Statue of Hermanubis

myminifactory

In ancient mythology, Hermanubis was a deity forged by merging Hermes with Anubis. As the offspring of Set and Nephthys, he embodied the attributes of his parents. The convergence of Hermes' and Anubis's duties as guides for souls led to the creation of Hermanubis, who thrived during Rome's domination over Egypt. Picturing a human body and jackal head, with the caduceus sacred to Hermes in hand, Hermanubis symbolized the Egyptian priesthood, driven by an unyielding pursuit of truth. The name Ἑρμανοῦβις appears sparingly in epigraphic and literary sources from the Roman era. Plutarch references Hermanubis as a synonym for Anubis in his underworldly aspect, while Porphyry describes him as a composite being, with half-Greek ancestry. Although combining godly names was unconventional in traditional Greek worship, Hermanubis's hybrid identity has some formal precedents from earlier times. The most notable parallel is the god Hermaphroditus, attested since the fourth century BC, who embodies the paradoxical union of Hermes and Aphrodite rather than a straightforward assimilation like Hermanubis.