Cook, Arthur B.: Zeus: a study in ancient religion (Band 2,1): Zeus god of the dark sky (thunder and lightning): Text and notes (Cambridge, 1925)

The Column of Mayence 93

oak at Romove1 were images of the three Lithuanian gods Perkunas,
Potrympus, and Pikulas2.

(£) The Column of Mayence.

Perhaps the earliest, certainly the finest, example of the figured
variety is the 'Jupiter-column ' found within the territorium of the
Roman camp at Mogontiacum {Mayence) in 1905 and now preserved
in the Mayence Museum (pi. iv)3. From a double plinth (2'98m
high) rose a base, shaft, and capital (together 5-6om high) support-
ing a pedestal (o'62m high), on which stood a bronze statue of
Iupiter. The front of the upper plinth was inscribed: 'To Iupiter
Best and Greatest on behalf of the emperor Nero Claudius Caesar
Augustus (this monument was dedicated) by the public action of
the Canabarii4, when L. Sulpicius Scribonius Proculus imperial
legate was propraetor5, through the agency and at the charges of

0. Iulius Priscus and O. Iulius Auctus6.' The sculptors, who
decorated the column, added their names on the cornice of the
lower plinth: ' Samus and Severus, sons of Venicarus, did the
carving7.' This lower plinth was in effect a Viergotterstein. It

1 On the oak at Romove see further W. J. A. von Tettau und J. D. H. Temme Die
Volkssagen Oslprenssens, Litthauens und IVestpreussens Berlin 1837 pp. 19—22, 35—38,

J. Voigt Geschichte Preussens Kdnigsberg 1827 i. 580 ff., 595 ff., P. Wagler Die Eiche in
alter und neicer Zeit Berlin 1891 ii. 46—48, P'razer Golden Bough*: The Magic Art ii.

365—367-

2 The names of the three gods are discussed by H. Usener Gotternamen Bonn 1896
pp. 97, 98, 98 f.

3 K. Korber 'Die grosse Iuppiter-Saule von Mainz' in the Mainzer Zeitschrift 1906

1. 54 ff., A. von Domaszewski 'Die Iuppitersaule in Mainz' in the Arehiv f. Rel. ruo6
ix. 303—311 pi. 2 (from which my pi. iv is redrawn), E. Maass 'Die Griechen in Stid-
gallien' in the Jahresh. d. oest. arch. Inst. 1907 x. 85 ff. with figs. 33—38, Reinach Rip.
Reliefs i. 186 f., F. Hertlein Die Juppitergigantensaulen Stuttgart 1910 p. 1556°., cp. id.
pp. 80, 96, 123, 127, 131, A. Oxe in the Mainzer Zeitschrift 1912 vii. 28 ff. pis. 3 f.,
E. Neeb Die Juppitersaule, eine kurze Erkldrung Hires BildscJiniuckes mit 4. Tafeln
Stuttgart s.a., S. Reinach 'La colonne historiee de Mayence' in the Rev. arch. 1913 i.
25—30 figs. 1—4, E. Strong ' On the storied column of Mayence' ib. 1913 ii. 321—332
figs. 1—5, S. Reinach ' Rosmerta ou Maia?' ib. 1913 ii. 333f.

4 These Canabarii or Canabenses were the cives Romani ad Canabas of Mayence,
i.e. shop-keepers, traders, veterans etc. occupying the wooden shanties (canabae), w hich
alone were permitted in the vicinity of the Roman camp (A. von Domaszewski in the
Arehiv f. Rel. 1906 ix. 153 ff.).

5 Scribonius Proculus and his brother Rufus, governors of Germania Superior and
Inferior respectively, were recalled by Nero in 67 a.d. (Dion Cass. 63. 17, cp. Tac. ann.
13. 48, hist. 4. 41).

8 A. von Domaszewski in the Arehiv f. Rel. 1906 ix. 303= Dessau Inscr. Lat. sel.
no. 9235 I{ovi) O(ptimo) M(aximo) \ pro [sa]l[ute Nerq7i\\[is~] Clau[d]i Cae\saris
Au[g[usti)~\ imp[cratoris) \ Canaba\_ri] pub[l]iee | P. Sulpicio Scri\b~\onio Procnlo legiato)
Aug(itsti) p[r(o) p~]r(aetore); \ enra et inlpensa \ Q. Itdi Prisc[i] et Q. Inli Audi.

7 A. von Domaszewski in the Arehiv f. Rel. 1906 ix. 304 = Dessau Riser. Lat. sel.
no. 9235 Samus et Severus Venicari fiflii) sculpserunt.