DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.37251#0292
256
SCALA V. 2
cults, i. e. on both lateral faces of the sepulchral altar of Cantinea
Procla in the Museo delle Terrne (Altmann, p. 236, fig. 190). Between
the rzk/zz and tympanum is a curved trumpet in two pieces arranged cross-
wise. On the 1. side in the upper corner, balancing the tympanum
on the r., are two cymbals hanging from a strap, also used in the orgiastic
ritual of Cybele.
The face is that of an Oriental ascetic; the bones above the eye
project, the nose is rather flat, the lips full. The type has been taken,
but without reason, to represent a eunuch; but the Gallus, as pointed
out by Graillot, zyh <rz'/., p. 232 k, was not necessarily a eunuch, and
was often a Roman citizen. Domenico Giorgi (zy. rz'z*.) deserves the
credit of having first identified the subject, which has a number of parallels,
the most important of which are the statue from Cherchel (Gauckler,
AZzzrA zA pi. XV. 3 — Reinach, ii. 5064 ; likewise in ritual
dress and with a type of head closely resembling this) and the curious
statue given by Montfaucon (Hzz/zyzzz'.V z-zryZyzzA, i, pi. 4 — Reinach, Ar.
cz7. 6, on which see J. Keil inyCZzY-sA. xviii (1913), p. ^g, and J. Carco-
pino (who doubts its genuineness) /. r. jz-yz'zz), which is said to have dis-
appeared. To these should be added the earlier but similar portrait of the
priestess Laberia Felicia in the Vatican (Amelung, Ar. rzZ, and (7. ZZ. vi.
223*7) and the closely analogous portrait of a priest of Bellona (for-
merly in the Biblioteca Vallicelliana, now lost), both already noted.
The latter wears practically the same insignia as the present figure. These
two figures with their wealth of jewelry recall the Palmyrene busts and
half-figures (cf. Graillot, p. 23y, note 2), and though considerably earlier
in date, probably represent an earlier phase of the same strongly
Orientalized branch of ancient portrait art, specially devoted to priestly
iconography and dwelling with special care on the detail of ritual
ornament. The manner in which the figure is cut out also recalls the
technique of the Palmyrene portraits, which, as De Ridder has noticed,
are high reliefs cut out of a block ((AA. A CArry, yr, no. gg). This
type of art shows kinship with the school of Cyprus (e. g. Z. AZ
Cyprus Coll., ZAA with three portrait busts from Tremitus), though the
type travelled west and may have been freely copied in Italy and else-
where. The jewelry worn by the Gallus and the other priestly figures
of the cult of Cybele or Bellona can be matched exactly on the
' profusely decked' Palmyrene busts which themselves indicate clearly,
as F. H. Marshall has pointed out (Z. AZ yAzoAr)', Introd., p. xliii),
how jewelry—much of it doubtless made in Palmyra itself—was
worn in the Roman world (cf. De Ridder in (AA. A CAnry, iv, text to
nos. gg, g6 — plates XXX, XXXI). In the Palmyrene collection at the
British Museum nos. 383, 384 have diadems; no. g8y wears a laurel
wreath clasped over the forehead by a round brooch; no. 393 a wreath of
oak leaves with medallion clasp. The priestly wreath with medallion
clasp is also often found in Hellenistic and Graeco-Roman art, e. g. head
in Vatican (Helbig", 216); portrait from Cyrene in Z. AZ Zrzz^A,
no. 1404, in Hall of Inscr. Many of the Palmyrene figures hold baskets
or bowls of flowers or fruit like the Gallus, e. g. CoA. A CArry, pi. XXX;
Z. AZ Xrzz^Z, nos. 383, 384, and g8y.
The present relief must be dated from the style in the Antonine
period; from the presence of an Attis of sepulchral type on the pectoral,
SCALA V. 2
cults, i. e. on both lateral faces of the sepulchral altar of Cantinea
Procla in the Museo delle Terrne (Altmann, p. 236, fig. 190). Between
the rzk/zz and tympanum is a curved trumpet in two pieces arranged cross-
wise. On the 1. side in the upper corner, balancing the tympanum
on the r., are two cymbals hanging from a strap, also used in the orgiastic
ritual of Cybele.
The face is that of an Oriental ascetic; the bones above the eye
project, the nose is rather flat, the lips full. The type has been taken,
but without reason, to represent a eunuch; but the Gallus, as pointed
out by Graillot, zyh <rz'/., p. 232 k, was not necessarily a eunuch, and
was often a Roman citizen. Domenico Giorgi (zy. rz'z*.) deserves the
credit of having first identified the subject, which has a number of parallels,
the most important of which are the statue from Cherchel (Gauckler,
AZzzrA zA pi. XV. 3 — Reinach, ii. 5064 ; likewise in ritual
dress and with a type of head closely resembling this) and the curious
statue given by Montfaucon (Hzz/zyzzz'.V z-zryZyzzA, i, pi. 4 — Reinach, Ar.
cz7. 6, on which see J. Keil inyCZzY-sA. xviii (1913), p. ^g, and J. Carco-
pino (who doubts its genuineness) /. r. jz-yz'zz), which is said to have dis-
appeared. To these should be added the earlier but similar portrait of the
priestess Laberia Felicia in the Vatican (Amelung, Ar. rzZ, and (7. ZZ. vi.
223*7) and the closely analogous portrait of a priest of Bellona (for-
merly in the Biblioteca Vallicelliana, now lost), both already noted.
The latter wears practically the same insignia as the present figure. These
two figures with their wealth of jewelry recall the Palmyrene busts and
half-figures (cf. Graillot, p. 23y, note 2), and though considerably earlier
in date, probably represent an earlier phase of the same strongly
Orientalized branch of ancient portrait art, specially devoted to priestly
iconography and dwelling with special care on the detail of ritual
ornament. The manner in which the figure is cut out also recalls the
technique of the Palmyrene portraits, which, as De Ridder has noticed,
are high reliefs cut out of a block ((AA. A CArry, yr, no. gg). This
type of art shows kinship with the school of Cyprus (e. g. Z. AZ
Cyprus Coll., ZAA with three portrait busts from Tremitus), though the
type travelled west and may have been freely copied in Italy and else-
where. The jewelry worn by the Gallus and the other priestly figures
of the cult of Cybele or Bellona can be matched exactly on the
' profusely decked' Palmyrene busts which themselves indicate clearly,
as F. H. Marshall has pointed out (Z. AZ yAzoAr)', Introd., p. xliii),
how jewelry—much of it doubtless made in Palmyra itself—was
worn in the Roman world (cf. De Ridder in (AA. A CAnry, iv, text to
nos. gg, g6 — plates XXX, XXXI). In the Palmyrene collection at the
British Museum nos. 383, 384 have diadems; no. g8y wears a laurel
wreath clasped over the forehead by a round brooch; no. 393 a wreath of
oak leaves with medallion clasp. The priestly wreath with medallion
clasp is also often found in Hellenistic and Graeco-Roman art, e. g. head
in Vatican (Helbig", 216); portrait from Cyrene in Z. AZ Zrzz^A,
no. 1404, in Hall of Inscr. Many of the Palmyrene figures hold baskets
or bowls of flowers or fruit like the Gallus, e. g. CoA. A CArry, pi. XXX;
Z. AZ Xrzz^Z, nos. 383, 384, and g8y.
The present relief must be dated from the style in the Antonine
period; from the presence of an Attis of sepulchral type on the pectoral,