GRAECO-ROMAN RELIGIONS AND CULTS

Are Scandinavian monarchs worshipped as state gods, as part of an inherited  mystery apotheosis cult? Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark is the supreme authority of the state Church of Denmark (Den Danske Folkekirke.) Supreme authority means; she is the greatest,utmost in power, rule and dominion of the Imperial cult temples of Denmark. Could her Majesty the Queen be in-fact the implied divinity (deity/god) worshipped by the state cult religion, alongside the deceased and deified monarchs of old?
In ancient Scandinavia, reigning monarchs claimed divine lineage to the pagan gods Odin and Freyr. In Christianized Scandinavia this legitimation of the divine right of monarchs would be based on descent from saintly kings. In order to understand this mystery, we must turn to the bible and history, making a careful examination in order to determine which god (or gods) are truly being worshipped in Scandinavia, under the state religion.

Accumulations of pot shards, many of them from common vessels and deposited below surface, are ubiquitous phenomena in Greco-Roman sacred places. The modern denomination of this pottery in fills, terraces, or pits, as 'sacred waste' falls short, since it implies its use- and meaninglessness after deposition. The first part of the article sets out to discuss the life cycle, transformation and potential agency of these ceramic remains in order to reveal their continuous impact on establishing the places as sacred places through their embeddedness in religious practices. Drawing on examples from Archaic to Roman Imperial times I explore in the second part the production, consumption and deposition of the pottery objects as elements in the chain of interactions with human agents. I argue that very mundane, even invisible, pieces of pottery, due to deposition, establish memories and contribute to the religious significance of the places over generations.

This collection of essays offers a rounded examination of the Roman and Italian manifestations of Dionysus. Nine essays address Bacchus at the crossroads of Greek and Roman, combining diverse sources that include art, epigraphy, historiography, poetry, and rhetorical and Christian discourse. The collection emphasizes local inflections in Italian responses to (and appropriations of) Bacchus, and the intersection of Bacchus and Roman politics and society.

Contents
Preface  V
List of illustrations  IX
List of contributors  XI

Fiachra Mac Góráin
Introduction. Dionysus in Rome: accommodation and resistance  1

Simon Perris and Fiachra Mac Góráin
The ancient reception of Euripides’ Bacchae from Athens to Byzantium  39

Stéphanie Wyler
Images of Dionysus in Rome: the archaic and Augustan periods  85

Daniele Miano
Liber, Fufluns and the others: rethinking Dionysus in Italy between the fifth and the third centuries BCE  111

Julietta Steinhauer
Dionysian associations and the Bacchanalian affair  133

Gesine Manuwald
Dionysus / Bacchus / Liber in Cicero  157

John F. Miller
Bacchus and the exiled Ovid (Tristia 5.3)  177

Alessandro Schiesaro
Alius furor. Statius’ Thebaid and the metamorphoses of Bacchus  193

Francesco Massa
The shadow of Bacchus: Liber and Dionysus in Christian Latin literature (2nd–4th centuries)  219

Index rerum et nominum  239
Index locorum  245
Index of inscriptions and visual artefacts  247

"Estas páginas contienen una reflexión sobre un tema importante en el mundo antiguo: el aprovisionamiento de cereal al ejército romano. El hecho de que la base de la alimentación fuera el grano y su ausencia la causa más frecuente del descontento y de las sublevaciones en el seno del ejército motivó el desarrollo de férreos mecanismos de control y administración de los alimentos enviados a las tropas. Este trabajo ofrece información novedosa sobre este asunto y proporciona las claves para conocer mejor la dieta del soldado y las infraestructuras y construcciones asociadas al abastecimiento militar, desde la fase republicana al periodo bajoimperial.

