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Monumentum

Lion-headed figure of Mérida

The lion-headed figure, Aion, from Mérida, wears oriental knickers fastened at the waist by a cinch strap.
  • Aion of Mérida

    Aion of Mérida
    The New Mithraeum / Andreu Abuín (CC BY-SA)

  • Right side of the Aion of Mérida

    Right side of the Aion of Mérida
    The New Mithraeum / Andreu Abuín (CC BY-SA)

  • Left side of the Aion of Mérida

    Left side of the Aion of Mérida
    The New Mithraeum / Andreu Abuín (CC BY-SA)

  • CIMRM 776

    CIMRM 776
    Vermaseren's Corpus

 
The New Mithraeum
16 Jan 2021
Updated on Dec 2022

TNMM 241 ↔ CIMRM 776

Marble statue (H. 0.87), found in 1902. Museo Nacional de Arte Romano de Mérida, Inv. No. 87.

Aion with lion's head. To the upper part of his naked body, a pair of wings is attached. Around him a serpent is winding its way up, resting its head on the god's after the last coil round his neck. A part of the head and parts of the arms and legs have got lost.

Chronos Mitraico / Mithraic Chronus by egiptologo91 on Sketchfab


Representación de Chronos-Mithra, dios del tiempo infinito con cuerpo masculino y cabeza de león (leontocéfalo). Tiene el torso desnudo, vistiendo tan solo calzón oriental sujeto a la cintura con un cinqulum. Del resto se conservan parte de la gran melena, de las fauces entreabiertas, el ojo izquierdo y el entrecejo fruncido. Se enrosca al cuerpo una serpiente (genio mitraico) mutilada cuya cabeza aparecería por encima del personaje leontocéfalo. En la parte trasera se conservan por completo las alas que dejan vislumbrar el plumaje por medio de un somero rayado en la zona inferior y en la superior delantera asoman por encima de los hombros detallando mucho más ese plumaje.

References

Gomez Moreno-Pijoan, Materiales, Pl. XXXI, fig. 36; Leite de Vasconcellos, Religoes, III, fig. 150; Melida in BAH 1914, 446f No. 3 and Pl. V; Cat. Badajoz, No. 1084; Paris in RA 1914, 6 No. 6 and fig. 4; Legge in Proc. Soc. Bibl. Arch. XXXVII, 1915, Pl. XIX, 4; Lianez, Mer., 178f No. 87; Pidal, Hist. Esp., II, 441, fig. 251; Garcia y Bellido, Culto, fig. 7; see fig. 210.

Related monuments

Cerro de San Albín

Although the site at Cerro de San Albín is not a Mithraeum, archaeologists have found several monuments related to the cult of Mithras.

Aion of Mérida

The Aion-Chronos of Mérida was found near the bullring of the current city, once capital of the Roman province Hispania Ulterior.

Cautopates from Casa del Mitreo of Mérida

The sculpture of the solar god is signed by its author, Demetrios.

Naked figure from Mérida

This sculpture may be a naked dadophorus, probably Cautopates.

 

Feast from Mérida

This scene of a feast from Mérida shows three persons at a table with other people standing beside them, one holding a bull’s head on a plate.

Altar of Merida consecrated by Marcus Valerius Secundus

This altar is dedicated to the birth of Mithras by a frumentarius of the Legio VII Geminae.

Mercury of Mérida

The statue of Mercury in Merida bears a dedication from the Roman Pater of a community in the city in 155.

Cautes from Mérida

This nude male figure, found at Cerro de San Albín, Mérida, has been identified as Cautes.

 

Venus pudica of Mérida

The Venus pudica of Merida stands next to the young Amor riding a dolplhin.

Isis de Mérida

The Isis of Merida is covered by a long dress that reaches down to her feet.

Aesculapius of Merida

This standing sculptural figure from Mérida appears to carry the serpent staff, characteristic of the medicine god Aesculapius.

Altar by Caius Aemilius Superaius of Merida

Small white marble altar made in honour of Mithras found at San Albín, Mérida.

 

Altar of Gaius Iulius from Mérida

The small Mithraic altar found at Cerro de San Albin, Merida, bears an inscription to the health of a certain Caius Iulius.

Oceaunus of Mérida

The sculpture of Oceanus in Merida bears an inscription by the Pater Patrorum Gaius Accius Hedychrus.

Venus of Mérida small sculpture

The lack of attributes and its decontextualisation prevent us from attributing a specific Mithraic attribution to this small Venus pudica from Mérida.

Serapis head from Mérida

This head of Serapis from Cerro de San Albín may be unrelated to Mithras worship.

 

Altar of Mérida from Quintio

This altar, which has now disappeared, was dedicated by the slave Quintio for the health of a certain Coutius Lupus.

Tauroctony from the Gran Mitreo de Mérida

These fragments of a monumental tauroctony found in the Cerro de San Albín must have decorated the Gran Mitreo de Mérida, which has not yet been found.

 
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