Zeus : a study in ancient religion - Warburg Institute

The Column of Mayence 93
oak at Remove^ were images of the three Lithuanian gods Perkunas,
Potrympus, and Pikulas-.
(^) The Column of Mayence.
Perhaps the earhest, certainly the finest, example of the figured
variety is the 'Jupiter-column' found within the territoriuvi of the
Roman camp at Mogontiacum (^Mayence) in 1905 and now preserved
in the Mayence Museum (pi. iv)^ From a double plinth (2'98"i
high) rose a base, shaft, and capital (together 5'6o"i high) support-
ing a pedestal (o"62'" high), on which stood a bronze statue of
lupiter. The front of the upper plinth was inscribed: 'To lupiter
Best and Greatest on behalf of the emperor Nero Claudius Caesar
Augustus (this monument was dedicated) by the public action of
the Canabarii^ when L. Sulpicius Scribonius Proculus imperial
legate was propraetor^ through the agency and at the charges of
O. lulius Priscus and Q. lulius Auctus*'.' The sculptors, who
decorated the column, added their names on the cornice of the
lower plinth :
' Samus and Severus, sons of Venicarus, did the
carving^' This lower plinth was in effect a Viergotterstein. It
^ On the oak at Romove see further W. J. A. von Tettau und J. D. H. Temme Die
Volkssagen Ostpreiissens, Litthauens und Westpreiissens Berlin 1837 pp. 19—22, 35—38,
J. Voigt Geschichte Preiissens Konigsberg 1827 i. 580 ff., 595 ff-. P- Wagler Die Eiche in
alter und netcer Zeit Berlin 1891 ii. 46—48, Frazer Golden Boitgh^: The Magic Art ii.
365—367-
^ The names of the three gods are discussed by H. Usener Gotternamen Bonn 1896
pp. 97, 98, 98 f.
^ K. Korber 'Die grosse luppiter-Saule von Mainz' in the Mainzer Zeitschrift 1906
i. 54 fT., A. von Domaszewski 'Die luppitersaule in Mainz' in the Archiv f. Rel. 1906
ix. 303— 311 pi. 2 (from which my pi. iv is redrawn), E. Maass 'Die Griechen in Sudgallien'
in ^& Jah-esh. d. oest. arch. Inst. 1907 x. 85 ff. with figs. 33— 38, Reinach Rip.
Reliefs i. 186 f., F. Hertlein Die Juppitergigaiitensdulen Stuttgart 1910 p. 155 ff., cp. ib.
pp. 80, 96, 123, 127, 131, A. Oxe in the Mainzer Zeitschrift 1912 vii. 28 ff. pis. 3 f.,
E. Neeb Die J uppitersaide, eine kurze Erkldritng ihres Bildschinuckes niit ^ Tafeln
Stuttgart s.a., S. Reinach 'La colonne historiee de Mayence' in the Rev. arch. 1913 i.
25— 30 figs. I—4, E. Strong 'On the storied colunni of Mayence' ib. 1913 ii. 321—332
figs. I— 5, S. Reinach ' Rosmerta ou Maia?' ib. 1913 ii. 333 f.
^ These Caiiabarii or Canabenses were the cives Rotnani ad Canabas of Mayence,
i.e. shop-keepers, traders, veterans etc. occupying the wooden shanties {canabae), which
alone were permitted in the vicinity of the Roman camp (A. von Domaszewski in the
Archiv f. Rel. 1906 ix. 153 ff.).
^ Scribonius Proculus and his brother Rufus, governors of Germania Superior and
Inferior respectively, were recalled by Nero in 67 A.n. (Dion Cass. 63. 17, cp. Tac. ann.
13. 48, hist. 4. 41).
^ A. von Domaszewski in the Archiv f. Rel. 1906 ix. 303 = Dessau Inscr. Lat. sel.
no. 9235 I{ovi) 0{ptiiiio) iM{axinto) \
Au\g(iisti)'\ imp{eratoris) \
Canaba[rf\
pi(b[l]ic-e |
Atig(usti) p[r{o) p]r{aetore) ; \ cttra et impensa \
'' A.
pro [say^tite JyeroffWlisI Clattld]i Cae\saris
R. Sulpicio Scri[b]onio Proculo leg{ato)
Q. luli Frisc[i] et Q. luli Audi.
von Domaszewski in the Archiv f. Rel. 1906 ix. 304=^ Dessau Inscr. Lat. sel.
no. 9235 Samus et Sive7-us Vehicari f(ilii)jculpserunt.