Para el análisis del aprovisionamiento de cereal al ejército, el principal testimonio arqueológico que se conserva son los almacenes y graneros (horrea). El estudio detallado de estos edificios pretende servir de manual de referencia para el profesional que debe interpretar correctamente las estructuras descubiertas, ofreciendo información detallada sobre técnicas constructivas, dimensiones y otros datos de interés. En último término, permite reconstruir la apariencia de estas edificaciones y conocer la evolución de los sistemas empleados en su construcción, que se fueron adaptando a las necesidades del ejército en cada uno de los periodos durante los que se mantuvo vigente la hegemonía de Roma.

Esta obra muestra al público general y al profesional de la arqueología un aspecto esencial en la expansión y consolidación del Imperio Romano, pues el aprovisionamiento de cereal fue una de las claves económicas que permitió a los generales romanos mantener alta la moral de sus ejércitos con alimentos a los que estaban acostumbrados y se convirtió en el motor que impulsó el ánimo y el fervor de las tropas, consiguiendo así su eficacia en la batalla y su lealtad en tiempos de paz"

Book review:
https://www.pyrenae.com/home/index.php?option=com_k2&view=itemlist&task=category&id=20:ressenyes-43-2-2012&lang=es

https://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=9191541&fulltextType=BR&fileId=S0068113X14000075


https://revistas.usal.es/index.php/0514-7336/article/view/9973"

https://www.sehepunkte.de/2013/02/21727.html"""

The archeological digs carried out in the Phoeni-cian-Punic sanctuary of La Algaida (Sanlucar de Barrameda) during the 70s and 80s decade of the last century have allowed the recovery of more than ten thousand votive offerings from many different natures, from local-produced ones to others coming from different points in the Mediterranean Sea. They span a wide chronological spectrum covering from 7th to 1st Centuries BC. Thanks to the analysis of these materials it has been possible to reconstruct religious aspects of great interest. Aspects such as the ritual practices that were held in this sacred space or the possibility to determine who were the deities that were worshiped there. The fishing tools coming from this archeological site are presented in this work for the first time and are presented first in a morpho-typolog-ical analysis of the materials, and secondly, in an evaluation of this kind of archeological material in sacred contexts, considering the different uses and functions that the fishing gears and skills could have had in the ancient places of worship. Palabras claves: Exvotos, artes de pesca, La Algaida, época fenicio-púnica.

Women appear frequently as donors in the Greek antiquity, an action that emphasizes their presence in the public sphere. The endowments of movable or landed property, which were undertaken in order to furnish a permanent income for the perpetual support of a specific purpose, constitute an interesting category within the wide category of female donations constitute. This epigraphic evidence offers rich information about the founder, the recipient of the endowment, the endowment assets or their administration. Moreover, it allows us to ask questions on female agency and the purposes of the endowments, on the role of family as well as the perception of the endowments in the respective societies. The numerous cases in which men act as donors can be used for reference, especially regarding potential differences due to gender.

Le fogne delle città antiche? Erano infestate da piovre mostruose. Gli imperatori romani? Erano costantemente impegnati a tramare contro i propri stessi sudditi, eliminando geniali inventori che avrebbero potuto rendere più semplice ed economica la vita di tutti, e persino complottando con i barbari per distruggere Roma. La guerra di Troia era stata scatenata da Zeus per risolvere un problema di sovrappopolazione mondiale. E poi c'erano seducenti ladre di organi e demoni etruschi che facevano piovere misteriose scie dal cielo. Dopo l'avvento del cristianesimo, poi, si cominciò a parlare di messaggi satanici nascosti in preghiere apparentemente innocue, e persino di un libro di memorie di Lazzaro, dai contenuti sconvolgenti, che sarebbe stato occultato dagli Apostoli. Tutto questo ci ricorda qualcosa? Tante «notizie impossibili» di oggi non sono nate con i social networks ma sono vecchie, anzi vecchissime. Neanche Greci e Romani erano immuni al fascino delle leggende metropolitane.

