Tauroctony found on the Esquiline

TNMM 146 ↔ CIMRM 368

White marble relief (H. 0.88 Br. 1.20), found on the Esquiline near S. Lucia in Selce. Vatican Museum, Mus. Chiaramonti, XIV, 1.

In a grotto Mithras slaying the bull, whose tail ends in three ears. The god is looking at the raven, which is flying into his direction. The dog and the serpent with their heads near the blood from the wound; the scorpion on the usual place. Beside Mithras’ head seven stars, four on the left side, three on the right. On either side a torchbearer in Eastern dress, cross-legged. They point with both hands their flamed torches downwards.

In the upper corners the dressed busts of Sol (l) and of Luna (r). Sol has an aureole and a crown of eleven rays. ’Above it a star is visible. Luna has a crescent on her head.

On the top of the cave there are seven trees in a row with six burning altars between them. At the entrance of the cave, below the serpent, seven burning altars, the outermost of which are round in contradistinction to the others.

Supplied: the l. torchbearer; the l.h. and the end of the torch of the other torchbearer; ears of the bull’s tail; part of the field with two stars above the bull’s head.

CIMRM II 368

S. Lucia in Selci.