Cook, Arthur B.: Zeus: a study in ancient religion (Band 1): Zeus god of the bright sky (Cambridge, 1914)

44

The Blue Globe

Iupiter Capitolinus in the fall of its drapery between the knees
as also in the presence of the big globe to the left of the throne.
Nevertheless close inspection reveals important points of difference.
The wall-painting and the intaglio give Zeus a fourth-century, not
a fifth-century, head. They place the thunderbolt in his right
hand, the sceptre in his left, not vice versa. They raise the hand
leaning on the sceptre till the upper arm is horizontal. Conse-
quently they dispense, either wholly or in part, with the covering
of the arm. Lastly, they introduce an entirely new feature, Nike
appearing behind the throne and wreathing the head of the god.
These similarities and differences can be readily explained, if we
suppose that the wall-painting and the intaglio have preserved
to us a later modification of the type of Iupiter Capitolinus. We
know that Catulus' temple was burnt by the Vitelliani or their
opponents in the eventful year 69 a.d.1 And we know that
Pompeii was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in
79 A.D. It is reasonable to conjecture that the new statue of
Iupiter Capitolinus necessitated by the disaster of 69 would be
during the first decade of its existence a favourite theme with
the painters of the day. On this showing we may well believe
that the Pompeian painting represents the cult-statue of Jupiter
Capitolinus in the temple which Vespasian began to build in
70 A.D.2 Confirmation of the surmise is not far to seek. The

reverse of a copper coin struck by Vespasian
shows the facade of the new building (fig. 13)3.
Between its central columns is seen a statue
of Iupiter seated in exactly the same pose
and holding exactly the same attributes as
in the Pompeian painting. The globe at
the side and the Victory behind are omitted
on account of the small scale of the design.
But that they were present in the temple
itself can hardly be doubted4.

1 Tac. hist, 3. 71 f., Flout, v. Public. 15, Suet. Vitell. 15, Euseb. chron. ami. Abr.
2086, Aur. Vict, de Caes. 8. 5, 9. 7, Kedren. hist. comp. 217 A (i. 380 Bekker).

2 Tac. hist. 4. 53, Plout. v. Public. 15, Suet. Vesp. 8, Dion Cass. 66. 10, Euseb.
chron. ann. Abr. 2087, Aur. Vict, de Caes. 9. 7, Kedren. hist. comp. 217 A (i. 380 Bekker).
Suetonius' expression nolle deos mutari veterem for mam is satisfied by the general
resemblance of the Vespasianic Iupiter to his predecessor.

3 Drawn from a specimen in my possession. See further T. L. Donaldson Architectura
Numismatica London 1859 p. 6ff.no. 3 (pi.), Morell. Thes. Num. Imp. Rom. ii. 314
pi. 13, 23, 375 f. pi. 10, 9, Cohen Monn. emp. rom.2 i. 405 f.

4 The Victory may have stood on a column behind the throne of Iupiter. Cp. e.g.
copper coins of Ptolemais in Phoinike struck by Septimius Severus etc., which show Nike