DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14696#0918
836
Zeus Brontatos, Bronton, Brontesios
as 'Great' and ' Holy1' and 'Hearer of Prayer,' he is called 'the
Father god2' and ' the Victorious Father3,' on the strength of which
appellations he has been identified4 with the Phrygian Papas or
Papas5. His art-type was that of a late provincial Zeus—witness a
crude bust from Dorylaeion (Eskishehir) in the British Museum
(fig. 794)6. A marble altar from Giimbet in Phrygia, described by
A. Korte7, makes it clear, however, that Zeus Bronton—like Zeus
Dws of the same region8—had also a Dionysiac aspect. The altar-
front is adorned with a lunar crescent, beneath which is a bearded
bust of Zeus in relief, with an eagle perched on his right shoulder.
The altar-back shows two ox-heads with a plough below them.
The small sides of the monument have vases and a vine-stem.
Other altars dedicated to Zeus Bronton at or near Indnii repeat the
elements of this decoration—eagle, plough, vine, etc.9 And it cannot
be a mere coincidence that a whole series of tombstones from Altyn-
tach represents the deceased surrounded by the same sacred emblems
—eagle, plough, and vine10. Presumably Zeus Bronton was not only a
celestial but also a terrestrial power. Indeed, his chthonian character
is fairly established by the fact that almost every inscription from
Phrygia in which he is mentioned occurs on a gravestone11. Those
who had worshipped him in life would naturally claim his protection
in death.
What forms his worship took we are not expressly told. But
there is good reason to suppose that he was served with mystic
rites in a cave. Indnii, a stronghold of his cult, derives its name
(' Cave-front') from a great cavern visible in the rock above the
village. The cavern comprises an upper ancLa lower chamber, con-
1 W. Link Dc vocis " Sanctus" tisu pagauo Konigsberg 191V.
2 Sir W. M. Ramsay in the fount. Hell. Stud. 1882 iii. 123 (Nakoleia) Ad UpovruvTi
Kai Harpl 8e<Z.
3 Id. ib. 1882 iii. 124 (Nakoleia) THeiKrjTWp Tlarrip.
4 Id. ib. 1882 iii. 124. But see F. Cumont in Pauly—Wissowa Real-Enc. iii. 891.
6 Supra p. 292 n. 4.
6 Brit. Mus. Cat. Sctilpture iii. 3 no. 1521 inscribed Ait TSpovTuvTL \ 'Ayrjai'Kaos /ca|ra
eTriTayfy [Corp. inscr. Gr. iii Add. no. 3817 b). Hard limestone. Height: 2 ft 3 ins.
Fig. 794 is from a photograph by Mr R. B. Fleming.
7 A. Korte in the Ath. Mitth. 1900 xxv. 416 f. no. 26.
8 Supra p. 280 f.
9 A. Korte in the Ath. Mitth. 1900 xxv. 417 f. nos. 27, 28, 29.
10 G. Mendel ' Catalogue des monuments grecs, romains et byzantins du musee imperial
ottoman de Brousse ' in the Bull. Corr. Hell. 1909 xxxiii. 283 ff. nos. 45—52 figs. 17—24,
G. Rodenwaldt ' Zeus Bronton' in theJahrb. d. kais. deutsch. arch. lust. 1919 xxxiv. 79
fig- 3-
11 Sir W. M. Ramsay in the [ourn. Hell. Stud. 1884 v. 257, F. Cumont in Pauly—
Wissowa Real-Enc. iii. 891. See, however, G. Rodenwaldt in the fahrb. d. kais. deutsch.
arch. lust. 1919 xxxiv. 82 n. 1.
Zeus Brontatos, Bronton, Brontesios
as 'Great' and ' Holy1' and 'Hearer of Prayer,' he is called 'the
Father god2' and ' the Victorious Father3,' on the strength of which
appellations he has been identified4 with the Phrygian Papas or
Papas5. His art-type was that of a late provincial Zeus—witness a
crude bust from Dorylaeion (Eskishehir) in the British Museum
(fig. 794)6. A marble altar from Giimbet in Phrygia, described by
A. Korte7, makes it clear, however, that Zeus Bronton—like Zeus
Dws of the same region8—had also a Dionysiac aspect. The altar-
front is adorned with a lunar crescent, beneath which is a bearded
bust of Zeus in relief, with an eagle perched on his right shoulder.
The altar-back shows two ox-heads with a plough below them.
The small sides of the monument have vases and a vine-stem.
Other altars dedicated to Zeus Bronton at or near Indnii repeat the
elements of this decoration—eagle, plough, vine, etc.9 And it cannot
be a mere coincidence that a whole series of tombstones from Altyn-
tach represents the deceased surrounded by the same sacred emblems
—eagle, plough, and vine10. Presumably Zeus Bronton was not only a
celestial but also a terrestrial power. Indeed, his chthonian character
is fairly established by the fact that almost every inscription from
Phrygia in which he is mentioned occurs on a gravestone11. Those
who had worshipped him in life would naturally claim his protection
in death.
What forms his worship took we are not expressly told. But
there is good reason to suppose that he was served with mystic
rites in a cave. Indnii, a stronghold of his cult, derives its name
(' Cave-front') from a great cavern visible in the rock above the
village. The cavern comprises an upper ancLa lower chamber, con-
1 W. Link Dc vocis " Sanctus" tisu pagauo Konigsberg 191V.
2 Sir W. M. Ramsay in the fount. Hell. Stud. 1882 iii. 123 (Nakoleia) Ad UpovruvTi
Kai Harpl 8e<Z.
3 Id. ib. 1882 iii. 124 (Nakoleia) THeiKrjTWp Tlarrip.
4 Id. ib. 1882 iii. 124. But see F. Cumont in Pauly—Wissowa Real-Enc. iii. 891.
6 Supra p. 292 n. 4.
6 Brit. Mus. Cat. Sctilpture iii. 3 no. 1521 inscribed Ait TSpovTuvTL \ 'Ayrjai'Kaos /ca|ra
eTriTayfy [Corp. inscr. Gr. iii Add. no. 3817 b). Hard limestone. Height: 2 ft 3 ins.
Fig. 794 is from a photograph by Mr R. B. Fleming.
7 A. Korte in the Ath. Mitth. 1900 xxv. 416 f. no. 26.
8 Supra p. 280 f.
9 A. Korte in the Ath. Mitth. 1900 xxv. 417 f. nos. 27, 28, 29.
10 G. Mendel ' Catalogue des monuments grecs, romains et byzantins du musee imperial
ottoman de Brousse ' in the Bull. Corr. Hell. 1909 xxxiii. 283 ff. nos. 45—52 figs. 17—24,
G. Rodenwaldt ' Zeus Bronton' in theJahrb. d. kais. deutsch. arch. lust. 1919 xxxiv. 79
fig- 3-
11 Sir W. M. Ramsay in the [ourn. Hell. Stud. 1884 v. 257, F. Cumont in Pauly—
Wissowa Real-Enc. iii. 891. See, however, G. Rodenwaldt in the fahrb. d. kais. deutsch.
arch. lust. 1919 xxxiv. 82 n. 1.