#3rd Dynasty of Er

[priestess-of-the-north-west]

Pagan/Occult timeline on this Tumblr

(with some accents on Frisia/Holland/the Netherlands)

Stone Age 

Palaeolithic . Rock art

Mesolithic . Swifterbant Culture (in the NL ca. 5300-3400 BCE)

Neolithic . Vlaardinger Cultuur (in the NL ca. 3500-2500 BCE) . Trechterbekervolk (= Funnel Beaker Culture, in the NL ca. 3350-2750 BCE ) and their Hunebed (dolmen) Ancestor worship may have existed in the Neolithic. Some scholars suggest a direct link between Palaeolithic female ('venus') figurines and female depictions in the Neolithic and even Bronze Age. In the Copper Age, male deities were also worshipped, and there was a development towards forming a complete pantheon with mythological figures. Domestication of plants and animals is in its formative stages here, and 'Industry' comes up, mainly of utensils and ornaments. The invention of writing started here, between copper and bronze age. Invention of the wheel. Invention of the potter's wheel.

Bronze Age

Hallstatt Culture (roughly 1200-450 BCE)

Northern Bronze age (roughly 2000-500 BCE)

2000 BCE

17th century BCE

15th century BCE

13th century BCE

11th century BCE

10th century BCE

8th century BCE . Oldest findings of Frisian pottery

7th century BCE

6th century BCE

Northern Iron age (roughly 500 BCE - 800 CE)

5th century BCE

4th century BCE

3rd century BCE

2nd century BCE

1st century BCE

1st century . Oldest known runic inscription

2nd century

3rd century

4th century . Big migration of North German and Danish tribes into East and Central (=North of the NL) Frisia, and expansion of West Frisia

5th century . Oldest known runic inscription mentioning Oðinn . Big migration of North German and Danish tribes into East and Central Frisia and expansion of West Frisia . Rise of the Merovingian dynasty among the Franks

6th century . Frisia is at its peak and now covers the Dutch entire North + West coastal region, river area, and North coast of Germany . Merovingian dynasty at the Franks - expansion

7th century . Transition younger futhark. . Merovingian dynasty at the Franks - expansion

8th century . Transition younger futhark . Merovingians (Franks) incorporate Frisia. Put a lot of effort into converting forcing the local tribes in Europe to Christianity

Viking age (roughly 800-1100 CE)

9th century . In now Frankish 'Frisia', the name Holtland appears

10th century . Estimated writing of the Vǫluspǫ́.

11th century

12th century . Floris II no longer calls himself Frisian, but Count of Holland . Earliest known Western heraldic

The last bits of the Medieval age

13th century . Estimated start of development of Christian "Kabbalah"

14th century

15th century . Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (humanist, Hebrew studies) . Johann Reuchlin (humanist, Hebrew studies, developer of the angel names) . Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa (occultist, developer of the demon-scales)

Modern History

16th century . Giordano Bruno . Edward Kelley (also known as Edward Talbot) . John Dee (occultist, developer of Enochian magic) . Sir Francis Drake's drum

17th century . Dutch Streekdracht Folklore estimated start

Athanasius Kircher (developer of the Tree of Life as used in Hermetic Kabbalah) . Rosicrucianism . The Lesser Key of Solomon

18th century

Dutch Streekdracht Folklore peaks

19th century

Dutch Streekdracht Folklore peaks . Éliphas Lévi, real name Alphonse Louis Constant (occultist, writer of Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie and initiator of the Kabbalistic Cross) . Helena Blavatsky (occultist, founder of the Theosophical Society and famous for her Atlantis work) . Samuel MacGregor Mathers & William Westcott (founders of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn) . Arthur Edward Waite (occultist, GD member, laid down the foundations for nearly all contemporary tarot decks)

20th/21st century

Dutch Streekdracht Folklore decline . Dion Fortune (occultist) . Israel Regardie (occultist) . Gerald Gardner (founder of Gardnerian Wicca) . Doreen Valiente (co-founder of Gardnerian Wicca) . Gareth Knight (occultist) . Walter Ernest Butler (occultist) . Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki (occultist) . Alex Sanders (founder of Alexandrian Wicca) . Diana L. Paxson (Witch, Wicca, Asatru) . Marian Green (Solitary Witch) . Vivianne Crowley (Wicca) . Frigga Asraaf (NL Asatru) . Linda Wormhoudt (NL Shaman)

[typingtess]

Tiptoeing through the “Fukushu″ guest cast

Christopher Sean as LAPD RHD Detective Jack Tanaka Was Paul Narita on Days of Our Lives, Gabriel Waincroft in Hawaii Five-0 and Bing Lee in The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.  Had guest roles in You, The Bay, The Mindy Project, Hollywood Heights and The Bold and the Beautiful.  

On the set.

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as Craig Tanaka| A longtime working actor who played Lt. AJ Shimamura in Nash Bridges, Capt. Terry Harada in Hawaii, Satoshi Takeda in Revenge, Hiroki Watanabe in Lost in Space (2018) and Nobusuke Tagomi as The Man in the High Castle.

Guest roles include The Wizard, MacGyver (1987), The Colbys, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Hotel, Miami Vice, Superboy, Moonlighting, Alien Nation, Mission Impossible (1989), Hardball, Baywatch, Raven, Renegade, Space Rangers, Thunder in Paradise, Babylon 5, Cybill, Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996), Stargate SG-1, Poltergeist: The Legacy, Vengeance Unlimited, Seven Days, Walker Texas Ranger (2000), Heroes, Beyond the Break, Hawaii Five-0 (2011), Teen Wolf and The Librarians.

