H. Gitler, New Aspects on the Dionysiac Cult in Nysa–Scythopolis, Swiss Numismatic Revue 70 (1991), pp. 23–29. more

HAIM GITLER New Aspects on the Dionysiac Cult in Nysa-Scythopolis (Plates 3 and 4) Scpcratc print from the Swiss Numismatic Revue Volume 70 1991 HAIM GITLER NEW ASPECTS CONCERNING THE DIONYSIAC CULT IN NYSA-SCYTHOPOLIS* Plates 3+4 The image of Dionysos, one of the most widely worshipped pagan deities, seldom appears on coins minted in the city of Rome and is even rarer on coins of the imperial series struck in die west'. On provincial city coins, however, depictions of Dionysos with his attributes occur frequently'2. Table I represents the distribution of cities in Palestine which bear the figure of Dionysos on their coins3. Table L Dionysos on coins of Palestine City Antoninus Pius CO ■M 3 < 1/3 ~> g Lucius Verus Lucilla Commodus Septimius Severus Julia Domna Caracalla C3 o Diadumenian Elagabal Severus Alexander Gordian III Philip Senior — C in ■3 u a 5 = "0 H w p u X C s X V olusian Aelia Capitolina • • • • • Cacsarea • • % • Canatha • Capitolias • • Diospolis • Esbus • Nysa-Scythopolis • • • • • • • • • Raphia • • • • • * 1 am grateful to Alia Stein for suggesting improvements to the manuscript. 1 For Dionysos-Bacchus on medallions struck at Rome see J.M.C. Toynbee, Roman Medallions, Numismatic Studies 5 (New York 1941), pp. 139, 161 and 209 210. See also BMCRE Vol. IV. 2 M. Bemhart, Dionysos und seine Familie auf gricchischcn Miinzen,JNG 1, 1949. 3 References to coins in Table I: Aelia Capitolina- Y. Mcshorer, The Coinage of Aclia Capitolina (Jerusalem 1989), nos. 14, 70,84-5, 110 and 183 (Mcshorer 1989); Caesarea: M. Roscnbergcr, City Coins of Palestine, vol. II (Jerusalem 1975), nos. 104, 107, 138 and 185; Canatha: Y. Mcshorer, City Coins of Eretz Israel and the Decapolis in the Roman Period (Jerusalem 1985), no. 209 (Mcshorer 1985); Capitolias: A. Spijkcrman, The Coins of the Decapolis and Provincia Arabia (Jerusalem 1978), nos. 10 and 12; Diospolis: Rosenbcrgcr, no. 5; Esbus: Mcshorer 1985, no. 266; Nysa-Scythopolis: Spijkcrmaivnos. 5, 7, 12, 17, 20, 21, 21a, 23, 32, 34a, 38b, 40, 42, 46, 57, 58 (the Julia Domna bronze is located in the Cabinet des Mcdaillcs, Paris) Raphia: Y. Mcshorer, Monnaics dc Raphia, RN 1976, pp. 57-68, nos. 5, 20, 25, 36 and 42 (Mcshorer 1976). 23 In most cases Dionysos is shown nude or draped, standing 1., resting 1. arm on thyrsos and pouring wine with r. hand from an oenochoe over a small panther at his feet (Fig. I here)'1. Some representations, however, are more elaborate, especially those found on the coinage of Nysa-Scythopolis. This city struck seven different coin types related to Dionysos and the Dionysiac cult. Table II: Dionysiac scenes on Nysa-Scythopolis' coins Type Antoninus Pius QJ C < 3 o | U V > V3 'u Commodus Seplimius Severus Julia Domna Caracalla Geta Elagabal Gordian III 1. Dionysos standing 1., nude • • • • • • la. Dionysos standing 1., draped • • 2. Dionysos advancing 1. • 3. Dionysos riding in a chariot • 4. Zeus, Tyche (Nysa) and Dionysos * • 5. Tyche (Nysa) seated, nursing Dionysos • • • 6. Dionysiac procession (schematic) • • 7. Dionysiac procession • • Types of Nos. 3,4,5,6 and 7 are of particular interest. No. 3 represents Dionysos riding in a chariot drawn by two panthers1. No. 4 shows Tyche on 1., standing r.; in r. she holds a sceptre and in 1. the infant Dionysos. Opposite her stands Zeus 1.; on his r. thigh appears the head and shoulders of the infant Dionysos. In this case, Nysa is identified with the city goddess, Tyche6. Type No. 5 shows Tyche wearing a turreted crown and long chiton, seated r. on a dironc with a high back and nursing the infant Dionysos7. Type No. 6 (Figs. 2 and 2Af shows Dionysos advancing r., holding Long diyrsos in r. hand, placing L hand on die head of a small figure, in field r., bunch of grapes (see Fig. 2); behind Dionysos, panther L, looking upwards. This type, dating to the second quarter of the third century AD, was described by Hill as «An unexplained episode of die Dionysiac legend... where the god seems to be threatening a small primitive idol with his diyrsos (which looks, however, more like a spear).9» On the other hand, Ecklicl identified the small figure as Priapus'0, while according to Scyrig: «.. .on ne pcut guerc douter que ce ne soit 4 See note 3. 