CIMRM 174 - Tauroctony of Appius Claudius Terronius Dexter. Pausilypana, Naples, Italy

PAUSILYPUM 174. White marble relief (H. 1.06 Br. 1.00 D. 0.12). "Neapoli, apud illustrissimum ducem Calabriae, advectum ex Pausilippo" (Iucundus, end 15th cent.) or, according to Capacius, "in media crypta Pausilypana dum instauretur fuisse inventum dictitant". Subsequently in St. Antonio's Church, then Museum Capodimonti, now Naples, Museo Nazionale (Inv. No. 6764). Ms Iucundus f. 118 and Augustinus, cod. 3492 f. 36; cod. 3528 f. 39; Pignorius, Act. Cartar., 294 (fig.); Summonte, Hist. Nap., I, 91 (fig.); Capacius, Hist. Neap., I, 168f with fig.; Zoega, Abh., 153 No. 35; Stark, Zwei Mithräen, 36 n. 74; MMM II 249f and 485f No. 93 with fig. 85. Fig. 49 through the kind intercession of Prof. A. Maiuri. Mithras kills the bull, whose tail ends in four ears. The god is dressed in tunica, flying cloak and anaxyrides. Round his breast an embroidered girdle. He looks at Sol. The snake with its head near the wound; a deformed small dog; the scorpion on the usual place; the raven on a rock behind the god. On either side Cautes (l) and Cautopates (r), cross-legged. In the upper corners, above a rocky part, the dressed bust of Sol (l) in a crown of seven rays and the bust of Luna (r) in diadem and crescent. On the lower border an inscription No. 175. 175. CIL X 1479; MMM II No. 148. L.H.0.035. Omnipotenti Deo Mithrae Appius / Claudius Tarronius Dexter v(ir) c(larissimus) dicat.