Bronze medallion of Gordian III with tauroctony
TNMM 274 ↔ CIMRM 27
Bronze medallion (Diam. 0.036). Berlin, Cabinet of coins; British Museum.
Obv.: Bust of Gordian (238-244 A.D.). He is dressed in a paludamentum and wears radiate crown. Rim of pearls.
Leg.: Αύτ(ορχάτωρ) Κ(αίσαρ) Μ. Αντώνιος Γορδιανός Σεβ(αστός) π(ατήρ) π(ατρίδος).
Rev.: Mithras in radiate crown, lifts dagger with his r.h. in order to kill the bull. With the other hand he grasps the animal’s nostrils. Mithras’ breast is covered by a cuirass, below which is a short tunic, he also has the flying cloak and anaxyrides. Rim of pearls.
Leg.: Τάρσου μητροπόλεως. Α(ύτονόυ) μ(ητρόπόλεως) Κ(ιλιχίας) γ(ράμματι) β(ουλής).
CIMRM II 27
Will, Relief Cultuel, 165 n. 1 rightly remarks that Mithras is not in Phrygian cap and that he holds his hand with the dagger upraised (cf. No. 230 and fig. 69).
Main inscription
References
Vignoli, 176 with fig.; Welcker in Zoega, 152 No. 43 and 154; de Hammer, Mithriaea, 107 No. 82; Lajard, Intr. PI. CII, 13; Mionnet, Sup. VII, 282 No. 510; Hill, Coins Br. Mus., 213 No. 258 and PI. XXXVIII, 4; MMM II 189 No.3 with fig. 12; Head, Hist. Numm., 22, 733; DS, Diet. Ant., 1945 fig. 5084; Frothingham in AJA 1918, 63ff; MM 28 fig. 1; Leipoldt, VI and PI. 14; Saxl, 13; Nilsson, Gr. Rel. II, PI. 16,2. See fig. 4.
- Vermaseren, Maarten Jozef (1956) Corpus Inscriptionum et Monumentorum Religionis Mithriacae
- CIMRM 27 - Bronze aes. Cilicia, 240 A.D.
Comments