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Monumentum

Mithraic Sol altar with backlight of Bingen

The altar of the Sun god belongs to the typology of the openwork altar to be illuminated from behind.
  • Solar altar from Bingen

    Solar altar from Bingen
    Ortolf Harl. Lupa.at

  • Solar altar from Bingen

    Solar altar from Bingen
    Ortolf Harl. Lupa.at

  • Solar altar from Bingen

    Solar altar from Bingen
    CIMRM via Tertullian.org

 
The New Mithraeum
13 Jan 2022
Updated on Jan 2022

TNMM 387 ↔ CIMRM 1241 & 1242

Altar in sandstone (H. 0.94 Br. 0.54 D. 0.40). Bingen, Museum, Inv. No. 2464.

In an almost square niche the dressed bust of Sol with a crown of seven perforated rays. Sol holds a whip; the head is damaged. In the back of the altar is a second niche in order to illuminate the radiate crown of Sol. An inscription:

CIMRM 1242

L.H. 0.025-0.04.

In h(onorem) d(omus) d(ivinae) Soli / invicto Mitrae (sic!) / aram Privati Se/cundinus et Ter/tinus et Confinis / ex voto Privati / Tertini v(otum) s(olverunt) l(aeti) l(ibentes) m(erito).

The same dedicators are mentioned on an altar with representations of Victoria and Mars (CIL XIII 7505) found near Bingen in 1775.

Main inscription

In h[onorem] d[omus] d[ivinae] Soli / invicto Mitrae [sic!] / aram Privati Se/cundinus et Ter/tinus et Confinis / ex voto Privati / Tertini v[otum] s[olverunt] l[aeti] l[ibentes] m[erito]
In honour of the divine house, to Sol Invictus Mithras [sic!], Privatus Secundinus and Tertinus and Confinis set up an altar as the fulfilment of Privatus’ vow; Tertinus’ vow they willingly, gladly, and deservedly fulfilled.

References

Behrens in Germania VI, 1922, 82; Lehner in EJ 129, 1924, 86 No. 240; Cagnat in Ann. Ep., 1923, 11 No. 35; Esp. Rec. Ganle VIII, 109 No. 7419; Finke in ERGK XVII, 1927, 75 No. 227; Behrens in Mainzer Zeitschrift XXXII, 1937,43 No. 13 and fig. 27; Behrens, BL, 22 No. 3 and fig. 32.

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