Walters, Henry Beauchamp: Catalogue of the bronzes, Greek, Roman, and Etruscan in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities, British Museum (London, 1899)

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CATALOGUE OF BRONZES.

became fashionable according to the taste of Emperor and people. Most of
these new systems came from Asia Minor and especially from Phrygia, where
the wild orgiastic rites of the Great Mother and Attis prevailed. Kybele is of
course a not uncommon figure in Greek or Roman art, and as early as the
time of the Second Punic War the Megalesia, a feast in her honour, were estab-
lished in Rome. Catullus has made us familiar with Attis and his story, and
he too was included in the festival of the Great Mother of Pessinus.*' A more
popular festival was that of the Mithras mysteries, of Persian origin, Mithras
being, like most of the Oriental male deities, a sun-god or god of light. It was
introduced into Rome about the time of Hadrian, and flourished for several
centuries, spreaaing all over the empire. A large number of Mithras monu-
ments exist (collected by Cumont, Les Myst'eres de Mithras), mostly in the form
of a figure in a Phrygian cap sacrificing a bull (see No. 1017). The meaning of
this sacrifice has not hitherto been explained, unless it denotes the triumph of
light over earth and darkness. Mithras is often known as Sol Invictus (cf. the
inscription No. 904). A kindred conception is that of Deus Lunus, the male
Moon-god, who may be represented in No. 1016, chiefly worshipped in Mesopo-
tamia, and under the name of Men in Phrygia (Bull. de Corr. Hell. xx. p. 5 5 ffi).

The Roman fondness for personifications of natural objects and abstract
ideas is well known, and can be amply illustrated from the statuettes in this
collection. Some of these personifications represent natural phenomena, such
as months or seasons (Autumn, Nos. 1514—1519; Spring (?), No. 1520; Winter,
Nos. 1521, 15 22) an<i No. 813). Countries are represented by the Africa,
No. I5 24- But the majority are personifications of abstract ideas, to be identified
by attitudes or attributes, such as Providentia (No. 986), Spes (No. 1547),
Fortune (Nos. 1525-1543) ; or are derived from Greek types, such as Somnus
(No. 1509), or Victory (Nos. 1548-1561). Pureiy Rornan mythology is repre-
sented by agricultural deities such as Vertumnus (Nos. 1510—1512), Pomona
(No. 1513), and Silvanus (Pl. XXX.). Other figures which represent exclusively
Roman ideas are the Lares (Nos. 1562-1580), and the series of orators, officials,
and sacrificing figures (Nos. 1583-1587). The myth of Romulus and Remus
occurs in three examples: the sistrum No. 872, and Nos. 1581, 1582. The
figures of Greek deities and heroes, and the series of miscellaneous figures and
animals do not call for further comment here; as regards the former, a strict
classification of types has been made when possible in the Catalogue.

VI. PERSONAL ORNAMENTS AND IMPLEMENTS.

The personal ornaments, implements, and smaller objects generally, which
are described in this Catalogue, belong for the most part to the Graeco-Roman
period. In mcst cases, even an approximate dating is impossible, unless the

* Preller-Jordan, Rdm. Mytholl ii. p. 387. See for Attis the article in Roscher’s Lexiton ; the
figures of dancing youths in Eastern co.tume (Nos. 1020-1022) are generally taken to be representations of
this deity; see also Baumeister, Denkmacler, i. p. 225.