The Dioscuri in funerary art : an unusual fragment of a stele from Viminacium
I Dioscuri nell'arte funeraria : insolito frammento della stele da Viminacium
Abstract
This paper offers a new iconographic reading of a fragment of a Roman funerary stele. The fragment consists of a pediment with acroteria that was embedded as a piece of spolia in the south wall of the church of the Rukumija monastery. The fragment likely originates from the site of Viminacium, the capital of the province of Upper Moesia. The main part of the pediment was decorated with a relief depicting a Medusa’s head, while the reliefs on its acroteria have been identified by scholars as horsemen. Following an iconographic analysis and comparison with stelai from Viminacium, as well as from Noricum and Pannonia, the figures on the acroteria are interpreted as Dioscuri. Based on this interpretation, the fragment presents an example of funerary iconography that is rare not only in Viminacium and Upper Moesia, but also in the surrounding provinces. The fragment from Rukumija contributes to a better understanding of the iconography of the divine twins as symbols of immortality and thee ...psychopompe, as well as companions of the deceased in the afterlife. Until now, their representation on the acroteria of Roman funerary stelae was unknown, making the fragment of the stele from Rukumija unique.
Keywords:
Dioscuri / Medusa / stele / Viminacium / Moesia SuperiorSource:
Eirene. Studia Graeca et Latina, 2020, 56, 299-322Publisher:
- Praha : Centre for Classical Studies at the Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Funding / projects:
Collections
Institution/Community
Византолошки институт САНУ / Institute for Byzantine Studies SASATY - JOUR AU - Милановић, Љубомир AU - Пилиповић, Сања PY - 2020 UR - https://dais.sanu.ac.rs/123456789/12897 AB - This paper offers a new iconographic reading of a fragment of a Roman funerary stele. The fragment consists of a pediment with acroteria that was embedded as a piece of spolia in the south wall of the church of the Rukumija monastery. The fragment likely originates from the site of Viminacium, the capital of the province of Upper Moesia. The main part of the pediment was decorated with a relief depicting a Medusa’s head, while the reliefs on its acroteria have been identified by scholars as horsemen. Following an iconographic analysis and comparison with stelai from Viminacium, as well as from Noricum and Pannonia, the figures on the acroteria are interpreted as Dioscuri. Based on this interpretation, the fragment presents an example of funerary iconography that is rare not only in Viminacium and Upper Moesia, but also in the surrounding provinces. The fragment from Rukumija contributes to a better understanding of the iconography of the divine twins as symbols of immortality and thee psychopompe, as well as companions of the deceased in the afterlife. Until now, their representation on the acroteria of Roman funerary stelae was unknown, making the fragment of the stele from Rukumija unique. PB - Praha : Centre for Classical Studies at the Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences T2 - Eirene. Studia Graeca et Latina T1 - The Dioscuri in funerary art : an unusual fragment of a stele from Viminacium T1 - I Dioscuri nell'arte funeraria : insolito frammento della stele da Viminacium SP - 299 EP - 322 VL - 56 UR - https://hdl.handle.net/21.15107/rcub_dais_12897 ER -
@article{ author = "Милановић, Љубомир and Пилиповић, Сања", year = "2020", abstract = "This paper offers a new iconographic reading of a fragment of a Roman funerary stele. The fragment consists of a pediment with acroteria that was embedded as a piece of spolia in the south wall of the church of the Rukumija monastery. The fragment likely originates from the site of Viminacium, the capital of the province of Upper Moesia. The main part of the pediment was decorated with a relief depicting a Medusa’s head, while the reliefs on its acroteria have been identified by scholars as horsemen. Following an iconographic analysis and comparison with stelai from Viminacium, as well as from Noricum and Pannonia, the figures on the acroteria are interpreted as Dioscuri. Based on this interpretation, the fragment presents an example of funerary iconography that is rare not only in Viminacium and Upper Moesia, but also in the surrounding provinces. The fragment from Rukumija contributes to a better understanding of the iconography of the divine twins as symbols of immortality and thee psychopompe, as well as companions of the deceased in the afterlife. Until now, their representation on the acroteria of Roman funerary stelae was unknown, making the fragment of the stele from Rukumija unique.", publisher = "Praha : Centre for Classical Studies at the Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences", journal = "Eirene. Studia Graeca et Latina", title = "The Dioscuri in funerary art : an unusual fragment of a stele from Viminacium, I Dioscuri nell'arte funeraria : insolito frammento della stele da Viminacium", pages = "299-322", volume = "56", url = "https://hdl.handle.net/21.15107/rcub_dais_12897" }
Милановић, Љ.,& Пилиповић, С.. (2020). The Dioscuri in funerary art : an unusual fragment of a stele from Viminacium. in Eirene. Studia Graeca et Latina Praha : Centre for Classical Studies at the Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences., 56, 299-322. https://hdl.handle.net/21.15107/rcub_dais_12897
Милановић Љ, Пилиповић С. The Dioscuri in funerary art : an unusual fragment of a stele from Viminacium. in Eirene. Studia Graeca et Latina. 2020;56:299-322. https://hdl.handle.net/21.15107/rcub_dais_12897 .
Милановић, Љубомир, Пилиповић, Сања, "The Dioscuri in funerary art : an unusual fragment of a stele from Viminacium" in Eirene. Studia Graeca et Latina, 56 (2020):299-322, https://hdl.handle.net/21.15107/rcub_dais_12897 .