More than 20 years after presenting his first interpretation of the mosaic from the House of Aion in a paper entitled “Uwagi na temat mozaiki z Domu Aiona w Nea Paphos (Cypr)” (Meander 9/10, 1987, p. 421-438, in Polish, and translated to English: « The Immortality of the Human Soul and the Dionysiac Mysteries in the 4th Century Allegory [in Connection with the Interpretation of the Mosaic from the “House of Aion” at Paphos in Cyprus]»), where he proposed reading the five mythological panels (1. Leda and Zeus; 2. Dionysus on Mount Nysa; 3. The Dionysian thiasos; 4. Apollo and Marsyas; 5. The Apotheosis of Cassiopeia) as an allegory of the destiny of the human soul and body, starting with conception and ending with the liberation of the soul and its apotheosis, the author now enhances his initial interpretation with numerous reflections concerning the historical context of this work of art, created in the years 320-360.
If, according to the author, the mosaic is a “Hymn” in honour of the pagan gods, Man (his soul) and his place in the (pagan) universe, then at the same time it polemicises with the Christian faith and its God, Jesus Christ.
The author puts forward numerous new solutions relating to the mosaic’s iconography and iconology. Analysis of the mosaic also leads him to propose a solution to the as-yet unanswered question regarding the absence of images of the crucified Christ in Christian art of the 3rd and 4th centuries, up until 420/430, when the first images of Christ on the cross appear.
CONTENTS:
Introduction
1. Research to-date (recap)
2. Description of mosaic (recap)
2.1. Composition of five mythological scenes
2.2. Brief iconographic description of mythological panels
2.3. Outline of individual iconographic elements and their respective roles
2.4. The pagan gods’ air of majesty and dignity as an expression of piety
3. A few words about the pagan reaction
4. An apology of pious human life according to pagan principles and a polemic on the Christian model of Man and his theological idol, Jesus Christ
4.1. Divine intervention in the act of human conception (allusion to/polemic on the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary)
4.2. The Epiphany of Dionysus (an allusion to the Epiphany of Christ – Theou Pais)
4.3. The procession and dissemination of Dionysian order (allusion to/polemic on Christ’s entry into Jerusalem)
4.4. The error of Marsyas (polemic on/allusion to the error of Jesus the Messiah): arrest, sentencing for arrogance and lack of piety (asebeia) and condemnation to a martyr’s death
4.5. The anabasis (or anagoge psyches) of a ‘beautiful soul’ (allusion to/polemic on the Ascension of Christ)
5. A few words on the mosaic programme prior to final conclusions
Final conclusions

"Εργαστήριο Αρχαιολόγιας Ι. Το Ηρώδειο Συγκρότημα του Ιερού των Αιγυπτίων Θεών (2ος αι. μ.Χ.) στο Μικρό Έλος του Μαραθώνα: Ένας επισκέψιμος αρχαιολογικός χώρος υπό έρευνα και ανάδειξη. Ομιλία προβολής στο πλαίσιο κοινωνικής συνεργασίας και δράση προσφοράς στον αρχαιολογικό χώρο."

Earlier scholarship saw the worship of Silvanus in Dalmatia from two different perspectives. Firstly, as a continuance of the pre-Roman indigenous cult which became »recognized« as the italic deity Silvanus through the interpretatio Romana, and secondly, as a product of indigenous assimilation in Roman culture. This article reconsiders these opinions from a different perspective, making the point that we deal here with an entirely new cultural practice, rather than the survival of the pre-Roman traditions, or with the assimilation of the indigenous population into the Roman identity. It is argued that the worship of Silvanus was used as an interface for communication and display of identity of different provincial sub-cultural groups in the early imperial times. It was a new, inventive and multifaceted religious practice, which incorporated existing local traditions and visual aesthetics with global symbolics of Silvanus, bringing together distinct societies and including Dalmatian communities into the »global« world of Roman Empire.