5 Spijkerman (above, n. 3), nos. 60~61. G Ibid, nos. 40-41, 57 and 57a. 7 Ibid, nos. 32, 46-48 and 58. 8 Both coins arc from the time of Gordian III; Fig. 2 from die Cabinet des Medailles in Paris (I am grateful to M. Amandrv for the photograph), Fig. 2A from the Israel Antiquities Authority. 9 BMC Palestine, p. xxxvi. 10 J. Eckliel, Doctrina Numorum Veterum, vol. Ill (Vienna, 1828), p. 439. 24 un corybante, serait-ce un Scythe? executant sa danse autour de l'enfant divin (Bacchus)1'». Finally, Jonas made a somewhat fanciful suggestion which can hardly be true12. Coins belonging to type No. 6 depict a scene similar to the one of type No. 7, although in a more schematic manner. This latter type is unique and shows one of the most complicated representations of Dionysos on coins of the Roman period. Only two examples of this type are known, a medallion of Commodus published by Spijkerman (Fig. 3) and an unpublished medallion from the reign of Septimius Scvcrus, struck in OC = 270 = 206/ 7 AD (Fig. 4)iS. The medallion of Commodus was first described by Spijkerman as follows: «Dionysos, nude but for chlamys flying behind him, advancing r., holding in extended r. short thyrsos, point downwards, placing L on head of small herm-like figure; behind him, two similar small figures, bent forward and jumping1**. Meshorer's description is similar: «Dionysos waving thyrsos at fleeing figures; Dionysos nude advancing r., holding short diyrsos in r., placing L on small figure running r.; on 1., two bent figures running L15». One may, however, interpret the scene in an entirely different way. It very probably illustrates a Dionysiac procession related to the festival of the Anthesteria. The Anthesteria16, the Blossom festival, were celebrated in the early spring in Athens and many Ionian towns. On the second day, which fell on the twelfth of the month of Anthesterion, new wine was ceremonially blessed before Dionysos and throughout the city the day was celebrated by drinking from special jugs of a peculiar shape known as choes. The day, the most important of the festival, was called Choes, after these squat jugs with a trefoil mouth. Many of the choes dating to the fifth and fourth centuries B.C. were decorated with scenes of the different phases of mirth and play during die festival. One was a ceremony of initiation, parastasis, when three-year old children were admitted to the religious community. This was the first time in their lives that the children smelled and tasted wine, and for this purpose specially designed miniature choes were produced. Festal tables were placed in the sanctuary of Dionysos where the children received a choice of dainties and toys before joining the public Dionysiac procession17. By the end of the ceremony the children had become a part of the civic community. On the basis of the above description " H. Scyrig, Antiqukcs Syrienncs, 81: Note sur les cultes de Scythopolis a Pepoquc romainc, Syria 39, 1962, p. 210. 12 R.Jonas, The Winged Dionysos, Internal circular 3, Israel Numismatic Society, Haifa Branch, 1960, pp. 1-8, suggested that «Dionysos is here shown as in his wild character of the eater of raw flesh and the man tcarcr, pursuing and perhaps killing a victim». 13 This unique medallion from the reign of Septimius Severus was recently stolen from die Santa Anna Collection; unfortunately the photograph of only the reverse can be reproduced. 14 Spijkerman (above, n. 3), pp. 194—5, no. 21. 