Sebastian Sozzi as LAPD Detective Matt Guerrero Was The Falcon in My Generation, Vinny Cruz in Blue Bloods, Diego Carranza in The Red Line and Cole from Fear the Walking Dead.  Played Kevin Deacon in the terrific “The Arizona” episode, the season 17 accidental finale, of the mothership.

Guest appearances include Third Watch, Six Degrees, The Black Donnellys, Law & Order:  Criminal Intent, Law & Order, House, Ironside (2013), Castle, Dynasty (2017), Criminal Minds and All Rise.

Jose Yenque as Navy Captain Carlos Fuentes Played Darrell Ray in Days of Our Lives and Gabe Herrera in The Division.  Was Officer John Alcala on JAG.

Appeared in episodes of The X-Files, Chicago Hope, Nash Bridges, Providence, City of Angels, ER, NYPD Blue, Angel, Presidio Med, The Agency, Without a Trace, CSI: Miami, Lincoln Heights, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Nip/Tuck, Law & Order: SVU, Lost, 1600 Penn, Lucifer and The Last Ship.

Selfie on the Paramount lot. Trailer selfie.

Obi Ndefo as Joyner Played Bodie Wells on Dawson’s Creek and Rak’nor in Stargate SG-1.

Guest starred in episodes of Star Trek:  Deep Space Nine, The Wayans Bros., The Jamie Foxx Show, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Angel, Star Trek: Voyager Columbo (2000), The District, Crossing Jordan, NYPD Blue, Half & Half, The West Wing and Beauty and The Baller.

In August of 2019, Ndefo, as a pedestrian, was hit by a drunk driver.  He lost both of his legs around the knee.  Video about his recovery here.  

Dashiell Connery as Jason Quinn Appeared in an episode of The Rookie and Animal Kingdom.  Connery is the son of actors Jason Connery and Mia Sara (“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”) and grandson of Sean Connery.

Peter Holden as Benjamin Strauss Was Don Yolk in Brainstorm.  Played a Vector Control Worker in the season eight “Royals and Loyals” NCIS episode.

Was a guest star in The Wonder Years (1993), The Pretender, Frasier, Charmed (2000), Philly, CSI (2002), The Division, Miss Match, 10-8: Officers on Duty, The District, 24, Scrubs, Cold Case, Bones, Desperate Housewives, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, Ghost Whisperer, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Scandal, Castle, Matador, Masters of Sex, Ray Donovan, Lethal Weapon, Chances, SEAL Team, Lethal Weapon, Good Girls and Goliath.

Michael Fitzgerald as Billy Strauss British actor with many BBC credits including Doctor Who and Midsomer Murders.  Played Oliviero Carafa in Borgia.

Tyler Capri Clark as Molly Had guest roles in episodes of Modern Family The Catch, Timeless, I’m Dying Up Here, SWAT, Station 19, Good Trouble, The Affair, Why Women Kill and The Haves and Have Nots.

Duncan Campbell as NCIS Special Agent Castor Last seen learning sign language in “Signs of Change” in season 12.

Written by:  Kyle Harimoto wrote “Omni”, “Merry Evasion”, “Chernoff, K”, “Command and Control” as episode 150, “Granger, O.”, “Ghost Gun”, “Kulinda”, “767”, “Se Murio El Payaso”, “Assets”/“Liabilities”, “Venganza”, “Superhuman”, “One of Us", “Let Fate Decide” (season 11 premiere), “Decoy”, “Answers” , “Watch Over Me” and “Cash Flow”.   He co-wrote “Three Hearts”, “Leipei”, “Humbug”, both ends of the “Matryoshka” two-parter, “Smokescreen” part two, “Searching”, “A Fait Acompli” and “A Tale of Two Igors”.

Directed by:  Dennis Smith directed “Fame”, “Standoff”, “Rocket Man”, “Cyberthreat”, “Exit Strategy”, “Patriot Acts”, “Out of the Past” part one, “The Livelong Day”, Between the Lines”, “Deep Trouble” part two, “Black Budget", “Black Wind”, “Blame it On Rio”, “Defectors”, “Matryoshka” part one, “Granger, O”, “The Queen’s Gambit”, “Hot Water”, “From Havana With Love”, “Plain Sight”, the lighthearted “Monster”, “Superhuman”, “One of Us”, “Smokescreen” part one, “Decoy”, “Mother” (episode 250), “Alsiyadun”, “The Bear”, “Angry Karen” and “Signs of Change”.

I remembered to post it when I usually do this week - yay me!

[aboutanancientenquiry]

Herodotus and the Egyptian Cats

EGYPTIAN CATS AND GREEK CURIOSITY

Alex Tarbet

“My cat behaves in strange ways. For instance, I have a candle on my desk. Once, she was so mystified by the shimmering flame that she crept up close. Closer. She gave a curious little sniff, decided to inquire, pushed her face in – and burnt her own whiskers off. I reacted by drawing on Classical wisdom (rather than calling a veterinarian) and informed her that her pain was the result of hubris and curiositas. “You get what you ask for, kitty. You shouldn’t poke your nose into forbidden shimmery magical things, or you’ll get exactly what you deserve. There is a thing called justice in the universe. Know thyself.” I scolded her. In the end she learned nothing by suffering. But she did shoot me a glare and slink off to use my copy of Aeschylus as a litter-box.

The Egyptian cat goddess Bastet, Second Dynasty (early 3rd millennium BC) (Neues Museum, Berlin, Germany).

Classical authors had strange ideas about cats. Aelian (AD c.170–230) thought they would be your lifelong friends if you just kept them fed.[1] (He’s wrong: my cat is both overweight and resentful.) Aristotle (c.384–322 BC) thought that females have sex by scootching backward under males while they stand upright, apparently on hind legs.[2] (That’s just insulting to cats everywhere.) And they must have small minds because they have such tiny faces.[3] (My cat clearly disagrees.)

