Antares - Traditional Names

Traditional Names

Antares, the proper name of this star, derives from the Ancient Greek Άντάρης, meaning "anti-Ares" ("anti-Mars"), due to the similarity of its reddish hue to the appearance of the planet Mars. The comparison of Antares with Mars may have originated with early Mesopotamian astronomers. However, some scholars have speculated that the star may have been named after Antar, or Antarah ibn Shaddad, the Arab warrior-hero celebrated in the Golden Mu'allaqat.

• In ancient Mesopotamia, Antares may have been known by the following names: Urbat, Bilu-sha-ziri ("the Lord of the Seed"), Kak-shisa ("the Creator of Prosperity"), Dar Lugal ("The King"), Masu Sar ("the Hero and the King"), and Kakkab Bir ("the Vermilion Star").
• In Persia, Antares was known as Satevis, one of the four "royal stars".
• In India, it with σ and τ Sco were one of nakshatra (Hindu lunar mansion), as Jyeshthā "Oldest", or the Seniormost or Chief, and Rohinī "Ruddy". The natives born with their moon in this nakshatra show a combination of power, independence and a sense of danger.
• In China, it was named 心宿二 (Mandarin: xīn xiù èr), because it was the second star of the asterism 心宿 ("Heart").
• In Renaissance astrology, Antares is one of the Behenian fixed stars and has the symbol .
• The Wotjobaluk Koori people of Victoria, Australia, knew Antares as Djuit, son of Marpean-kurrk (Arcturus); the stars on each side represented his wives. The Kulin Kooris saw Antares (Balayang) as the brother of Bunjil (Altair).

Alternative name of this star, meaning "the Heart of Scorpion":

• In ancient Egypt, Antares represented the scorpion goddess Serket (and was the symbol of Isis in the pyramidal ceremonials).
• Antares is listed in MUL.APIN as GABA GIR.TAB, meaning "the Breast of the Scorpion:Lishi, Nabu".
• Calbalakrab from the Arabic Qalb al-Άqrab. This had been directly translated from the Ancient Greek Καρδιά Σκορπιού Kardia Skorpiū.
• Cor Scorpii translated above Greek name into Latin.