DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14697#0253
Zeus Asklepios
1091
1831 p. 182 ff. and E. Gerhard in the Ann. d. hist. 1846 xviii. pi. s, 2^.1847 xix. 327ff.
drew attention to a white marble Hermaphrodite-term, found near Ravenna, which
is inscribed (Orelli—Henzen Inscr. Lat. sel. no. 5648 = Corp. inscr. Lat. xi
no. 351) iov ■ ter • m I val • ant • | an • Ti • co • | v ■ l • s • | <y ramus, i.e., according
to Borghesi, Iov(i) Ter(minali) M(arcus) Val(erius) Ant(onius) Antico v(otum)
l(ibens) s(olvit), or, as Mommsen suggested, M. Val(erius) Ant(iochus) An(nii)
Ti(beriani) co(mes). It should be noted also that a denarius of Augustus, struck
Fig- 933- Fig. 934.
c. 29—27 b.c., has obv. head of Octavian, rev. imp j caesar an ithyphallic term
of Octavian with a bay-wreath on his head and a winged thunderbolt at his feet
(Babelon Mottn. rep. rom. ii. 64 no. 153 fig., cp. id. ii. 65 no. 155 fig., Brit.
Mus. Cat. Rom. Coins Rep. ii. 16 no. 4360 f. pi. 60, 5 f., cp. ib. ii. 16 no. 4362
pi. 60, 7 = my fig. 933, Emp. i. pp. cxxiiif., 102 nos. 628—630 pi. 15, 10 f., cp. ib. i.
104 no. 637 pi. 15, 16, A. Boutkowski Dictionnaire numismatique Leipzig
1881 i. 333 f. no. 732, cp. ib. i. 334 no. 733. Fig. 934 is from a specimen in my
collection),—an excellent illustration of a mortal monarch aping the sky-god and
credited with superhuman propagatory powers. See also Addenda ad loc.
APPENDIX M.
ZEUS MEILICHIOS.
(1) Zeus Meilichios on the Kephisos.
Zeus was worshipped under the title Meilichios far and wide through the
Hellenic world. In firimis Athens had long been a centre of his cult. Pausanias,
noting the objects of interest along the Sacred Way from Athens to Eleusis,
remarks :
' When you have crossed the Kephisos there is an ancient altar of Zeus
Meilichios. At this altar Theseus was purified by the descendants of Phytalos
after he had slain various brigands including Sinis, who was related to him
through Pittheus1.'
Plutarch's account is rather fuller :
' So Theseus went on and came to the Kephisos. Here he was met by men
of the clan Phytalidai, who were the first to salute him. He begged them to
purify him. Thereupon they cleansed him with the customary rites, offered
Milichian sacrifices, and feasted him in their home, whereas up to that time
no man had shown him hospitality by the way. His return is said to have
fallen on the eighth day of the month Kronios, Hekatombaion as it is called
nowadays2.'
Dates of this sort are not invented at random, and we may fairly suppose that
the local festival of Zeus Meilichios was celebrated by the Phytalidai in their
1 Paus. 1. 37. 4. 2 Plout. v. Thes. 12.
69—2
1091
1831 p. 182 ff. and E. Gerhard in the Ann. d. hist. 1846 xviii. pi. s, 2^.1847 xix. 327ff.
drew attention to a white marble Hermaphrodite-term, found near Ravenna, which
is inscribed (Orelli—Henzen Inscr. Lat. sel. no. 5648 = Corp. inscr. Lat. xi
no. 351) iov ■ ter • m I val • ant • | an • Ti • co • | v ■ l • s • | <y ramus, i.e., according
to Borghesi, Iov(i) Ter(minali) M(arcus) Val(erius) Ant(onius) Antico v(otum)
l(ibens) s(olvit), or, as Mommsen suggested, M. Val(erius) Ant(iochus) An(nii)
Ti(beriani) co(mes). It should be noted also that a denarius of Augustus, struck
Fig- 933- Fig. 934.
c. 29—27 b.c., has obv. head of Octavian, rev. imp j caesar an ithyphallic term
of Octavian with a bay-wreath on his head and a winged thunderbolt at his feet
(Babelon Mottn. rep. rom. ii. 64 no. 153 fig., cp. id. ii. 65 no. 155 fig., Brit.
Mus. Cat. Rom. Coins Rep. ii. 16 no. 4360 f. pi. 60, 5 f., cp. ib. ii. 16 no. 4362
pi. 60, 7 = my fig. 933, Emp. i. pp. cxxiiif., 102 nos. 628—630 pi. 15, 10 f., cp. ib. i.
104 no. 637 pi. 15, 16, A. Boutkowski Dictionnaire numismatique Leipzig
1881 i. 333 f. no. 732, cp. ib. i. 334 no. 733. Fig. 934 is from a specimen in my
collection),—an excellent illustration of a mortal monarch aping the sky-god and
credited with superhuman propagatory powers. See also Addenda ad loc.
APPENDIX M.
ZEUS MEILICHIOS.
(1) Zeus Meilichios on the Kephisos.
Zeus was worshipped under the title Meilichios far and wide through the
Hellenic world. In firimis Athens had long been a centre of his cult. Pausanias,
noting the objects of interest along the Sacred Way from Athens to Eleusis,
remarks :
' When you have crossed the Kephisos there is an ancient altar of Zeus
Meilichios. At this altar Theseus was purified by the descendants of Phytalos
after he had slain various brigands including Sinis, who was related to him
through Pittheus1.'
Plutarch's account is rather fuller :
' So Theseus went on and came to the Kephisos. Here he was met by men
of the clan Phytalidai, who were the first to salute him. He begged them to
purify him. Thereupon they cleansed him with the customary rites, offered
Milichian sacrifices, and feasted him in their home, whereas up to that time
no man had shown him hospitality by the way. His return is said to have
fallen on the eighth day of the month Kronios, Hekatombaion as it is called
nowadays2.'
Dates of this sort are not invented at random, and we may fairly suppose that
the local festival of Zeus Meilichios was celebrated by the Phytalidai in their
1 Paus. 1. 37. 4. 2 Plout. v. Thes. 12.
69—2