Freshly-salted cat liver, eaten with a glass of wine under a waning moon, will cure a fever, according to the Roman Pliny the Elder (AD c.23–79).[4] And a dead cat’s ashes mixed with water can be used as convenient household mouse repellent.[5] Cat dung is just sticky enough to help remove a splinter, but a she-goat’s will do it in a pinch.[6] Plutarch (AD c.45–120) thought cats had magical eyes that waxed and waned along with the moon.[7] And perfume makes them enter a Dionysian frenzy and go completely crazy.[8]

A possible reconstruction of Herodotus’ world, on the basis of his Histories.

Herodotus (c.484–425 BC), that curious world traveler, heard something about cats during his trip down the Nile in the 5th century BC, a time when they were unfamiliar animals to Greeks:

πυρκαϊῆς δὲ γενομένης θεῖα πρήγματα καταλαμβάνει τοὺς αἰελούρους· οἱ μὲν γὰρ Αἰγύπτιοι διαστάντες φυλακὰς ἔχουσι τῶν αἰελούρων, ἀμελήσαντες σβεννύναι τὸ καιόμενον, οἱ δὲ αἰέλουροι διαδύνοντες καὶ ὑπερθρώσκοντες τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐσάλλονται ἐς τὸ πῦρ.

When there is a fire, a divine state seizes hold of cats. The Egyptians stand in a line and hold guard over them but neglect the fire. The cats, rushing through, leap over them and dive right into the fire. When this happens, there is great public mourning among the Egyptians.[9]

Er, what? Herodotus’ tale of ‘cats leaping into fire’ seems suspicious. But given the behavior of my own little candle-sniffer, I can make a guess where it came from. A well-known factoid – ‘cats are not that smart when it comes to flames’ – had passed around the Mediterranean and been exaggerated through the ‘telephone game’ before it perked up the ears of Herodotus, who excitedly scribbled it down in Greek.[10]

Egyptian cat guarding geese, Nineteenth Dynasty (c.1120 BC) (Cairo Museum, Egypt).

Now, Herodotus was an entertainer. He loved flinging out fireworks of wonders from his faraway travels left and right to explode his audience’s minds. Greeks were really into (and would have paid good money for) short packaged tales that were catchy, exotic, or spooky enough to show off at drinking parties. Imagine the oohs and aahs: “Say, did you hear the one about Egyptian cats? Did you know they explode?” “By the dog, you’re lying!” “It’s true, I heard it from an expert!”

Herodotus was an expert, but not on cats. Rather, he was a great listener, a world traveler, a lore collector, someone fun for people all around the Mediterranean to meet and chat with as his entourage traveled around the world sponging up everyone’s favorite tales about this and that. He did a fair job translating what Egyptians had to say. (A few things they wrote square pretty well with his Greek, so we know he was not making stuff up.) But occasionally something was lost in the process and the result is just weird. The ‘cats on fire’ passage is one of those moments where we scratch our heads: “Huh? What happened there?”

Stories about exotic animals and their behavior floated all around the ancient Mediterranean, over tongues and through ears, before they settled into Greek as ‘weird science’ or paradoxography. (A paradox or παράδοξος meant a marvelous thing, such as a dragon, ghost, vampire, unicorn, werewolf – all of which Greeks and Romans heard whispered rumors about from faraway lands).[11] Folk love a good story, especially one performed with some flair. ‘Flaming cats’ may have been a fun thing to pass around for audiences of all ages. (I wish I could believe it was more than a coincidence that the word Herodotus used for ‘fire’ was πῦρ – purr.)

Egyptian ring with cat and kittens, Third Intermediary Period (late 2nd / early 1st millennium BC (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA).

But what Egyptian told the tale? Herodotus tells us nothing about his informant except that he was a ‘priest’. That hardly helps. Temples had thousands of personnel, from groundskeepers to cooks to guards to the high priest himself. Many of these had seasonal priesthoods only for three or four months of the year with temporary prestige and pay. Perhaps Herodotus had a brief encounter with a farmer, merchant, craftsman, local guide, tourist-trapper, traveling bard, streetside raconteur – any of them a ‘priest’ only part of the year.

When someone, say, a metalworker or fishmonger, worked in a temple for a few months as a priest, creative lore from his daily home life could easily trickle in with him. Fresh stuff sourced from the family household: children’s tales, fables, rumors, jokes, myths, news, gossip, insults, spells, problems with the neighbor’s cats – you name it. And then it trickled out. Herodotus could have heard anything anywhere.

Cat with kittens on damaged box for animal mummy, Late Period / Ptolemaic Period (640–30 BC) (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA).

Egyptians were diverse, and some of them would not have intended or cared to share feline biology facts with a nosy foreigner from a distant empire. Many were too busy farming. Or weaving. Or making jewelry. Or brewing beer. Or writing love songs. Or fishing. Or tending the kids.

Public storytelling was unofficial and unlearned, non-literate, talkative, playful, wide-ranging in register. And so were myth and religion: playful, sexual, humorous, private, open for improvisation – yet also political, religious, official, patriarchal behind temple doors, all at once. Our little cat tale came from somebody with their own private life, a family world, a sense of self and self-reflection, a profession or craft of their own, with their own style and horizon of imagination. (And it was certainly not the high priest.) So what was on their mind?

Egyptian cat mummy, probably from Bubastis, Mid-Ptolemaic Period (2nd cent. BC) (Penn Museum, Philadelphia, PA, USA)

Cats were venerated as goddesses by Egyptians. (They still know this.) Priests solemnly embalmed thousands and sold their mummies to pilgrims wishing to make offerings to the cat goddess at her temple. There must have been great celebration and lamentation for their little burials. (Humans have historically tended to be obsessed with or even enjoy cat death for one reason or another.)[12]

But ancient cats could be cute little morons too. On Egyptian craftsmen’s drawings we see a clear sense of humor, playfulness, and farce, maybe even social satire. Have a look for yourself. (I particularly like the masterpiece ‘Regretful Shitty Kitty – the one that seems to be looking back and saying whoops!) Somebody did not take pets all that seriously. And of course not! Cats are funny, universally speaking. And sometimes not so brain-smart. This is known.