15 Mcshorcr 1985 (above, n. 3), p. 41, no. 107. 16 See L. Dcubner, Attische Fcstc (Berlin 1932), pp. 93-123; H.W. Parke, Festivals of the Athenians (London 1977), pp. 107-124 and E. Simon, Festivals of Attica, An Archaeological Commentary (Madison, Wise. 1983), pp. 92-99. See also A. Pickard-Cambridge, The Dramatic Festivals of Athens (Oxford 1968), pp. 1-8 widi a collection of principal texts referring to the Anthesteria. 17 G. van Hoorn, Chocs and Anthesteria (Leiden 1951), pp. 15, 17, 29-31, 40 and 43. 25 the following composite drawing (Fig. 3A)18 and interpretation of type No. 7 can be suggested. Obv. [AYP] HAIOC.KOMOAOC.KAICAP.r.EPM.CAPM Bare-headed bust of young Commodus to r. Rev. NYC.T.CKY0.T.IEP.ACY.T.CYP.EA.nOA/0AC Dionysos, nude but for nebris flying behind and in front of him, advancing r., holding short thyrsos in r. hand, placing L hand on the head of a child who holds a choes in 1. hand and a rattle in right, the child's head is slightly bent backwards; on I. of Dionysos, a boy carries on his back a small panther. 32.83 gr. Dionysos is half-covered by the nebris19, a skin of a panther, hanging from his left shoulder20. Flying behind him is one of the panther's paws and its tail; in front there is probably another paw. The boy on Dionysos'right holds a choe?x in his outstretched left hand22 and a rattle in his right hand2'. To the left of Dionysos, another boy with bent knees carries a small panther. This identification seems certain since a small panther also appears on the medallion struck under Septimius Severus. The transliteration of the reverse inscription reads: NYCfAECON]. T[(ON].CKY0[OnOAITCON]. T[HC].IEP[AC].ACY[AOY].T[HG]. CYP[IAC].EA[AHNIAC0N]nOA[EC0N]24, («of the people of Nysa-Scythopolis, holy and inviolable, one of the Greek cities of Syria»). Nysa-Scythopolis probably assumed the new titles IEPA and ACYAOC in connection with Marcus Aurelius' visit to the area in 175-176 AD25. 18 I would like to thank Carmen Hcrsch for making the composite drawing Fig. 3A from the two medallions, Fig. 3 and 4. She did the drawing of Fig. 4A as well. 19 P. Devambcz, Lc cortege dc Dionysos, L'Amour dc l'Art 29, 1949, p. 29. 20 Dionysos and his entourage arc sometimes shown wearing the nebris, as in Fig. 5, sec S. Rcinach, Repertoire des reliefs grccs ct remains, tome 13 (Paris 1912), p. 85: a and W. Fuchs, Die Vorbildcr dcr neuattischen Reliefs, JDI Erganzungsheft 20 (Berlin 1959), Taf. 29, c and pp. 141-142 note 127, pp. 177-178 No. a) 21.1 thank G. Foersler for bringing this second reference to my attention. Sec also Y. Mcshorcr, The Coins of Cacsarca Pancas, INJ 8, 1984/5, p. 48, F, pi. 7 (bron7.c coin with Pan walking 1., wearing a nebris) and Bcrnhart (above, n. 2), p. 118, 907, pi. 6, 8 (bronze coin from Pergamon with a seated figure wearing a nebris). 21 Fig. 6 shows this type ofjuglct; Athens, Ccramicus Museum, from van Hoorn (above, n. 17), fig. 418, cat. no. 140. 22 Fig. 7 depicts a boy holding the choes in the same manner as the child on Commodus' medallion, while the boy on fig. 8 carries the choes on the palm of his hand as docs the child on Septimius Severus' medallion. Fig. 7: Athens, Ccramicus Museum, from: Ibid, fig. 509, cat. no. 73. Fig. 8: Fcrrara, Musco di Spina, from: Ibid, fig. 207, cat. no. 523. -:i Fig. 9 shows a child at the Anthcstcria holding a rattle; Taranto, Musco Nazionalc, from: Ibid, fig. 399, cat. no. 925. 24 A new inscription found in Beth Shean shows that the letters EA IlOA stand for EAAHNIC nOAIC; sec G. Focrstcr and Y. Tsafrir, Nysa-Scythopolis - A New Inscription and the Titles of the City and its Coins, INJ 9, 1986/7, pp. 53-58. 25 Sec the forthcoming article by the present author, Numismatic Evidence on the Visit of Marcus Aurelius to the East, INJ 11. 