Cook, Arthur B.: Zeus: a study in ancient religion (Band 3,1): Zeus god of the dark sky (earthquake, clouds, wind, dew, rain, meteorits): Text and notes (Cambridge, 1940)

568

The Ox-driving of

should be grouped two or three other cults from the same district
of Karia. A bronze coin of Stratonikeia, struck by Septimius
Severus and Iulia Domna, has for its reverse type a very similar
rite (fig. 385)1. A humped bull of its own accord approaches a
garlanded altar or platform, on which stands a man wearing a short
chiton, a chlamys, and endromides. This personage in his left hand
holds a sceptre, in his right a dagger, which he is about to plunge
into the neck of the bull. Other coins of Stratonikeia, issued by the
same imperial couple or by their immediate successors

Caracalla

and Geta, show Zeus himself attired in the self-same costume

Fig. 385. Fig. 386. Fig. 387-

(figs. 386, 387)2. I infer, therefore, that the sceptre-bearing sWe
of the bull was a priestly king, who acted the part of the g0(^^^
will be noticed that the rite takes place in front of a fine spiea ^
oak, the sacred tree of Zeus. An interesting confirmation of ^
coin-type ma)' be read in an inscription from Panamara. It aPP ^
that on one occasion, during the procession of the Panamareia
free ox went before the priest to the council-chamber at Strato
and actually showed him the way4.

1 Brit. Mus. Cat. Coins Caria etc. p. 157 pi. 24, 8. My fig. 385 is from * fig. re-
made by the late Mr F. Anderson and published in the Class. Rev. 1903 xvn- 4 'poinn8>

2 Brit. Mus. Cat. Coins Caria etc. p. 156 no. 55 Septimius Severus and Iu'a jjid
Weber Cat. Coins iii. t. 382 f. no. 6568 pi. 231 (=my fig. 386) Septimius S^CaraCallil
Iulia Domna; Brit. Mus. Cat. Coins Caria etc. p. 158 pi. 24, 10 ( = my fig- 3°?' a„d {•
and Geta (the bust of the latter purposely obliterated). See also supra i- 19 8 '

» Supra i. 20. jr«1l««f«^!
G. Cousin in the Bull. Corr. Hell. 1904 xxviii. 20 ff. no. 1 b, 15 <\^" ^ ger*'

rod 8eov Ivepylav (pav[e]\po)TdTT]i> Kat dm rod avip-ivov j3obs \ wpbs evveftta" tov e/>^ ^„iiM"
wpurov i\9o>v rbre is T-qv irb\iv iv rrj \ ayofiivq iro/j.TrTj wb~riyy<r(v rbv U\pia 'yiiiik'11
rqpiov mi Atera tcls \ Bvo-ias euffbs ixoiplo-O-q. Nilsson Gr. Feste p. 30 n. S, ^ ^ p,
in the Rhein. Mus. 1916 lxxi. 159, H. Oppermann Zeus Panamaros Giesse

no. 9 and p. 61.