Ostraca from the workers’ village at Deir el-Medina, reproduced from Patrick Houlihan’s Wit and Humour in Ancient Egypt (Rubicon, London, 2001) 76–85.

In popular Egyptian storytelling, felines were devious agents of humor and chaos. To wit, in the Petese Stories (c. 3rd cent. BC), a necromancer compels a ghost to tell him how long he has to live. With only forty days and forty nights left – desiring to spend it drinking and having sex with his wife, of course – he crafts a cat golem out of wax and sends it to terrify his boss, and extorts a solid 500 silver from him.[13]

In Setna I (AD c. 1st cent.), a horny sorcerer searching for a forbidden book has a nightmare in which the numinously gorgeous mystical lady Tabubu – in response to his many appeals for sex – hurls his children out of a window into the street to be eaten by strays.[14] So cats were associated in Egyptian ‘horror fiction’ with sexual desire, curiosity, and horrible divine vengeance, should magicians poke their noses into the forbidden.

Ancient Egyptian drawing from Deir el-Medina (c.1500-1100 BC), reproduced in Patrick Houlihan’s Wit and Humour in Ancient Egypt (Rubicon, London, 2001) 83.

The Myth of the Distant Goddess might give us a clue about ‘cats plus fire’. The goddess Hathor (or Tefnut) has an argument with her father, the Sun. Annoyed, she stomps off into the desert and metamorphoses into a cat. Desperate for her return, the Sun sends the crafty baboon Thoth to calm her with beer and humorous stories. Success! Soothed from rage and resentment, kitty feels homesick. But Thoth begins to lose ground. She becomes enraged again and – well, ignites.

She changed in her appearance into an angry lioness… her coat gave off smoke and flame; her back was blood-colored, and her face had the brilliance of the Sun Disk. Her eyes had a fiery glow, and her stares glowed like flame, casting fire out like the light of a summer day. She shone from within her entire body… she stamped with her paws, and the mountain produced a cloud of dust.[15]

A messy retelling of a ‘cat and fire’ myth may have been mangled beyond sense, or miscommunicated, or mistranslated, or spoken offhand if Herodotus was in some hectic spot along the Nile. Egyptian families enjoyed cat fictions not only as deep ritual lore, but as evening delights, part of their earthy world of family celebrations, leisure, relaxations, play and performance.

The obsequies of an Egyptian cat, John Reinhard Weguelin, 1886 (Auckland Art Gallery, New Zealand).

The Nile was a thriving hotbed of creative storytelling. Thousands of Egyptians celebrated festival lore around a ‘return of the distant cat goddess’ to her home city, Bubastis, and drank more grape wine on a single day than all the rest of the year (so Herodotus says). They played musical instruments, clapped their hands and danced, while women sailed up the Nile on boats, flashed their vaginas at women on the shore, and shouted all sorts of obscene things at them.[16] Greek women emulated this in their own secret ceremonies for Demeter, full of jokes, insults, wine, and genital-shaped cakes.[17]

The ancient world was a lively and intense mix of all sorts of imaginations, stories, and cross-cultural meetings. The idea that cats scorch themselves to death was a bit of creative runoff from Nile storytelling as it trickled into the rest of the Mediterranean imagination, something purred up from Bubastis and muddied into Greek science. Reading Herodotus is like rummaging through a mixed bag full of gems. Our little investigation here may have only burned our whiskers. But surely a spark of curiosity about other cultures, past times, and distant peoples is what Herodotus really wanted to cultivate in his audience.[18] 

Alex is a first-gen PhD candidate at the University of Michigan. His work explores Egyptian folk humor in Herodotus and later Greco-Roman works.

Further Reading

Serge Sauneron, The Priests of Ancient Egypt (trans. Ann Morrissett, Evergreen Books, London/New York, 1960).

Laurie O’Higgins, Women and Humor in Classical Greece (Cambridge UP, 2003).

Dominic Montserrat, Sex and Society in Graeco-Roman Egypt (Routledge, London, 2012).

Patrick Houlihan, Wit & Humour in Ancient Egypt (Rubicon, London, 2001).

Jacqueline Jay, Orality and Literacy in the Demotic Tales (Brill, Leiden, 2016).

Kim Ryholt, The Petese Stories II (Museum Tusculanum Press, Copenhagen, 2006).

Notes

⇧1

On Animals, 4.44.

⇧2

ὀρθός,

History of Animals, 540a.

⇧3Physiognomics, 811d.

⇧4

Natural History, 229.

⇧5

Natural History

, 160.

⇧6

Natural History, 245.

⇧7

Isis and Osiris, 376ff.

⇧8

Advice to the Bride and Groom, 144d. Were Romans wearing catnip? Some Latinist out there please get back to me on that.

⇧9

Herodotus 2.66.3. My translation of the Greek text from A.D. Godley’s Loeb (1920).

⇧10

Ancient lamps and candles could scorch off curious whiskers just as easily as those today. A plump mouse hunched on top of lamps was a common decoration, probably intended to remind the owner to close the lid, lest rats and mice nibble at the wick. This would be especially important during Nile flood seasons, when they emerged in plague hordes: the cats were valiant protectors of the light who (maybe) burned their noses in humorous ways. See further Philip Kiernan, “

The Bronze Mice of Apollo Smintheus,” American Journal of Archaeology 118 (2014), 613–14.

