Tauroctony relief from Sexantaprista

TNMM 2490 ↔ CIMRM 2272

Marble relief (H. 0.34 Br. 0.29 D. 0.02–0.025) in five fragments. Found at Roustchouk (Ruse) not far from the place where the river Lom joins the Danube. Sofia, National Museum.

Kazarow in RA XVIII, 1911, 73ff and fig.; BSAB 1911, 51f No. 2 and fig. 2; Saxl, Mithras, 31 and fig. 93; LeRoy Campbell in Berytus XI, 1954, 50 No. 354. See fig. 632.

The relief is divided into three parts. In the centre Mithras as a bullkiller with the raven perched on the flying cloak. The dog, but no serpent and scorpion. The bull wears a belt. Cautes (r) holds an upraised torch in his r.h. and a pedum in his l.h. Cautopates (l) holds the torch downwards in his r.h. and has a bow in his l.h.

In the upper part of the relief from l. to r.:

1) Bust of Sol.

2) Mithras sitting on a rocky stone shoots at a vaulted rock before which a kneeling person. Behind the god a person who seems to lean his l. arm on the rocky stone.

3) The bull in a small boat near which an indistinct object.

4) Tripod above which the bust of Luna.

In the lower part from l. to r.:

5) In a grotto Mithras puts his hand on the head of kneeling Sol.

6) Sol helps Mithras ascending a one-horse chariot.

7) Reclining bearded god who leans upon his l. arm and who stretches out his r.h. to the horse. He is dressed in a cloak but his breast is uncovered (Oceanus).