The god Hermanubis was a popular deity in the Roman period of Egyptian rule. Considered the son of Set and Nephthys, he was a culmination of two deities; the Greek-Roman Hermes and the Egyptian god Anubis. Recognised as having similar roles, they were both considered messenger gods who transported the souls of the deceased to the underworld. He was usually depicted as a male figure with the head of a canid (formerly as a jackal). He would hold the caduceus in his hand, the emblem of Hermes, marking him as a herald and messenger and in this role was a pursuer of the truth.
Gods were not often combined in such a manner, the most memorable being Hermaphroditus, the son of Hermes and Aphrodite. Hermanubis was however slightly different in nature, an assimilation of two deities, created for societal needs.
