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Monumentum

Tauroctony relief of Sarmizegetusa

This relief of Mithras slaying the bull incorporates the scene of the god carrying the bull and its birth from a rock.
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The New Mithraeum
23 Jan 2022
Updated on May 2026

TNMM 432 ↔ CIMRM 2063

This openwork marble relief came to light between 1882 and 1883, broken into several fragments, in the large Mithraeum of the Roman colony of Sarmizegetusa, the capital of the province of Dacia. The craftsman, or the individual commissioning the relief, opted to combine several moments from the story of Mithras in a single image.

At the centre, Mithras, larger than the others, stands blocking the bull with his left knee, while holding it by the nostrils with his left hand and stabbing it in the throat with his right. The god has shoes, wears a Phrygian cap, and is dressed in a short tunic with long sleeves, Eastern pants gathered at the ankles, and a floating mantle attached at the right shoulder. A scorpion appears on the line of the ground about to grab the testicles of the bull, which wears a band around the underside (dorsuale), as in traditional Roman sacrifice. A serpent wrapped around its side and a dog leaning against its chest aim their heads towards the bleeding wound. The dadophori flank this central group. Their legs crossed, they wear an outfit similar to that of Mithras. Cautes hold a raised torch (today broken) and the bull’s tail, while Cautopates holds a lowered torch as well as the animal’s nose. A lion is positioned at the feet of Cautes.

At the edges of the composition one finds Mithras as he appears in the earlier episodes of the myth. On the left, he is taurophorus, carrying the bull that he has just captured. On the right, he is petrogenitus, born from the rock; his torso, however, is broken. A third figure, his legs crossed, turned away from the centre, and also dressed in an oriental manner but difficult to identify, completes the tableau on the right.

The sculpture bears the mark of provincial Roman art, as is shown by the characteristic rendering of facial traits and clothes falling in rigid folds. It is therefore a local production, coming from one of the workshops serving the Roman colony, and using marble obtained from the quarry near Bucova.

References

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Small rectangular tauroctony from Sarmizegetusa

Two fragments of a rectangular white marble relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, in the Lugoj collection, depicting Mithras killing the bull with the raven on the flying cloak.

Mithras torso from Sarmizegetusa

Two greyish marble fragments from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the torso of Mithras in tunic and cloak killing the bull with his right hand.

Bull's muzzle fragments from Sarmizegetusa

Fragments of a bluish marble tauroctony from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, possibly related to the preceding piece, preserving remnants of a bull.

Inscription fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Fragmentary inscription from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, partially illegible.

 

Round-framed tauroctony from Sarmizegetusa

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Large tauroctony relief from Sarmizegetusa

Three fragments of a large yellowish marble tauroctony from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, depicting the damaged bull-slaying scene; at approximately 0.94 × 1.31 m one of the larger reliefs from the sanctuary.

Rectangular tauroctony from Sarmizegetusa

Rectangular white marble tauroctony relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, depicting Mithras killing the bull with dog, serpent, and scorpion.

Bull hindquarter and altar fragment from Sarmizegetusa

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Bull's tail and cloak fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Greyish marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the bull's tail and part of Mithras's flying cloak.

Mithras head in Phrygian cap from Sarmizegetusa

Small marble relief fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the head of Mithras in Phrygian cap.

Bent arm fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving part of a bent arm, possibly from a tauroctony scene.

Tauroctony with Cautes from Sarmizegetusa

Foremost part of a white marble tauroctony from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, showing the badly weathered bull-slaying with cross-legged Cautes raising the torch with both hands.

 

Tauroctony with rock-birth above Cautes from Sarmizegetusa

Upper portion of a vaulted marble tauroctony from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, with the bull-slaying and above Cautes a scene of Mithras's rock-birth; Sol and Luna busts appear in the upper corners.

Cross-legged torchbearer from Sarmizegetusa

Fragment of a large marble relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving a standing cross-legged torchbearer; head, arms, and legs below the knees are lost.

Lower torchbearer from Sarmizegetusa

Left lower corner of a marble relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the lower part of a cross-legged torchbearer in a short belted and fringed tunic.

Bull's head and dagger fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the neck and head of the bull together with Mithras's dagger.

 

Torchbearer torso with downward torch from Sarmizegetusa

Fragment of a marble relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the bust of a person in a tunic with a right arm and hand holding a torch pointed downward.

Bull and dagger detail from Sarmizegetusa

Small marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving small parts of the bull and Mithras's dagger.

