Zeus : a study in ancient religion - Warburg Institute

The double axe and Zeus L,abrdyndos 577
distinguished citizens are priests for life. These sanctuaries, then, are specially
attached to the city. But there is a third sanctuary of Zeus Kdrios, common to
all the Carians, including the Lydians and the Mysians as members of the
same family. It is recorded that Mylasa in former times was a mere village, the
ancestral home and palace of the Carians belonging to Hekatomnos.'
From this it appears that the Mylasians were devoted on the one
hand to Zeus Osogda, on the other to Zeus Strdtios or Labrandenos.
The two deities stand face to face on a bronze coin of Mylasa struck
by Caracalla and Geta (fig. 485)^ Zeus Osogda, clad in cJiit67i and
Juvidtion, rests with his right hand on a trident and holds an eagle
in his left-, while Zeus Strdtios or Labrandenos has a kdlathos on his
head, a double axe in his right hand, and a spear in his left. Their
Fig. 486. Fig. 488. Fig. 487.
joint recognition is implied by the curious combination of trident
with double axe found as a symbol on Alexandrine tetradrachms
issued at Mylasa^ and as a reverse type on Mylasian coppers of
s. ii. B.C. and later (figs. 486, 487)^ In imperial times the compound
weapon is based on a crab and surrounded by a bay-wreath (fig. 488)'.
The fusion of Zeus Osogoa with Zeus Strdtios is complete on a unique
copper of Mylasa, struck by Antoninus Pius, which passed with the
^ Brit. Mits. Cat. Coins Caria, etc. p. 133 no. 37. My fig. 485
specimen.
is from a cast of this
- Zeus Osogda, with trident, eagle, and crab, is seen on silver pieces issued by Hadrian
at Mylasa (M. Pinder ' Uber die Cistophoren und iiber die kaiserlichen Silbermedaillons
der romischen Provinz Asia' in the Abh. d. berl. Akad. iS^j Phil. -hist. Classe p. 627
pi. 7, 7 and 8 = my figs. 489 and 490, Cohen Monn. enip. rom? ii. 132 no. 302 fig. and
Hirsch Auctions-Catalog MUnchen 1907 xviii. 105 no. 1883 pi. 26). A
no. 303, J.
similar figure of Zeus Osogoa, with trident and eagle, in a tetrastyle temple occurs on
coppers of Mylasa struck by Septimius Severus {Brit. AIus. Cat. Coins Caria, etc. p. 132
no. 31 f.).
' L. Muller Nu/nismatique d'Alexandre le Craw^ Copenhague 1855 pi. 16 nos. 1141—
1143, Head Hist. 7ium.'^ p. 622.
* Brit. Mus. Cat. Coins Caria, etc. p. 128 pi. 21, 13, Imhoof-Blumer Monti, gr.
p. 312 no. 70, Head Hist, num.- p. 622. I figure a specimen in my possession (fig. 486)
and another from the Leake collection (W. M. Leake Numismata Hellenica London
1856 Asiatic Greece p. 84).
5 Brit. iMus. Cat. Coins Caria, etc. p. 131 no. 24 Augustus (handle only encircled by
wreath), p. 132 pi. 22, 3 Septimius Severus. I figure a specimen, from my collection,
struck by Septimius Severus.
C. II. 37