Lion relief from Nemrut Dağı
TNMM 302 ↔ CIMRM 31
Horoscope of Antiochus of Commagene (July 17, 98 RC.). Standing lion to the right with a crescent below his neck and a number of stars on his body and in the field. Above his back three large planets, the names of which are mentioned:
Πυρόεις Ηρακλέους, στίλβων Απόλλωνος, Φαέθων Δίος
(Cf. Fr. Cumont, Les noms des planetes et l’astrolatrie chez les Grecs, in AntC. IV, 1935, 16 n. 8).
The Lion Horoscope, at the West-Terrace of the Nemrud, is the oldest known horoscope in the world. It depicts a constellation which will not be seen for the forthcoming 25,000 years.
The Lion Horoscope is a stone slab measuring 1.75 x 2.40 metres and a thickness of 0.47 metres. It shows a lion marching to the right. It is the Lion Horoscope.
The body of the lion is covered with nineteen stars. Each star has eight pointed rays. Apart from small differences the positions of the nineteen stars represent the constellation of Lion as described in the ancient star table of Eratosthenes.
The lion wears a sickle under his neck, symbolising the New Moon. Above this disk the star Regulus radiates. Regulus has been associated with the king throughout the history of mankind. It was named Regulus by Copernicus after the earlier “Rex”, equivalent to the “Basileos” of Ptolemeus. In ancient Akkad the star was known as “Amil-gal-ur” King-of-the-celestial-sphere. In Babylonia as “Sharu” the King. In ancient Persia as “Miyan” the Centre, leader of the four royal stars.
Main inscription
References
Humann-Puchstein, Reisen, 329ff with Pl. XL; Bey-Effendi, 21f and Pl. 24; RRR I, 196; MMM II l.c. fig. 8; Gressmann, Or. Rel., 147 fig. 55; Hell. Gestirnrel., 22f and fig. 8; Cook, Zeus I, 749 fig. 547; Hunger-Lamer, Altor. Kult., fig. 193; Sarre, Kunst Pers., fig. 55; Turchi, RRA, PI. XXII, 2. See fig. 6.
- Vermaseren, Maarten Jozef (1956) Corpus Inscriptionum et Monumentorum Religionis Mithriacae
- Lion Horoscope – International Nemrud Foundation.