Standing figure in tunic from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving a standing person in a tunic; head, arms, and legs are lost.

Sheath and tunic fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the sheath and part of Mithras's tunic with traces of red colour.

 

Three mantle fragments from Sarmizegetusa

Three marble fragments of a mantle from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, probably belonging to the flying cloak of Mithras.

Bull's head fragments from Sarmizegetusa

Two marble fragments from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, one preserving the head of the bull and another the bull's ear.

Coiling serpent fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving a coiling serpent without its head.

Dog's hindquarters from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the hindmost part of the dog.

 

Cautes head and torch top from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the head of Cautes in Phrygian cap and part of his torch.

Torchbearer mid-body from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the middle part of a torchbearer from the armpit to the knees.

Cautopates with downward torch from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the middle part of Cautopates holding a downward torch in his left hand.

Sol and Mithras upper corner from Sarmizegetusa

Fragment of a bluish marble tauroctony from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the left upper corner with the bust of Sol and beside it the upper part of a person in Phrygian cap — probably Mithras as an archer.

 

Sol bust with Mithras riding from Sarmizegetusa

Fragment of a yellowish marble relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the left upper corner with the bust of Sol and below it Mithras riding the bull.

Sol with Mithras sitting from Sarmizegetusa

Fragment of a white limestone relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the dressed bust of Sol and beside him a sitting Mithras visible to the knees, with an arch above.

Sol and Phrygian figure from Sarmizegetusa

Fragment of a white limestone relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the bust of Sol and a figure in Phrygian cap raising a right hand.

Lion hind leg and serpent from Sarmizegetusa

Three white limestone fragments from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the hind leg of a lion in a vertical position and a serpent apparently moving towards a rock — possibly a rock-birth scene.

 

Multi-scene marble relief from Sarmizegetusa

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Standing Sol and burning altar from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving a standing figure in shoulder-cape (possibly Sol) and below it a burning altar.

Oceanus and rock miracle from Sarmizegetusa

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Figure approaching rock from Sarmizegetusa

White marble relief fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, probably belonging to the preceding piece, depicting a man walking to the right stretching his hand towards a rock.

 

Arched border with Phrygian cap from Sarmizegetusa

White marble relief fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving part of an arched border below which a head in Phrygian cap, possibly Mithras, above a small building.

Phrygian cap top and Sol's head from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the top of Mithras's Phrygian cap and part of Sol's head.

Fine Mithras head from Sarmizegetusa

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Mithras head with torchbearer shoulder from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving a head of Mithras in Phrygian cap; a small elevation at the side may be the shoulder of a torchbearer.

 

Bull head and hoof from Sarmizegetusa

Fragment of a bluish marble tauroctony from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the left part of the head and a hoof and forefoot of the bull — probably from a Mithras-riding-the-bull scene.

Torchbearer hand fragments from Sarmizegetusa

Marble hand and wrist fragments from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, all preserving remnants of torches, belonging to the torchbearer statues of the sanctuary.

Lion's head from Sarmizegetusa

Small marble lion's head from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, seen frontally.

Kneeling figure leg from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the lower part of a leg and the left leg of a kneeling figure.

 

Border fragment with altar from Sarmizegetusa

Marble fragment of a border from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, with the fragment of a small altar visible.

Cautes head and Luna from Sarmizegetusa

Bluish marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the right upper corner with the head of Cautes and his upraised torch, above which the bust of Luna.

Cautes mid-body fragment from Sarmizegetusa

Marble relief fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving Cautes in Oriental dress from the hips to the knees.

Cautes with two torches from Sarmizegetusa

Two bluish marble fragments from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the upper part of Cautes holding a torch in each hand, with traces of red on his neck, dress, and the torches.

 

Sol's head from Sarmizegetusa

White marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the head of Sol with four attachment holes for rays.

Sol bust with seven rays from Sarmizegetusa

Fragment of a white marble statuette from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving the dressed bust of Sol in a nimbus and seven-rayed crown with traces of red colour; two bolt-holes at the bottom for attachment.

Sitting lion from Sarmizegetusa

Bluish marble fragment from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, preserving a sitting lion with its head slightly turned to the right.

Tauroctony relief from Lugoj collection

White marble tauroctony relief from the Mithraeum at Sarmizegetusa, Dacia, now in the Lugoj collection; the right lower corner is broken off and the scene depicts the standard bull-slaying.

 
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