequently became greatly extended in Asia Minor; and his image, in alliance with that of Isis and other deities, appears on many of the coins of the imperial days of Rome. In 146 A.D. the worship of the god was introduced into the city of Rome by Antoninus Pius; but it was not long after abolished by the senate, on account of its licentious character. A celebrated temple of Serapis also existed at Puteoli (see POZZUOLI), near Naples, and the remains of it are still seen. In Egypt itself the worship of the deity subsisted till the fall of paganism, the image at Alexandria continuing to be worshipped till destroyed, 398 A.D., by Theophilus, archbishop of that city. Busts of Serapis are found in most museums, and his head or figure engraved on certain stones was supposed to possess particular mystic virtues.