and some thought that Rome's fate might be dependent upon Cybele. Accordingly, a statue of her was taken to Rome, and the cult of Cybele in Rome was started.
At its peak, the Cult of Cybele was rivalled only by that of Isis, and there were temples in all provinces of the Empire. While Cybele was accepted, attitudes towards the Gallae changed over a period of time. Romans were horrified at the frenzy in which the gallae behaved, and by their self-emasculations. Initially the Gallae were confined to temple grounds, though later they were allowed to roam city streets with other followers. In the 4th century AD Valentinian II officially banned the cult of Cybele, and many of her followers perished at the hands of zealous Christians. Justinian continued the persecution of the cult and the Gallae. Under his reign, transgendered persons, and those indulging in same sex eroticism were dispossed, tortured, forced to commit suicide, or burned alive. By the start of the 6th century AD, the Cult and the ancient Gallae were extinct. Elements of the cult were transferred into Christianity in a manner similar to that of Isis.
CYBELIANS
THE CYBELIAN ORGANISATION
Worldwide Cybelian Movement
There are Cybelian followers in 100 countries Worldwide.
Cybelian History
The origins of Cybelianism are rooted in the story of Cybele, who was an earth goddess worshipped in Asia Minor, primarily at Çatal Hüyük. She was known as Kubaba and was earliest depicted as an earth mother - in plump and heavy forms. The name may be derivative of the local word for cube and may refer to a black meteorite that was associated with Her. Gallae were transgendered priestesses of the Cult of Great Mother. Much of what we know about them, and the cult itself, has been pieced together from fragments of contemporary accounts. The cult was a mystery religion, which meant that it's inner secrets and practices were revealed to initiates only.
The Greeks colonised Asia Minor after the Trojan War and found worship of Cybele everywhere. She was absorbed into their mythology about the 8th century BCE. About 213 BCE the Romans were fighting a war with Carthage. It was not going well
Modern-day Cybelianism
The Cybelian Movement was founded in August 2004. The first institution of its kind anywhere in the World, it is a fast-growing movement with members in 100 different countries. In the U.S.A. there are members in all 50 of the 50 States. We have a hierarchy of marriage officiants - female, male and transgendered. The Cybelian Movement is not a cult; it is an organisation working to usher in a world in which women are assertive and men are compliant.
The purpose of the Cybelian Order is to empower women to become assertive in their marriages. Although there have been many Womens' movements over the years, they simply have not done enough for women. Many Women around the globe are still held in oppression by males and treated as second-class citizens. Even in supposedly first-world countries such as the United States and Britain, this oppression is still happening. We hope that by the actions of the Cybelians throughout the World we can help women to realise that they can take control of their own lives and of the lives of their menfolk.