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Monumentum

First Tauroctony relief of Dura Europos

One of the reliefs of the Dura Europos tauroctonies includes several characters with their respective names.
 
 
The New Mithraeum
23 Jul 2009
Updated on 29 Oct 2022
 
  • First tauroctony from Dura Europos

    First tauroctony from Dura Europos
    CIMRM 

  • First tauroctony from Dura Europos

    First tauroctony from Dura Europos
    CIMRM 

  • First tauroctony from Dura Europos

    First tauroctony from Dura Europos
    CIMRM 

 

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Behind the main altar is a small relief (H. 0.42 Br. 0.57 D. 0.10) in white gypsum (see fig. 12, 4 and fig. 14).

The bas-relief shows the usual tauroctone scene of Mithras, who wears Persian clothing (Phrygian cap, flying cloak, tunic, trousers). A dagger sheath is visible at the juncture of the upper garment and the rear guarter of the bull. With his right arm Mithras reaches around the animal's neck and thrusts in the dagger from the front (dagger not visible).
 
 

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Main Tauroctony relief from Dura Europos

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Inscription on the restoration of the Mithraeum of Dura Europos

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