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Monumentum

Tauroctony with dog and scorpion from Sarmizegetusa

Bluish marble tauroctony relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, depicting Mithras killing the bull with the dog, scorpion, and subsidiary scenes.
Tauroctony with dog and scorpion from Sarmizegetusa
Tauroctony with dog and scorpion from SarmizegetusaCIMRM
 
The New Mithraeum
27 May 2026

TNMM 1921 ↔ CIMRM 2068

Bluish marble relief (H. 0.27 Br. 0.325 D. 0.03).

Studniczka, 207 No. 4 and fig. 4; Kiraly, 34ff No. 100 and Pl. X, 1; MMM II 284f No. 142 and fig. 132; LeRoy Campbell in Berytus XI, 1954, 46 No. 85. See fig. 553.

Mithras as a bullkiller. The dog, the serpent, the scorpion and the torchbearers with crossed legs. Cautes (r) holds a torch upwards in each hand, Cautopates (l) holds a torch downwards in each hand. In the upper corners the dressed busts of Sol (l) and of Luna (r) with a crescent behind her shoulders. Beside Mithras' head are seven altars in a row.

In the bottom border an inscription:

References

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Small rectangular tauroctony from Sarmizegetusa

Two fragments of a rectangular white marble relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, in the Lugoj collection, depicting Mithras killing the bull with the raven on the flying cloak.

Mithras torso from Sarmizegetusa

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Bull's muzzle fragments from Sarmizegetusa

Fragments of a bluish marble tauroctony from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, possibly related to the preceding piece, preserving remnants of a bull.

 

Inscription fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Fragmentary inscription from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, partially illegible.

Round-framed tauroctony from Sarmizegetusa

Five fragments of a whitish-yellow marble tauroctony from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, with the central bull-slaying framed by a round border and the dagger of Mithras clearly visible.

Large tauroctony relief from Sarmizegetusa

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Rectangular tauroctony from Sarmizegetusa

Rectangular white marble tauroctony relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, depicting Mithras killing the bull with dog, serpent, and scorpion.

 

Bull hindquarter and altar fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Fragment of a white marble tauroctony from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the hindmost part of the bull to the left and the fragment of a small altar behind it.

Bull's tail and cloak fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Greyish marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the bull's tail and part of Mithras's flying cloak.

Mithras head in Phrygian cap from Sarmizegetusa

Small marble relief fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the head of Mithras in Phrygian cap.

Bent arm fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving part of a bent arm, possibly from a tauroctony scene.

 

Tauroctony with Cautes from Sarmizegetusa

Foremost part of a white marble tauroctony from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, showing the badly weathered bull-slaying with cross-legged Cautes raising the torch with both hands.

Tauroctony with rock-birth above Cautes from Sarmizegetusa

Upper portion of a vaulted marble tauroctony from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, with the bull-slaying and above Cautes a scene of Mithras's rock-birth; Sol and Luna busts appear in the upper corners.

Cross-legged torchbearer from Sarmizegetusa

Fragment of a large marble relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving a standing cross-legged torchbearer; head, arms, and legs below the knees are lost.

Lower torchbearer from Sarmizegetusa

Left lower corner of a marble relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the lower part of a cross-legged torchbearer in a short belted and fringed tunic.

 

Bull's head and dagger fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the neck and head of the bull together with Mithras's dagger.

Torchbearer torso with downward torch from Sarmizegetusa

Fragment of a marble relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the bust of a person in a tunic with a right arm and hand holding a torch pointed downward.

Bull and dagger detail from Sarmizegetusa

Small marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving small parts of the bull and Mithras's dagger.

Standing figure in tunic from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving a standing person in a tunic; head, arms, and legs are lost.

 

Sheath and tunic fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the sheath and part of Mithras's tunic with traces of red colour.

Three mantle fragments from Sarmizegetusa

Three marble fragments of a mantle from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, probably belonging to the flying cloak of Mithras.

Bull's head fragments from Sarmizegetusa

Two marble fragments from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, one preserving the head of the bull and another the bull's ear.

Coiling serpent fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving a coiling serpent without its head.

 

Dog's hindquarters from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the hindmost part of the dog.

Cautes head and torch top from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the head of Cautes in Phrygian cap and part of his torch.

Torchbearer mid-body from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the middle part of a torchbearer from the armpit to the knees.

Cautopates with downward torch from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the middle part of Cautopates holding a downward torch in his left hand.

 

Sol and Mithras upper corner from Sarmizegetusa

Fragment of a bluish marble tauroctony from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the left upper corner with the bust of Sol and beside it the upper part of a person in Phrygian cap — probably Mithras as an archer.

Sol bust with Mithras riding from Sarmizegetusa

Fragment of a yellowish marble relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the left upper corner with the bust of Sol and below it Mithras riding the bull.

Sol with Mithras sitting from Sarmizegetusa

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Sol and Phrygian figure from Sarmizegetusa

Fragment of a white limestone relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the bust of Sol and a figure in Phrygian cap raising a right hand.

 

Lion hind leg and serpent from Sarmizegetusa

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Multi-scene marble relief from Sarmizegetusa

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Fine Mithras head from Sarmizegetusa

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Mithras head with torchbearer shoulder from Sarmizegetusa

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Bull head and hoof from Sarmizegetusa

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Kneeling figure leg from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the lower part of a leg and the left leg of a kneeling figure.

Border fragment with altar from Sarmizegetusa

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Cautes with two torches from Sarmizegetusa

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Tauroctony relief from Lugoj collection

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