Tauroctony from Aelius Maximus of Turda

TNMM 668 ↔ CIMRM 1920 & 1921

White marble relief (H. 0.28 Br. 0.275 D. 0.025) found at Turda (Torda) in 1859. Museum at Cluj (Koloszvar = Klausenburg), Inv. No. 2580.

Mithras as a bullkiller in a grotto; the raven is perched on the god’s flying cloak. The dog, the serpent; the torchbearers cross-legged. Cautes (r) holds the torch upwards with his r.h. and in his l.h. a bow; Cautopates (l) holds the torch downwards (r.h.) and holds a bow over his left shoulder in his l.h. Behind him there are three scenes:

1) Standing Mithras in a grotto holding an object over Sol’s head who squats down before him.
2) Mithras riding the bull which he holds by one of the horns.
3) Mithras carries the bull on his shoulders. In the arched border of the relief from l. to r.
4) Dressed bust of Sol with a whip.
5) Mithras sitting on a rocky stone shoots towards a grotto before which a kneeling man. This person holds his hands before his face. Behind Mithras a standing man stretching out his hands to the god.
6) Bull in a small boat.
7) The bull in a small house.
8) A lying ram and above him a standing goat.
9) Reclining bearded god partly dressed in a cloak. He holds a staff in his l.h. (Oceanus).
10) Mithras in Oriental dress puts his hands on a bush or a stele.
11) Mithras’ rockbirth. In his upraised hands he holds a torch (l.h.) and a knife (r.h.).
12) Dressed bust of Luna.

In the bottom border an inscription:

CIMRM 1921

L.H. 0.005.

Ael(ius) Maximus miles / leg(ionis) V Mac(edonicae) v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) p(osuit)