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

Zeus Oromdsdes

a beardless effigy of Antiochos, in pose and costume closely re-
sembling Zeus, except that the diadem round his tiara was
decorated with alternate disks and lozenges in relief. Beyond
Kommagene was Apollon Mithras Helios Hermes1; beyond An-
tiochos was Artagnes Herakles Ares2. Both these deities bore a
general likeness to Zeus ; but, whereas Apollon held the bundle
of rods, Artagnes carried a short club leaning against his shoulder.
The series was terminated at either end by statues of an eagle
and a lion standing on a common base. On the backs of the
thrones was the long inscription, part of which has been cited
above, including a preamble to explain the purpose of the whole
precinct and a law to regulate its cult;i.

Over against the statues of the east terrace were the remains of
a large rectangular altar, once decorated with sculpture, and two
long bases or walls, north and south of the terrace, in which stelai

as the new Tyche, whose cult was thenceforth to be associated with that of the older
divinities (see Humann—Puchstein op. cit. p. 339 n. 1).

1 Apollon Mithras Helios is presumably a solar deity. His further identification with
Hermes may be attributed to the fact that the planet Mercury was connected by the
Persians with Mithras, by the Greeks either with Apollon or with Hermes (Humann—
Puchstein op. cit. p. 335 n. 4). Note also that the role of ^xoToiAirbs was played alike
by Mithras and by Hermes (F. Cumont in Roscher Lex. Myth. ii. 3055, Dittenberger
Orient. Gr. inscr. set. no. 383 n. 20).

2 Artagnes is the Avestan Verethraghna, the genius of ' Victory' (on whose name see
J. H. Moulton Early Religious Poetry of Persia Cambridge 1911 pp. 39 f., 146), as was
observed by P. de Lagarde in the Nachr. d. kon. Gesellsch. d. Wiss. Gottingen Phil.-hist.
Classe 1886 p. 148 ff. (Humann—Puchstein op. cit. p. 282 n. 1). The identification with
Herakles and Ares may be due to the fact that the planet . Mars, which the Persians
connect with the god Bahram ( = the earlier Verethraghna), was by the Greeks assigned
sometimes to Herakles, sometimes to Ares (Humann—Puchstein op. cit. p. 335 n. 4,
Dittenberger Orient. Gr. inscr. sel. no. 383 n. 21). Further, Artagnes was perhaps
represented as Herakles in Mithraic art (F. Cumont Textes et monuments figure's relatifs
aux mysteres de Mithra Bruxelles 1896 i. 143 and in Pauly—Wissowa Real-Enc. Suppl. i.
144) and on coins of Hooerkes {Brit. Mus. Cat. Coins Greek and Scythic Kings p. 138
pi. 27, 15 BPAFI^O, p. 154 pi. 29, 1 HPAKAO (?), Humann—Puchstein op. cit. p. 282
n. 1), and as Ares by Strab. 727 'ovov re dvovat (sc. oi Kapp-dvLoi) ry'Apet, ovirep ae^ovrai
dewi> fxovov, kol'l eiai TroXe/JuaraL.

3 Humann—Puchstein op. cit. p. 259 ff., Hamdy Bey—Osgan Effendi op. cit. p. i ff.,
Dittenberger Orient. Gr. inscr. sel. no. 383. The principal enactments are that the
birthday of Antiochos, viz. the 16th of Audnaios (a Macedonian month answering to the
Athenian Poseideon), and his coronation day, viz. the joth of Loios (the Macedonian
equivalent of the Athenian Hekatombaion), are to be observed throughout the kingdom
as festivals in honour of his divine guardians ; that the corresponding days, viz. the 16th
and the 10th, of each month shall be honoured by the priests ; that on all these occasions
the priest of the gods and heroes is to wear Persian attire, to crown all (sc. the gods and
heroes) with golden crowns, and to offer on the altar of the latter frankincense and
perfumes, while he honours the former with rich sacrifices ; that, moreover, he is to
furnish the holy tables with fitting viands and jars of wine, and so to entertain citizens
and strangers alike, reserving a special portion for himself and allowing every guest to
take his share and consume it where he will. Etc., etc.