⇧11

To read some original sources, see Christopher Nichols, Ctesias: On India

(Bristol Classical Press, London, 2011), and Gregory McNamee, Aelian’s On the Nature of Animals (Trinity University Press, San Antonio, TX, USA, 2012).

⇧12

From Tom and Jerry to the medieval French. See Robert Darnton,

The Great Cat Massacre and Other Episodes in French Cultural History

(Basic Books, New York, 1984).

⇧13

Ryholt, 2.

⇧14

Vinson, 125.

⇧15

Adapted from a translation by Steve Vinson (2018) 265; see also Jay, 225–44.

⇧16

Herodotus 2.60.

⇧17

See O’Higgins (2003) 19.

⇧18

A special thanks to T.G. Wilfong, Sara Forsdyke, Ian Moyer, Katherine Davis, and Sara Ahbel-Rappe for their help, and to everyone who works to make Demotic and other ancient languages available to students.”

Source; https://antigonejournal.com/2021/10/egyptian-cats-greek-curiosity/

[alessandroiiidimacedonia]

Egyptian marble of Alexander the Great

Egyptian marble of Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great

EGYPTIAN, CLASSICAL, ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN ART

100 B.C.E. – 100 C.E. Marble

On View: 19th Dynasty to Roman Period, Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Gallery, 3rd Floor

Brooklyn Museum, New York

Photo: Brooklyn Museum (Gavin Ashworth,er) Photo: Brooklyn Museum (Gavin Ashworth,er) Photo: Brooklyn Museum (Gavin Ashworth,er) Photo: Brooklyn Museum (Gavin…

[bgtraveldays]

Bear identical inscriptions in Greek

The underlying mosaic, which chronologically precedes the upper one, is noteworthy. Two of the three panels of this work of art bear identical inscriptions in Greek. The text reads: “With the granted resources, thanks to the prudence of Kosmian, aka Joseph, decorate the synagogue and bless all.” In the panel center a seven-candlestick and a menorah leaf are depicted. It is dated to the 3rd century AD, which indicates that at this time in Philippopolis there was a functioning Jewish community, whose citizens coexisted with Thracians and Greeks, Romans and immigrants from Asia Minor.

Undisputedly, one of the masterpieces of the stone plastics from Thrace is the so-called “Frieze of the Health-Giving Deities” from Philippopolis. This element did not belong to an antique temple but was part of the so-called “relief historical decoration” in Roman art. It was found by the eastern gate of the city, an area that is a triumphal-memorial complex. The left corner of the frieze represents an altar with the bust of the Moon, which bears the features of round sculpture and flanks the relief. It is believed that on the right stands Faustina Junior (wife of Marcus Aurelius), then the deities Artemis, Telesphoros, Asclepius and Hygeia.

The woman with a kerchief on her head is the deceased Faustina Senior (wife of Antoninus Pius), and next to her are the Dioscuri broth-ers. The latter are identified with Commodus and one of his dead brothers – probably Antoninus (his twin brother). The presence of a dog facing the figure on the right indicates not so much the Dioscuri as patrons of hunting but rather points to the dead child. The presence of the health-giving deities expresses wishes for health. The sculpture composition is dated to 175, before the fall, when Faustina Junior died too. A little later, en route from Syria to Rome wooden workmanship byzantium, the imperial family crossed Thrace and most probably visited Philippopolis. There is yet another reason for the presence of the Dioscuri in the scene – the festive games in their honor were often organized by representatives of the Antonine dynasty, and especially by Commodus.

The death of the brave

In the late spring of 250 the Goths, headed by their leader Kniva, crossed the Danube via four sectors and invaded Lower Moesia. Their aim however was to cross the Balkan Range

and take Philippopolis, the richest city in these parts. Emperor Decius Traianus (249-251) personally arrived in the Moesian lands. When the Goths finally reached the walls of the coveted city, Decius was recruiting an army to stop them. For the first time in centuries, the City of Philip was exposed to a deadly peril. Decius wrote an encouraging letter to the governor Priscus. Historian Dexippos noted that Priscus gathered the men in the large stadium, which was inside the fortress. The Emperor advised the citizens to stay behind the thick fortified walls and not to rush into battle outside. He gave them courage, trusting in their selflessness. The Goths went round Philippopolis and noted its weak points. They launched battle accordingly and brought siege machines. After a prolonged siege, Philippopolis fell. According to an ancient report, there was a betrayal on the inside, although the local population fought to the last. The city was burned down, many died, while others were taken captive. The loot was loaded on hundreds of carts. Kniva decided to retreat to the Danube at Durostorum (Silistra), but Decius intercepted him at Abritus (Razgrad). There the Emperor died in the battlefield.

The counter council

With the establishment of Christianity, Philippopolis became a principal spiritual center of Thrace. In 343 the council of the orthodox faith was convened in Serdica. Simultaneously in Philippopolis a counter-council was held. It was attended by followers of Arianism. Recently in Plovdiv was discovered an Episcopal basilica, which with its length of 50 m is one of the largest in the diocese of Thrace. It is three-nave and one-apse, with mosaic flooring. It functioned during the 5th – 6th c. Two smaller basilicas and a martyrium have been established within the city perimeter.

Some 42 km away from Philippopolis (Plovdiv) are situated the imposing ruins of the city of Diocletianopolis (Hissarya). This is in a small valley at the southern foot of Sredna

[socialmgame]

Bear identical inscriptions in Greek

The underlying mosaic, which chronologically precedes the upper one, is noteworthy. Two of the three panels of this work of art bear identical inscriptions in Greek. The text reads: “With the granted resources, thanks to the prudence of Kosmian, aka Joseph, decorate the synagogue and bless all.” In the panel center a seven-candlestick and a menorah leaf are depicted. It is dated to the 3rd century AD, which indicates that at this time in Philippopolis there was a functioning Jewish community, whose citizens coexisted with Thracians and Greeks, Romans and immigrants from Asia Minor.