In the introduction of his book "The Pagan Origins of Christianity" Andre Knighton wrote: "…. The Catholic Church did not recognize her pagan roots and origins up to this day…… the time has come to look today at Christianity in the light of the emerging studies on paganism"
In fact, the first to put these theories is Godfrey Higgins (1772-1833), followed by Kersey Graves, who published his famous book "The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors", in 1875, after that, there have been writings by John G. Jackson , Tom Harpur , Acharya S , and others.
But the accuracy and validity of the information of these writings had been questioned not only by Christian scholars, but also by atheists, with the general consensus that these writings are non-scientific and non-credible, and among those who issued these books including Higgins, none of them is specialized in history or theology or religions, or even ancient civilizations.
This theory, which is called the copycat, (means: copy or imitation) is trying to put all the similarities between Jesus and Horus, Attis, Krishna, Mithra and Dionysius and others, on the basis that Christianity had adapted the personal details and the life of Jesus from them.

ΦΩΣ ΚΑΙ ΣΚΟΤΑΔΙ: Η ΠΕΡΙΠΤΩΣΗ ΤΗΣ MATER MATVTA According to Greek mythology, the gods lived surrounded by light 1 and not by darkness (as in other mythologies): Olympus was always cloudless and bright. As for human life, it was related to the light, in contrast to the eternal darkness after death. A long series of celestial gods were associated with the morning or the nocturnal light 2 . Before the invention of the divine genealogies, and the establishment of the official religions, Helios (who became Sol 3 in Roman Religion) was the dominant deity. Later on, he was followed by other similar divinities and dethroned by Zeus / Jupiter, only to climb up again to the top of the pantheon later on (during the 3rd century AD), thanks to oriental influences.

Desde los días de Esdras surgió en Israel una escuela de estudiantes profesionales de la ley que dedicaron todo su tiempo y su pensamiento a la investigación y determinación de asuntos relacionados con la revelación divina .Los tales fueron llamados escribas o rabies, y una buena parte de lo que ahora forma el canon del AT, es producto de sus afanes y pericias.

Mater Matuta was the Roman goddess of dawn, whose temple was in the Forum Boarium (cattle forum). She was responsible for the morning light. In the Greek tradition, she was identified with Leucothea (the divinized Ino) a goddess of the water. In other circles she was connected to fertility or nature. She was worshipped by the matrons during the Matralia, a public fest held every year, on the 11th January. The matrons offered cakes baked in earthenware pots. The most important aspect of the fest is the fact that Roman women carried their sisters’ children (but not their own) in their arms and prayed for their welfare, an action which has been interpreted in various ways, related or not to the light.
Mater Matuta must have been a deity with many aspects and multiple functions. She formed one single deity with many names: Matuta, Matutina, Aurora, Albunea, Leucothea, Eos, Uni, Thesan, Eileithyia, Astarte (and Usas). Mater Matuta was a good mother, in the same time auroral and kourotrophos, but also a goddess of childbirth, a patroness of sailors, harbors and ships, maybe also a kind of protective divinity of the corn, equally related - in an indirect way - to war and triumph, associated to Sol, Vesta and Venus, but most of all, a sky goddess of dawn and morning light, as her name itself indicates.

