Taurcotony sculpture from Sidon

The New Mithraeum

4 Jul 2009

Updated on Aug 2023

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Mithras in Eastern attire, girded with a sheath, kills with a large dagger the bull. The dog with collar, the snake and the scorpion on the usual place.

On the bottom border an inscription:

According to E. Will, the sculptures are dated to the year 389 A.D.; but according to the Seleucid era the Sidon sculptures are from 188 A.D. Cf. Le Roy Campbell in Berytus XI, 1954, 26 n.t.

de Ridder, 59f No. 47 and PI. XX (see fig. 27).

Related monuments

Mithraeum of Sidon

The Mithraeum of Sidon may have escaped destruction because the Mithras worshippers walled up the entrance to the underground sanctuary.

Tauroctony relief of Sidon

The tauroctony relief of Sidon depicts the signs of the zodiac and the four seasons, among other familiar features.

Lion-headed Aion from Sidon

The controversial Italian journalist Edmon Durighello discovered this marble statue of a young naked Aion in 1887.

Mithras carrying the bull

Sculpture depicting Mithras carrying a young bull on his shoulders.

Cautes of Sidon

The Sidon sculpture includes a dog jumping between Cautes's legs.

Cautopates of Sidon

Cautopates sculpture of Sidon features a snake near his left leg.

Cautes with an axe

The Cautes of Sidon who wields an axe also wears a piece of cloth on his left arm.

Second Cautes of Sidon holding an axe

In this case, a quiver has been attached to the tree-stump behind the torchbearer.

Hekataion of Sidon

The Hekataion of Sidon shows a triple Hekate surrounded by three dancing nymphs.

Bronze Venus of Sidon

There are two Venus from the Mithraeum of Sidon, one in bronze and the other in Parian marble.