Undisputedly, one of the masterpieces of the stone plastics from Thrace is the so-called “Frieze of the Health-Giving Deities” from Philippopolis. This element did not belong to an antique temple but was part of the so-called “relief historical decoration” in Roman art. It was found by the eastern gate of the city, an area that is a triumphal-memorial complex. The left corner of the frieze represents an altar with the bust of the Moon, which bears the features of round sculpture and flanks the relief. It is believed that on the right stands Faustina Junior (wife of Marcus Aurelius), then the deities Artemis, Telesphoros, Asclepius and Hygeia.

The woman with a kerchief on her head is the deceased Faustina Senior (wife of Antoninus Pius), and next to her are the Dioscuri broth-ers. The latter are identified with Commodus and one of his dead brothers – probably Antoninus (his twin brother). The presence of a dog facing the figure on the right indicates not so much the Dioscuri as patrons of hunting but rather points to the dead child. The presence of the health-giving deities expresses wishes for health. The sculpture composition is dated to 175, before the fall, when Faustina Junior died too. A little later, en route from Syria to Rome wooden workmanship byzantium, the imperial family crossed Thrace and most probably visited Philippopolis. There is yet another reason for the presence of the Dioscuri in the scene – the festive games in their honor were often organized by representatives of the Antonine dynasty, and especially by Commodus.

The death of the brave

In the late spring of 250 the Goths, headed by their leader Kniva, crossed the Danube via four sectors and invaded Lower Moesia. Their aim however was to cross the Balkan Range

and take Philippopolis, the richest city in these parts. Emperor Decius Traianus (249-251) personally arrived in the Moesian lands. When the Goths finally reached the walls of the coveted city, Decius was recruiting an army to stop them. For the first time in centuries, the City of Philip was exposed to a deadly peril. Decius wrote an encouraging letter to the governor Priscus. Historian Dexippos noted that Priscus gathered the men in the large stadium, which was inside the fortress. The Emperor advised the citizens to stay behind the thick fortified walls and not to rush into battle outside. He gave them courage, trusting in their selflessness. The Goths went round Philippopolis and noted its weak points. They launched battle accordingly and brought siege machines. After a prolonged siege, Philippopolis fell. According to an ancient report, there was a betrayal on the inside, although the local population fought to the last. The city was burned down, many died, while others were taken captive. The loot was loaded on hundreds of carts. Kniva decided to retreat to the Danube at Durostorum (Silistra), but Decius intercepted him at Abritus (Razgrad). There the Emperor died in the battlefield.

The counter council

With the establishment of Christianity, Philippopolis became a principal spiritual center of Thrace. In 343 the council of the orthodox faith was convened in Serdica. Simultaneously in Philippopolis a counter-council was held. It was attended by followers of Arianism. Recently in Plovdiv was discovered an Episcopal basilica, which with its length of 50 m is one of the largest in the diocese of Thrace. It is three-nave and one-apse, with mosaic flooring. It functioned during the 5th – 6th c. Two smaller basilicas and a martyrium have been established within the city perimeter.

Some 42 km away from Philippopolis (Plovdiv) are situated the imposing ruins of the city of Diocletianopolis (Hissarya). This is in a small valley at the southern foot of Sredna

[biserapink]

Bear identical inscriptions in Greek

The underlying mosaic, which chronologically precedes the upper one, is noteworthy. Two of the three panels of this work of art bear identical inscriptions in Greek. The text reads: “With the granted resources, thanks to the prudence of Kosmian, aka Joseph, decorate the synagogue and bless all.” In the panel center a seven-candlestick and a menorah leaf are depicted. It is dated to the 3rd century AD, which indicates that at this time in Philippopolis there was a functioning Jewish community, whose citizens coexisted with Thracians and Greeks, Romans and immigrants from Asia Minor.

Undisputedly, one of the masterpieces of the stone plastics from Thrace is the so-called “Frieze of the Health-Giving Deities” from Philippopolis. This element did not belong to an antique temple but was part of the so-called “relief historical decoration” in Roman art. It was found by the eastern gate of the city, an area that is a triumphal-memorial complex. The left corner of the frieze represents an altar with the bust of the Moon, which bears the features of round sculpture and flanks the relief. It is believed that on the right stands Faustina Junior (wife of Marcus Aurelius), then the deities Artemis, Telesphoros, Asclepius and Hygeia.

The woman with a kerchief on her head is the deceased Faustina Senior (wife of Antoninus Pius), and next to her are the Dioscuri broth-ers. The latter are identified with Commodus and one of his dead brothers – probably Antoninus (his twin brother). The presence of a dog facing the figure on the right indicates not so much the Dioscuri as patrons of hunting but rather points to the dead child. The presence of the health-giving deities expresses wishes for health. The sculpture composition is dated to 175, before the fall, when Faustina Junior died too. A little later, en route from Syria to Rome wooden workmanship byzantium, the imperial family crossed Thrace and most probably visited Philippopolis. There is yet another reason for the presence of the Dioscuri in the scene – the festive games in their honor were often organized by representatives of the Antonine dynasty, and especially by Commodus.