26 Furthermore, the legend stresses that Nysa-Scythopolis was «one of the Greek cities of Syria» (THC CYPIAC EAAHNIACON IIOAECON). This unique accolade emphasizes the city's links to Hellenistic culture. The date was read as 0MC=249= 185/6 AD, by Spijkerman and Meshorer (see notes 14 and 15). The correct date, however, is 0AC=239= 175/6 AD, the year of the imperial visit26. It seems therefore preferable to regard the detailed representations on the medallions of Commodus and Septimius Severus, as well as on the coins struck under Elagabal and Gordian III, as illustrations of parts of a Dionysiac procession at the Anthesteria. Most elements in these scenes have their parallels on fifth-fourth century B.C. Attic choes, which were used by children at the festival of the Anthesteria27. Although the Nysa-Scythopolis medallions and coins were produced approximately six centuries later28, there is a re- markable resemblance of the representations on the coins of the Syrian city and the Attic clwes. Especially noteworthy is the similarity in the postures of the children's bodies and in their handling of the choes®. Numismatic material from mints of Asia Minor could be also relevant to our question. The small figures in the Dionysiac scenes there are usually called Satyrs, Silenoi or Pan. However, there are parallels between these scenes and the two medallions from Nysa- Scythopolis. One some of the coins from Asia Minor the small figures are crouching or standing at the feet of Dionysos. The most striking examples are Figs. 11:i0 and 12s 1 where Dionysos is pouring wine from an oenochoe to the small wine-jug (choes?) which a small figure holds. These small figures are bending their knees in a very similar way to the boys of the Nysa-Scythopolis' medallions. In Fig. 132'2 Dionysos is pouring wine from an oenochoe directly into the mouth of a small figure who seems to be seated on the shoulders of another standing, small figure. It is therefore highly probable that these small figures on the coins of Asia Minor mints have the same meaning as those on the medallions of Nysa-Scythopolis, i.e. they are young children participating in the feast of die Anthesteria. Meshorer believed that the increase in the depictions of Dionysos on coins of some Palestinian cities during Commodus' reign reflects the introduction of a new syncretistic cult of Dionysos33. The similarities between the representations on the coins of Nysa- Scythopolis and the much earlier depictions of the Anthesteria on the choes, however, would 26 This date is appropriate for the portrait of young Commodus before he became emperor; moreover, the titles Germanicus and Sarmaticus were used by him only in 175/6 and 176/7 AD. only; see BMCRE Vol. IV pp. cxli-cxlii. 2' The connection of these winc-jugs with the Anthesteria festival have been mentioned by several scholars, sec E. Simon (above, n. 16) p. 95 note 29. Van Hoorn (above, n. 17) remains the classic study on the subject. 28 There is a representation of the feast of the Anthesteria on two frescoes from Ostia from the Roman Period; sec I.. Dcubner, Dionysos und die Anthesterien, JDI 42, 1927, p. 186. 29 Cf. Figs. 7, 8 and 10 (the latter Leningrad, Hermitage, from: van Hoorn [above, n. 17], fig. 527, cat. no. 581). 30 Cf. Bernhart (above, n. 2), p. 126, 989, pi. 7, 1; sec also nos. 1003, 1004 and 1029, pi. 7, 14, 18, 22. 31 SNG von Aulock 3609. 32 Cf. Bernhart (above, n. 2), p. 126, 990, pi. 7, 4. 33 Meshorer 1989 (above, n. 3), pp. 35-36, suggests that the new cult was introduced in three cities, i.e. Aelia Capitolina, Nysa-Scythopolis and Canatha. 