 The religion of Atargatis (related to the Babylonian and Assyrian Ishtar and Phoenician Ba`alat Gebal), a fertility- and sea goddess from Syria, was also popular.By the 3rd century BCE her worship had spread from Syria to Egypt and Greece, and eventually reached Italy and the west.The religion following Cybele (or the "Great Mother") came from Phrygia to Greece and then to Egypt and Italy, where in 204 BCE the Roman Senate permitted her worship.