The death of the brave

In the late spring of 250 the Goths, headed by their leader Kniva, crossed the Danube via four sectors and invaded Lower Moesia. Their aim however was to cross the Balkan Range

and take Philippopolis, the richest city in these parts. Emperor Decius Traianus (249-251) personally arrived in the Moesian lands. When the Goths finally reached the walls of the coveted city, Decius was recruiting an army to stop them. For the first time in centuries, the City of Philip was exposed to a deadly peril. Decius wrote an encouraging letter to the governor Priscus. Historian Dexippos noted that Priscus gathered the men in the large stadium, which was inside the fortress. The Emperor advised the citizens to stay behind the thick fortified walls and not to rush into battle outside. He gave them courage, trusting in their selflessness. The Goths went round Philippopolis and noted its weak points. They launched battle accordingly and brought siege machines. After a prolonged siege, Philippopolis fell. According to an ancient report, there was a betrayal on the inside, although the local population fought to the last. The city was burned down, many died, while others were taken captive. The loot was loaded on hundreds of carts. Kniva decided to retreat to the Danube at Durostorum (Silistra), but Decius intercepted him at Abritus (Razgrad). There the Emperor died in the battlefield.

The counter council

With the establishment of Christianity, Philippopolis became a principal spiritual center of Thrace. In 343 the council of the orthodox faith was convened in Serdica. Simultaneously in Philippopolis a counter-council was held. It was attended by followers of Arianism. Recently in Plovdiv was discovered an Episcopal basilica, which with its length of 50 m is one of the largest in the diocese of Thrace. It is three-nave and one-apse, with mosaic flooring. It functioned during the 5th – 6th c. Two smaller basilicas and a martyrium have been established within the city perimeter.

Some 42 km away from Philippopolis (Plovdiv) are situated the imposing ruins of the city of Diocletianopolis (Hissarya). This is in a small valley at the southern foot of Sredna

[blueliwo]

Bear identical inscriptions in Greek

The underlying mosaic, which chronologically precedes the upper one, is noteworthy. Two of the three panels of this work of art bear identical inscriptions in Greek. The text reads: “With the granted resources, thanks to the prudence of Kosmian, aka Joseph, decorate the synagogue and bless all.” In the panel center a seven-candlestick and a menorah leaf are depicted. It is dated to the 3rd century AD, which indicates that at this time in Philippopolis there was a functioning Jewish community, whose citizens coexisted with Thracians and Greeks, Romans and immigrants from Asia Minor.

Undisputedly, one of the masterpieces of the stone plastics from Thrace is the so-called “Frieze of the Health-Giving Deities” from Philippopolis. This element did not belong to an antique temple but was part of the so-called “relief historical decoration” in Roman art. It was found by the eastern gate of the city, an area that is a triumphal-memorial complex. The left corner of the frieze represents an altar with the bust of the Moon, which bears the features of round sculpture and flanks the relief. It is believed that on the right stands Faustina Junior (wife of Marcus Aurelius), then the deities Artemis, Telesphoros, Asclepius and Hygeia.

The woman with a kerchief on her head is the deceased Faustina Senior (wife of Antoninus Pius), and next to her are the Dioscuri broth-ers. The latter are identified with Commodus and one of his dead brothers – probably Antoninus (his twin brother). The presence of a dog facing the figure on the right indicates not so much the Dioscuri as patrons of hunting but rather points to the dead child. The presence of the health-giving deities expresses wishes for health. The sculpture composition is dated to 175, before the fall, when Faustina Junior died too. A little later, en route from Syria to Rome wooden workmanship byzantium, the imperial family crossed Thrace and most probably visited Philippopolis. There is yet another reason for the presence of the Dioscuri in the scene – the festive games in their honor were often organized by representatives of the Antonine dynasty, and especially by Commodus.

The death of the brave

In the late spring of 250 the Goths, headed by their leader Kniva, crossed the Danube via four sectors and invaded Lower Moesia. Their aim however was to cross the Balkan Range

and take Philippopolis, the richest city in these parts. Emperor Decius Traianus (249-251) personally arrived in the Moesian lands. When the Goths finally reached the walls of the coveted city, Decius was recruiting an army to stop them. For the first time in centuries, the City of Philip was exposed to a deadly peril. Decius wrote an encouraging letter to the governor Priscus. Historian Dexippos noted that Priscus gathered the men in the large stadium, which was inside the fortress. The Emperor advised the citizens to stay behind the thick fortified walls and not to rush into battle outside. He gave them courage, trusting in their selflessness. The Goths went round Philippopolis and noted its weak points. They launched battle accordingly and brought siege machines. After a prolonged siege, Philippopolis fell. According to an ancient report, there was a betrayal on the inside, although the local population fought to the last. The city was burned down, many died, while others were taken captive. The loot was loaded on hundreds of carts. Kniva decided to retreat to the Danube at Durostorum (Silistra), but Decius intercepted him at Abritus (Razgrad). There the Emperor died in the battlefield.

The counter council

With the establishment of Christianity, Philippopolis became a principal spiritual center of Thrace. In 343 the council of the orthodox faith was convened in Serdica. Simultaneously in Philippopolis a counter-council was held. It was attended by followers of Arianism. Recently in Plovdiv was discovered an Episcopal basilica, which with its length of 50 m is one of the largest in the diocese of Thrace. It is three-nave and one-apse, with mosaic flooring. It functioned during the 5th – 6th c. Two smaller basilicas and a martyrium have been established within the city perimeter.

Some 42 km away from Philippopolis (Plovdiv) are situated the imposing ruins of the city of Diocletianopolis (Hissarya). This is in a small valley at the southern foot of Sredna

[livelifesofia]

Bear identical inscriptions in Greek

The underlying mosaic, which chronologically precedes the upper one, is noteworthy. Two of the three panels of this work of art bear identical inscriptions in Greek. The text reads: “With the granted resources, thanks to the prudence of Kosmian, aka Joseph, decorate the synagogue and bless all.” In the panel center a seven-candlestick and a menorah leaf are depicted. It is dated to the 3rd century AD, which indicates that at this time in Philippopolis there was a functioning Jewish community, whose citizens coexisted with Thracians and Greeks, Romans and immigrants from Asia Minor.

