Great tauroctony relief from Sopron

TNMM 2341 ↔ CIMRM 1637

Marble relief (H. 0.92 Br. 1.12 D. 0.13). See fig. 418.

Bella, 323ff and fig.; Kuzsinszky, 22ff and fig.; Cumont, Textes II, 390 No. 235 and fig. 235; Hampel, 320f.

Mithras as a bullkiller in the usual dress and attitude. The raven on the grotto's border. The dog near the wound; the serpent creeping towards the wound; the scorpion in the usual place. On either side a torchbearer. Cautopates (l) cross-legged with torch downwards. Cautes (r) with torch upwards. In the upper corners Sol (l) in radiate crown and Luna (r) with crescent, both as busts.

Outside the grotto's border there are the following scenes:

1) (l. side, from bottom to top) Rockbirth of Mithras. The god is entwined by a serpent.

2) Water-miracle: Mithras shoots the arrow at a rock; the water springs.

3) Mithras in Oriental dress kneels (Mithras-Atlas).

4) (r. side, from bottom to top) Mithras in Oriental dress gives Sol an object (piece of meat?).

5) Mithras and Sol at the sacred repast.

6) Mithras ascending Sol's chariot.

In the bottom border an inscription:

CIL III 4120.

L.H. 0.02.

D(eo) i(nvicto) M(ithrae) / T. Fl(avius) SuperinuS / IIIIvir Aug(ustalis) col(oniae) / Scar(abantiensis) / v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito).