CIMRM 1920-1921 - White marble relief tauroctony of Aelius Maximus. Cluj, Romania.

This relief comes from the Roman fort of Castra Potaissa, at modern Turda, in Romania. The fortress was the base for Legio V Macedonica.

From: here. Inv.Nr. I/112 Cluj/Klausenburg, Museum FO: Turda / Potaissa (Romania) Height: 28 cm White marble 2nd c. AD. Bibliography: R. Merkelbach, Mithras (1984) 382 Abb. 149.

Arachne database entry here. This states that the monument is currently located "Cluj, Rumänien, RO, Muzeul de Istoria Transilvaniei (Museum for Transylvanian History)", and gives somewhat different measurements. It also gives bibliography: O. Doppelfeld (ed), Römer in Rumänien, Ausstellungskatalog Köln (Köln 1969) "210 Cat. no. F 80 Pl. 54."

CIMRM entry

POTAISSA 1920. 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. Ackner in MCC1 1860, 56; MMM II 3I7f No. 204 and fig. 179; Saxl, fig. 92. See fig. 501. 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: 1921. CIL III 899; MMM II No. 232. L.H. 0.005. Ael(ius) Maximus miles / leg(ionis) V Mac(edonicae) v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) p(osuit)