More than 20 years after presenting his first interpretation of the mosaic from the House of Aion in a paper entitled “Uwagi na temat mozaiki z Domu Aiona w Nea Paphos (Cypr)” (Meander 9/10, 1987, p. 421-438, in Polish, and translated to English: « The Immortality of the Human Soul and the Dionysiac Mysteries in the 4th Century Allegory [in Connection with the Interpretation of the Mosaic from the “House of Aion” at Paphos in Cyprus]»), where he proposed reading the five mythological panels (1. Leda and Zeus; 2. Dionysus on Mount Nysa; 3. The Dionysian thiasos; 4. Apollo and Marsyas; 5. The Apotheosis of Cassiopeia) as an allegory of the destiny of the human soul and body, starting with conception and ending with the liberation of the soul and its apotheosis, the author now enhances his initial interpretation with numerous reflections concerning the historical context of this work of art, created in the years 320-360.
If, according to the author, the mosaic is a “Hymn” in honour of the pagan gods, Man (his soul) and his place in the (pagan) universe, then at the same time it polemicises with the Christian faith and its God, Jesus Christ.
The author puts forward numerous new solutions relating to the mosaic’s iconography and iconology. Analysis of the mosaic also leads him to propose a solution to the as-yet unanswered question regarding the absence of images of the crucified Christ in Christian art of the 3rd and 4th centuries, up until 420/430, when the first images of Christ on the cross appear.
CONTENTS:
Introduction
1. Research to-date (recap)
2. Description of mosaic (recap)
2.1. Composition of five mythological scenes
2.2. Brief iconographic description of mythological panels
2.3. Outline of individual iconographic elements and their respective roles
2.4. The pagan gods’ air of majesty and dignity as an expression of piety
3. A few words about the pagan reaction
4. An apology of pious human life according to pagan principles and a polemic on the Christian model of Man and his theological idol, Jesus Christ
4.1. Divine intervention in the act of human conception (allusion to/polemic on the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary)
4.2. The Epiphany of Dionysus (an allusion to the Epiphany of Christ – Theou Pais)
4.3. The procession and dissemination of Dionysian order (allusion to/polemic on Christ’s entry into Jerusalem)
4.4. The error of Marsyas (polemic on/allusion to the error of Jesus the Messiah): arrest, sentencing for arrogance and lack of piety (asebeia) and condemnation to a martyr’s death
4.5. The anabasis (or anagoge psyches) of a ‘beautiful soul’ (allusion to/polemic on the Ascension of Christ)
5. A few words on the mosaic programme prior to final conclusions
Final conclusions
Key words: mythological mosaic, House of Aion, Nea Paphos, Late Antiquity, Roman art, allegorical narrative, allusive language of mythological pictures, wordplay (Marsyas-Messias), Jesus Christ, anti-Christian polemic, Dionysos, Cassiopeia, Apollon, Nereides, Abstract Personifications, Greek Mythology, ΚΥΠΡΟΣ

This thesis presents a critical reading of youth rites of passage in Ancient Greece with a view to determine how far our conceptualisation of the phenomenon reflects ancient practice. The investigation concerns a number of cults and rites of Artemis and Apollo which are often interpreted to have served as puberty ‘initiations’ or ‘rites of passage’ by modern scholars. The aim of the project is to illuminate the palaeopsychology and societal dynamics behind such rites against the modern idea of ‘rites of passage’. This is realised through the exploration of a number of themes related to youth worship of Artemis and Apollo while placing ancient evidence in the position of highest authority and evaluating the implications of modern commentaries and anthropological models on our understanding of the phenomenon. An interdisciplinary approach is adopted, drawing on archaeological and literary evidence and the various approaches to rites of passage applied in anthropology, sociology and classics. The investigation covers the topics of ancient terminology pertaining to initiatory contexts, the idiosyncrasies that appear within the larger modern grouping of ‘rites of passage’, the ways in which ancient foundation myths reveal the true function of the cults in question, while the study of cult objects and inscriptions attempts to engage the voice of the youth and their families. The thesis finds that the modern concept of rites of passage does not manifest itself in Ancient Greek evidence as elaborately as is currently perceived by classical scholars and that attempts to attribute the initiatory function to Artemisian and Apollonian worship and cult activity demonstrate modern bias and distort our understanding of coming of age in antiquity.