27 indicate that the ceremony derives from the much older tradition. Unfortunately, there is neither epigraphic nor literary evidence of such a festival in Nysa-Scythopolis. It is interesting that up to the reign of Commodus, there was only one type featuring Dionysos on coins of die city. During the next 65 years, until the city stopped minting coins in 240/1 AD, no less than seven different coir, types from Nysa-Scythopolis show Dionysiac scenes. It is difficult to say what prompted them but we may safely assume that the city was one of the most important centers of Dionysiac worship in the region34. This is no surprise because, after all, die city was named after Dionysos' nurse Ntiaa who, according to a popular tradition, was buried at Bcth-Shean35. Haim Gitlcr Israel Museum Jerusalem 34 For the Dionysiac worship in Nysa-Scythopolis sec A. Ovadiah, Greek Cults at Bcth-Shean/ Scythopolis in the Hellenistic and Roman Periods, Erctz-Israel 12, 1975, pp. 116-124, passim (in Hebrew); C. Vermeule and K. Anderson, Greek and Roman Sculpture in the Holy Land, The Burlington Magazine 123, 1981, p. 8 (Hellenistic sculpture of Dionysios-Alcxander); G. Fuks, Scythopolis - a Greek City in Erctz-Israel (Jerusalem 1983), pp. 75-81 (in Hebrew); G. Foerster and Y. Tsafrir. A Statue of Dionysos as a Youth Recently Discovered at Beth-Shean, Qadmoniot 89-90, 1990, pp. 52-54 (in Hebrew). For a wider survey of the worship of Dionysos in Palestine see M. Smith, On the Wine God in Palestine, Salo Wittmayer Jubilee Volume, English Section vol. Ill Jerusalem 1974), pp. 815-829. 35 The mythological tradition related to Dionysos mentions that he was given 10 divine nurses, the nymphs of Nysa; sec HJ. Rose, A Handbook of Greek Mythology (New York 1959), p. 152. Two literary sources relate that Dionysos buried his nurse Nysa in the town of Scythopolis; cf. Pliny, Historia Naturalis, V, 18, 74 «Scythopolim, antca Nysam, a Libera Pater sepulta nutricc ibi». A similar passage is found in Solinus, Collclanca Rcrum Mcmorabilium ch. 36: «Libcr Pater cum humo nulricem tradidisset, condidil hoc oppidium, ut sepulturae tilulum ctiam urbis moenibus ampliaret. Incolae deerant; e comitibus suis Scythas dclegit, quos ut animi firmaret ad prompiam resistendi violcntiam, pracmium loci nomcn dcdit.» These traditions as well as the text in Diodorus Siculus, III, 64,5-7; 65,7, give Dionysos a part in the foundation of Nysa-Scythopolis. We find it again in a Greek inscription on a hexagonal altar, decorated with Dionysiac elements, from Beth- Shean; see G. Foerster and Y. Tsafrir, Beth-Shean, Excavations and Surveys in Israel 1987/88, 6 (1988), p. 31 (according to the archaeologists, the Roman temple uncovered near the basilica where the altar was found may be that of Dionysos; ibid, p. 27). Two other cities in the area, Damascus and Raphia, had similar traditions in which Dionysos took part in the cities' foundation; cf. Stephanus of Byzantium, Ethnicorum (cd. bv A. Mcinckii, Bcrolini 1849): Damaskos p. 217: 7- 18, Raplieiap. 543: 20-21. 28 Key to plates 3+4 1 Bronze coin of Nysa-Scythopolis struck under Antoninus Pius. Flagellation Museum, Jerusalem. 2 Bronze coin of Nvsa-Scythopolis struck under Gordian III. Cabinet dcs Medailles, Paris (n. 8). 2A Bronze coin of Nysa-Scythopolis struck under Gordian III. Israel Antiquities Authority (n. 8). 3 Bronze medallion of Nysa-Scythopolis struck under Commodus. Flagellation Museum, Jerusalem (n. 14). 3A Drawing of Fig. 3 (n. 18). 4 Unique bronze medallion of Nysa-Scythopolis struck under Septimius Sevcrus. The medallion was recently stolen from the Santa Anna collection, Jerusalem, and only the photograph of the reverse is available (n. 13). 4A Drawing of Fig. 4 (n. 18). 5 Dionysos, Pan and Bacchante. Neo-Attic bas-rclicf from Hcrculancum, Augustan period. Museo Nazionale, Naples (n. 20). 6 Owes. Athens, Ceramicus Museum (n. 21). 7 Owes. Athens, Ceramicus Museum (n. 22). 8 Owes. Fcrrara, Museo di Spina (n. 22). 9 Oioes. Taranto, Museo Nazionale (n. 23). 10 Oioes. Leningrad, Hermitage (n. 29). 11 Bronze coin of Hadrianoi struck under Philip Senior (n. 30). 12 Bronze coin of Hadrianopolis struck under Caracalla (n. 31). 13 Bronze coin of Hadrianoi struck under Philip Senior (n. 32). 29 rJL/v i n o iillcr. Xysa-Scythopolis