Universitätsbibliothek HeidelbergUniversitätsbibliothek Heidelberg
Metadaten

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

DOI Seite / Zitierlink: 
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14695#0669

DWork-Logo
Überblick
loading ...
Faksimile
0.5
1 cm
facsimile
Vollansicht
OCR-Volltext
586 The Bull and the Sun in Syria

perversely, compare him to another1,' he is perhaps combating the
opinion of some one who identified him as a solar power with
Apollon2. And, when Macrobius describes the statue that he terms
Apollo, it must be admitted that the details (the kdlathos, the
Victory, the aigis, the eagles) are suggestive rather of Zeus.
Besides, the mode of divination attributed by the pseudo-Lucian
to this Apollon appears to be identical with that attributed by
Macrobius to the Zeus of Heliopolis3.

But, whatever may be thought of the statue
that both the pseudo-Lucian and Macrobius call
Apollon, it seems clear enough that the prin-
cipal deities at Hierapolis were Atargatis (Hera)
and Adad (Zeus) with the 'sign' surmounted by
a dove between them. This arrangement is con-
firmed by the coin-types of Hierapolis. A
FdgT^Ts. silver coin of Caracalla shows a god with kdla-
thos and sceptre seated on or between two bulls
and a goddess with the same attributes and a
spindle (?) seated on or between two lions. The
two deities are grouped on either side of a small
gabled structure, in which is an object resembling
a military standard and on which rests a dove (?).
Beneath all is an eagle (fig. 448)4. The same
Fig- 449- design occurs on a bronze coin of Severus Alex-

ander with the legend 1 gods of Syria' and a lion in place of the
eagle (fig. 449)5, a variation repeated on a bronze coin of Iulia
Mamaea6. These remarkable coins represent, unless I am mistaken,
the cult-objects of the inner sanctuary at Hierapolis. We see before
us not only Atargatis with her lions and her partner with his bulls,
but also between them the mysterious ' sign' described by the

1 Supra p. 583.

2 On coins of Tarsos from Hadrian to Gallienus appears a cult-image of Apollon
holding two wolves by the fore-legs and standing on an omphalos, which is sometimes
flanked by two recumbent bulls (F. Imhoof-Blumer in the Journ. Hell. Stud. 1898 xviii.
171—174 pi. 13, 4—7, Brit. Mies. Cat. Coins Lycaonia, etc. p. 202, p. 203 pi. 36, 4,
p. 208, p. 224, Hunter Cat. Coins ii. 551 pi. 60, 15, Head Hist, num.2 p. 733)—a trait that
he has in common with the Zeus of Heliopolis and the Zeus of Hierapolis.

3 Supra p. 552.

4 J- Pellerin Milange de diverses me'dailles pour servir de supplement aux recueils des
me'dailles de rois et de villes, qui ont iti imprimis en 1J62 et 1763 Paris 1765 i. T89 pi. 8,
12, Eckhel Doctr. num. vet? iii. 296, Imhoof-Blumer Gr. Munzen p. 759 no. 772.

5 F. Neumann Populorum et regum nummi veieres inediti Vienna 1783 ii. 74 ff.
pi. 3, 2, Rasche Lex. Num. iv. 284 ff., Imhoof-Blumer op.cit. p. 759 nos. 773 f. pi. 14, 7,
J. Garstang The Syrian Goddess London 19 [3 pp. 22 ff., 70 f. Frontisp. fig. 1 and
p. 70 fig. 7.

6 Imhoof-Blumer op. cit. p. 759 f. no. 775.
 
Annotationen