According to the rules that govern Roman religion, a white sacrificial animal is offered to a celestial or earth god, while infernal divinities receive a black one. Moreover, each deity is pleased by the immolation of an animal belonging to the same sex: male animals to gods, female ones to goddesses. What happens when those rules are not followed? We examine the regular and -mainly- the irregular cases and see why those particular divinities do nοt follow the general rule that the animal’s nature should be conform to the god’s one. We propose a new theory, based on the notion that they are reminisces from the era when the deities were asexual. We reinforce this interpretation by providing examples of sex perturbations in Roman religion (androgynous, bisexual and biform divinities, which are often related to human procreation and nature’s fertility). A minor examination concernσ the other sacrificial rule’s rare deviations, such as offerings of opposite colored or even red animals.

Within the matrix of ancient Greek and Roman religion, mystery cults constitute an intricate set of esoteric spiritual beliefs, which had strong reverberations on all aspects of human societies (politics, economy, culture), as they ardently sought to catch a fleeting glimpse of the secret eternal truth that would guarantee eternal bliss in the afterlife.

For remote participation, use the following Zoom link:
https://upatras-gr.zoom.us/j/92348267269?pwd=ZGFNdnp3aFhxZVl6Q3R0NnA3K0tTQT09

Meeting ID: 923 4826 7269
Passcode: 204540

Lo que pretendemos con el presente libro es ofrecer una herramienta que permita acceder de forma completa y ordenada al conjunto significativo de fuentes escritas relacionadas con los misterios mitraicos desarrollados en el imperio romano. Han quedado, por tanto, excluidos el volumen de textos conservados que hacen referencia al dios Mitra en su contexto oriental (himnos
védicos y avésticos, etc.) Junto con esta recopilación que alcanza el número de treinta y seis autores, también ofrecemos un estudio sobre la evolución de la historiografía mitraica, además de una breve síntesis sobre las características generales de los misterios mitraicos y una recopilación de bibliografía mitraica. Esperamos haber puesto a disposición de todos aquellos interesados en el estudio y conocimiento del culto del dios Mitra en la Antigüedad un
instrumento útil para acceder el estado de los conocimientos disponibles en la actualidad sobre el mitraísmo, y poder consultar de forma conjunta a las fuentes escritas relacionadas con el dios Mitra.

This study evolves around water cults in the regions of Macedonia and Thrace. Particularly, it examines the presence and significance of River Gods in these regions during the roman period as detected through archaeological material and art representations.The worship of river deities reflects the important role of water for the provincial towns of roman Macedonia and Thrace, and the need of the local communities to address those deities who supported their life sustainability. Water is comprehended not only as a natural element defining human space and activities, but also as a carrier of a wide range of connotations and symbolisms and as a highly influential factor shaping environments, common identities and human behaviour.

English Abstract p. 493-511
Подається характеристика дохристиянського релігійного світогляду, що включав полісну ідеологію і вірування населення. Релігія античного Херсонеса розглядається в соціальному вимірі, тобто першочергове значення надається питанню, хто був адептом того чи іншого культу, які релігійні групи проводили відповідні ритуали і наскільки широким було коло шанувальників того чи іншого божества. Для аналізу сакральних пам’яток застосовано підхід, в якому поєднуються археологічні, культурологічні і релігієзнавчі засади. Це дозволило встановити критерії віднесення пам’яток до свідчень полісного або родинного культу, які можуть бути застосовані у вивченні релігії інших полісів. Виявлено характерні риси культових практик на підставі аналізу археологічних, епіграфічних, літературних і нумізматичних джерел. Зроблено висновок, що релігійний світогляд населення античного поліса зумовлювався розвитком полісної ідеології та уявлень про вплив божеств на життя як усієї громадянської общини, так і окремих мешканців цього центру.

Introduction 2. e topology of monetary offerings 2.1 Side of appearance and location of the coins 2.2 "Random" deposit 2.3 Protocol A 3. e packaging of the coin and its "mise en scène" 3.1 Burned or unburned coins 3.2 "Protected" coins 3.3 e purse 3.4 Stacking up and geometrical arrangements 3.5 Protocol B 4. Coins as ﬔnerary object 4.1 To put or not to put a coin in the grave 4.2 e choice of number 4.3 e choice of denomination 4.4 e choice of types 4.5 Manipulations of the coins deposited 4.6 Protocol C 5. Conclusions 6. References

This article explores the similarities and differences between Babylonian incantation bowls and Graeco-Roman binding spells and ‘prayers for justice’. It does not intend to demonstrate a direct historical link between the two, but rather to examine the conceptual relations between magical texts and artefacts stemming from different cultures.

