Tauroctony from Chrestos

TNMM 673 ↔ CIMRM 554 & 555

White marble relief (H. 0.43 Br. 0.72 D. 0.05), broken in two. Vatican Museum, Sala dei Animali, No. 149.

In a cave Mithras, slaying the bull, whose tail ends in three ears. Dog and serpent near the wound; the scorpion on the usual place; the raven is perched on the border of the cave. In the upper corners Sol (l) in diadem and radiate crown, driving upwards in a quadriga; on the other side Luna (r) with crescent behind her shoulders, descending in a chariot and urging the two oxen on with a whip. On the lower rim, between two palm-branches an inscription:

CIMRM 555

Χρῆστος πατὴρ καὶ Γαῦρος ἐποίησαν

ἐποίησαν in the sense of consacraverunt.

White marble relief (75 x 43 cm) with tauroctony and inscription, found probably in Rome, second half of the 3rd century CE. Currently preserved in Rome, Musei Vaticani – Museo Pio Clementino (inv. MV422). This relief was bought by the Vatican Collection between 1775 and 1792.