Biography
of Salvius Novanio
- Salvius Novanio may have been associated with a Mithraic community.
- Attested in the 3rd century.
- Attested in Macerata, Picenum, Italia in 3rd century (TNMM 392).
TNMP 15
Salvius Novanio is the name traditionally reconstructed on the dedicatory inscription of a tauroctony found at Macerata, in ancient Picenum (TNMM 392). Earlier scholars interpreted the text as naming the dedicator Salvius Novanius Lucianus, who offered the relief to Mithras as invictus propitius, “the invincible and benevolent god”. Hülsen connected the nomen Novanius with Novana, a town placed by Pliny the Elder in Picenum, although this proposed local origin remains uncertain.
Marc Mayer i Olivé (2010) has challenged the traditional reconstruction. He proposes that the inscription instead names Salvia Novania in the dative, as the person on whose behalf the offering was made, while Lucianus would be the actual dedicator. Mayer further suggested a possible connection with the nearby Roman town of Urbs Salvia.
Chalupa (2023) presents both interpretations and stresses that the association with Urbs Salvia is purely hypothetical. The only relatively secure information is that the monument was found in the area of modern Macerata. Consequently, the existence of a Mithraist named Salvius Novanio cannot be regarded as certain.
References
- Aleš Chalupa (2023) Římský kult boha Mithry. Atlas lokalit a katalog nálezů I.
- Marc Mayer i Olivé (2010) Dos propuestas de nueva lectura de inscripciones del Maceratese.
Attestations
Tauroctony from Macerata
TNMM 392
The Macerata Tauroctony shows Mithra slaying the bull with the usual Pyrigian cap and six rays around his head.