The Mysteries of Mithras, dedicated to the eponymous Persian divinity, was one of several mystery cults of the ancient world. It flourished during the second and third centuries CE throughout the Roman Empire, but with special frequency in Italy and the frontier provinces along the Rhine and Danube. Those initiated into the Mysteries met in special cult rooms or complexes known to them as "caves", but which in modern research are most commonly referred to as mithraea (s. mithraeum). Their defining features are a central aisle flanked by podia with a cult niche at the far end, typically displaying the bull-slaying Mithras. Since the late 19 th century, the research of the cult has traditionally concerned itself with issues regarding the cult's origins as well as its doctrines and beliefs. However, it has been noted that this traditional approach includes an undervaluing of both the role of ritual within the Mysteries and the design of the mithraeum with regards to the enacted rituals. By instead focusing on these shortcomings the present study will suggest a practice-oriented way of viewing the role of ritual within the cult and how this might have related to the physical space of the mithraeum.

This is a more elaboret and developped version of the first paper published in Polish : M.T. Olszewski, Uwagi na temat mosaiki z Domu Aiona w Nea Paphos (Cypr), Menander XLII, 9-10, 1987, pp. 421-438 (translated to English : The Immortality of the Human Soul and the Dionysiac Mysteries in the 4th Century Allegory (In Connection with the Interpretation of the Mosaic from “House of Aion” at Paphos in Cyprus), see on academia.edu

The author proposes a new interpretation of the iconographical and iconological programme of five panels mosaic from the House of Aion at Nea Pahos in Cyprus. He proposes reading the five mythological panels (1. Leda and Zeus; 2. Dionysus on Mount Nysa; ; 3. Apollo and Marsyas; 4. The Dionysian thiasos; 5. The Apotheosis of Cassiopeia) as an allegory of the destiny of the human soul and body, starting with conception (Leda and a Swan)  and ending with the liberation of the soul and its apotheosis (the apotheosis of Cassiopeia).
The author rejects the interpretation of W.A. Daszewski, (Dionysos der Erlöser, Mainz am Rheim 1985) proposed in 1985 and his order of interpetation the five mythological pictures (1. Dionysus on Mount Nysa; 2. Leda and Zeus; 3. The Apotheosis of Cassiopeia; 4. Apollo and Marsyas 5. The Dionysian thiasos). Daszewski would like see in Dionysos - a newly born supreme god, the universal savior.
see also a new article: M.T.Olszewski, The iconographic programme of the Cyprus mosaic from the House of Aion reinterpreted as an anti-Christian polemic, in: Et in Arcadia Ego. Studia memoriae professoris Thomae Mikocki dicata, Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw 2013, pp. 207-239, Pls 74-86.

Given the closure of universities, research centers and libraries for Covid 19, I decided to upload the complete pdf of the articles even if the publishing house had asked not to do it (or at least, to wait a few years). But we are in an emergency and I hope they will understand.

