Fresco Tauroctony of Mitreo di Marino

TNMM 201

The rear wall of the sanctuary is given the form of a trapezium by the vault of the grotto. It has a dark border. The background is stuccoed white and in the centre there is a large oblong painting of Mithras the bull-slayer with four minor scenes on either side.

On the left

1) The battle between Jupiter and the Giants
Jupiter appears in the sky, but only the upper part of his body is visible above a red horizontal stripe. The god is bearded and his short shoulder cape is billowing in the wind. In his upraised right hand he holds a thunderbolt poised to kill a nude Giant. This Giant is turned towards Jupiter and is represented emerging from the earth. He has long writhing snakes as feet and in both upraised hands he seems to be holding stones. A second Giant is visible on his left, who is faIling with outstretched snake-arms and feet.

2) Saturn
The god is reclining on his left arm facing right. He is bearded and wears a long purple garment with a broad girdle around his waist. His head is covered with a long veil. Both arms are bare from the elbow. In his right hand resting on his right knee he holds a sickle (harpe).

3) Mithras’ rockbirth
Mithras is emerging from a rough yellow stone which resembles a large globe. His legs are still in the earth. He wears a reddish-brown tiara, a tunica manicata and trousers. Both his hands are raised, the left holding a burning torch, the right a dagger.

4) Mithras riding the bull
The white bull is facing right. The god is sitting astride and grasps the left horn of the bull with his right hand; his left hand is outstretched. Mithras wears a reddish-brown tiara, a tunica manicata, anaxyrides and shoes.

On the right

5) Mithras taurophorus
The god is carrying a young white bull on his shoulders towards a grotto. Mithras wears the usual brownish-red garments, tiara, tunica manicata, anaxyrides and shoes. The bull’s forelegs drag the soil. The arched grotto is indicated at the right side in grey and dark-blue.

6) Sol kneeling before Mithras
Sol (at the left) is completely nude and is kneeling before Mithras, who is walking towards him from the right. Sol tries to grasp Mithras’ right knee with his right hand, his left hand is outstretched. The sungod has a nimbus out of which shoot three red rays. Mithras in his usual reddish-brown clothing, but now also with a billowing shoulder cape, holds in his uplifted right hand a shin-bone club in order to confer the accolade on Sol. Mithras’ left fist is clenched.

7) Treaty between Sol and Mithras
On either side of a flaming square altar stand Sol (left) and Mithras (right). Sol is nude except for a long red shoulder cape. His wild hair is surrounded by a nimbus. His left hand is outstretched with open palm, and his right he holds above the altar. This altar stands on a small base. Mithras who is clad now in full state, also wearing a long reddish-brown shoulder cape, touches Sol’s right wrist with his right hand.

8) Water-miracle
Mithras (left) is standing before a rock. He wears reddish-brown clothing, his shoulder cape billowing. With both upraised hands he holds a bow and long arrow aimed at the rock. Before the rock kneels a person, also in a red oriental costume, with upraised hands. The painting is somewhat worn.