Via Cervignano 4 -20137 Milano Catalogo: www.lededizioni.com I diritti di riproduzione, memorizzazione elettronica e pubblicazione con qualsiasi mezzo analogico o digitale (comprese le copie fotostatiche e l'inserimento in banche dati) e i diritti di traduzione e di adattamento totale o parziale sono riservati per tutti i paesi. Le fotocopie per uso personale del lettore possono essere effettuate nei limiti del 15% di ciascun volume/fascicolo di periodico dietro pagamento alla SIAE del compenso previsto dall'art. 68, commi 4 e 5, della legge 22 aprile 1941 n. 633. Le riproduzioni effettuate per finalità di carattere professionale, economico o commerciale o comunque per uso diverso da quello personale possono essere effettuate a seguito di specifica autorizzazione rilasciata da: AIDRO, Corso di Porta Romana n. 108 -20122 Milano

The article focuses on the author's research on the chronographical background of the Zodiac Mosaic Calendar in Synagogue at Hammath-Tiberias. He researched to find the origin of mosaic decoration, the twelve zodiac sign, the four seasons, and Helios, which was found in synagogues in two parts of Palestine, Galilee and Judah. The chronograph of the mosaic art was extensively debated. The author further studied the history of Palestine Jews in the 4th century. Most of the work was done during the period of Hillel II.
The author concludes that the mosaic from the Stratum IIa synagogue with the Zodiac Calendar was executed in the time of Hillel II, who said to have died around 365 CE. He proposes the new date of the execution of the Zodiac Mosaic from Hammat-Tiberia (Stratum IIa) after the earthquake in 363, that is, in 364 or 365.

Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius Pollio (c. 75-15 BC) wrote, “[O]ne who professes himself as an architect should be…acquainted with astronomy and the theory of the heavens…. From astronomy we find the east, west, south, and north, as well as the theory of the heavens, the equinox, solstice and courses of the stars.” (De Architectura Libri Decem I:i:3,10).  In order to investigate the role of astronomy in Graeco-Roman  architecture, the author conducted a preliminary GIS DEM/Satellite Imaging survey of 11 temples at Pompeii, Italy (N 40d 45', E 14d 29') measuring the elevation, true azimuth and horizon altitude of each temple’s major axis. The alignment data was field checked by a Ground Truth survey with theodolite and GPS, 7-18 April 2013.  The field data was analyzed with Program STONEHENGE (Hawkins 1983, 328-330) to identify the local skyline declinations in antiquity.  Although the major axes of three temples (Apollo, Jupiter and Venus) parallel Pompeii’s street grid (oriented on Mt. Vesuvius to optimize urban sewer/street drainage), all 11 temples are oriented to astronomical targets on the local horizon associated with Graeco-Roman agricultural/civil/maritime calendars, mythology and/or Hellenistic temples elsewhere, viz: Arcturus Heliacal Rise (HR) at Equinox; Rigel HR at Summer Solstice; Sargas HR at Winter Solstice; November/February Cross-Quarter Day sunsets; Equinox sunset; Winter Solstice sunset; Midwinter Major Stand Still moonrise; and Midsummer Major Standstill moonset.

In questo contributo 1 ci si propone di esaminare alcuni casi di localizzazione di aree o luoghi di culto della colonia latina di Aquileia, nel periodo compreso grosso modo tra la fondazione nel 181 a.C. e la trasformazione istituzionale in municipium all'indomani della guerra sociale.

two bronze inscription from Halaesa (Sicily), of the Augustan age, testify to the involvement of more than 800 priests of Apollo. The international net of Apollonian priests is mirrored by Propertius and other poets, who mention contributions and presents to Apollo Palatinus from famous temples of the Greek world

The paper discusses the impact of greek civilization on Romans in some aspects of everyday living as well as customs mainly related to Greeks, but later widespread in Rome such as pederasty and homosexuality. The marriage in Roman society has also been discussed as well as some aspects of Roman religion related with family life. It has been suggested that through religion inside of family, Romans exalted sexuality and fertility, and that private was never seperated from public, even in religion. Roman impact on Dalmatia and natives in Dalmatia has been discussed through religion, but some parallels with pre-roman Illyrian religion were also discussed. Spreading of those cults in Dalmatia suggests that some other customs might spread as well, but lack of evidences is obvious. Perhaps new archaeological discoveries will give some new evidences in the future.

Keywords: Romans, family, marriage, Dalmatia, cults