Undisputedly, one of the masterpieces of the stone plastics from Thrace is the so-called “Frieze of the Health-Giving Deities” from Philippopolis. This element did not belong to an antique temple but was part of the so-called “relief historical decoration” in Roman art. It was found by the eastern gate of the city, an area that is a triumphal-memorial complex. The left corner of the frieze represents an altar with the bust of the Moon, which bears the features of round sculpture and flanks the relief. It is believed that on the right stands Faustina Junior (wife of Marcus Aurelius), then the deities Artemis, Telesphoros, Asclepius and Hygeia.

The woman with a kerchief on her head is the deceased Faustina Senior (wife of Antoninus Pius), and next to her are the Dioscuri broth-ers. The latter are identified with Commodus and one of his dead brothers – probably Antoninus (his twin brother). The presence of a dog facing the figure on the right indicates not so much the Dioscuri as patrons of hunting but rather points to the dead child. The presence of the health-giving deities expresses wishes for health. The sculpture composition is dated to 175, before the fall, when Faustina Junior died too. A little later, en route from Syria to Rome wooden workmanship byzantium, the imperial family crossed Thrace and most probably visited Philippopolis. There is yet another reason for the presence of the Dioscuri in the scene – the festive games in their honor were often organized by representatives of the Antonine dynasty, and especially by Commodus.

The death of the brave

In the late spring of 250 the Goths, headed by their leader Kniva, crossed the Danube via four sectors and invaded Lower Moesia. Their aim however was to cross the Balkan Range

and take Philippopolis, the richest city in these parts. Emperor Decius Traianus (249-251) personally arrived in the Moesian lands. When the Goths finally reached the walls of the coveted city, Decius was recruiting an army to stop them. For the first time in centuries, the City of Philip was exposed to a deadly peril. Decius wrote an encouraging letter to the governor Priscus. Historian Dexippos noted that Priscus gathered the men in the large stadium, which was inside the fortress. The Emperor advised the citizens to stay behind the thick fortified walls and not to rush into battle outside. He gave them courage, trusting in their selflessness. The Goths went round Philippopolis and noted its weak points. They launched battle accordingly and brought siege machines. After a prolonged siege, Philippopolis fell. According to an ancient report, there was a betrayal on the inside, although the local population fought to the last. The city was burned down, many died, while others were taken captive. The loot was loaded on hundreds of carts. Kniva decided to retreat to the Danube at Durostorum (Silistra), but Decius intercepted him at Abritus (Razgrad). There the Emperor died in the battlefield.

The counter council

With the establishment of Christianity, Philippopolis became a principal spiritual center of Thrace. In 343 the council of the orthodox faith was convened in Serdica. Simultaneously in Philippopolis a counter-council was held. It was attended by followers of Arianism. Recently in Plovdiv was discovered an Episcopal basilica, which with its length of 50 m is one of the largest in the diocese of Thrace. It is three-nave and one-apse, with mosaic flooring. It functioned during the 5th – 6th c. Two smaller basilicas and a martyrium have been established within the city perimeter.

Some 42 km away from Philippopolis (Plovdiv) are situated the imposing ruins of the city of Diocletianopolis (Hissarya). This is in a small valley at the southern foot of Sredna

[elenabga]

Bear identical inscriptions in Greek

The underlying mosaic, which chronologically precedes the upper one, is noteworthy. Two of the three panels of this work of art bear identical inscriptions in Greek. The text reads: “With the granted resources, thanks to the prudence of Kosmian, aka Joseph, decorate the synagogue and bless all.” In the panel center a seven-candlestick and a menorah leaf are depicted. It is dated to the 3rd century AD, which indicates that at this time in Philippopolis there was a functioning Jewish community, whose citizens coexisted with Thracians and Greeks, Romans and immigrants from Asia Minor.

Undisputedly, one of the masterpieces of the stone plastics from Thrace is the so-called “Frieze of the Health-Giving Deities” from Philippopolis. This element did not belong to an antique temple but was part of the so-called “relief historical decoration” in Roman art. It was found by the eastern gate of the city, an area that is a triumphal-memorial complex. The left corner of the frieze represents an altar with the bust of the Moon, which bears the features of round sculpture and flanks the relief. It is believed that on the right stands Faustina Junior (wife of Marcus Aurelius), then the deities Artemis, Telesphoros, Asclepius and Hygeia.

The woman with a kerchief on her head is the deceased Faustina Senior (wife of Antoninus Pius), and next to her are the Dioscuri broth-ers. The latter are identified with Commodus and one of his dead brothers – probably Antoninus (his twin brother). The presence of a dog facing the figure on the right indicates not so much the Dioscuri as patrons of hunting but rather points to the dead child. The presence of the health-giving deities expresses wishes for health. The sculpture composition is dated to 175, before the fall, when Faustina Junior died too. A little later, en route from Syria to Rome wooden workmanship byzantium, the imperial family crossed Thrace and most probably visited Philippopolis. There is yet another reason for the presence of the Dioscuri in the scene – the festive games in their honor were often organized by representatives of the Antonine dynasty, and especially by Commodus.

The death of the brave

In the late spring of 250 the Goths, headed by their leader Kniva, crossed the Danube via four sectors and invaded Lower Moesia. Their aim however was to cross the Balkan Range

and take Philippopolis, the richest city in these parts. Emperor Decius Traianus (249-251) personally arrived in the Moesian lands. When the Goths finally reached the walls of the coveted city, Decius was recruiting an army to stop them. For the first time in centuries, the City of Philip was exposed to a deadly peril. Decius wrote an encouraging letter to the governor Priscus. Historian Dexippos noted that Priscus gathered the men in the large stadium, which was inside the fortress. The Emperor advised the citizens to stay behind the thick fortified walls and not to rush into battle outside. He gave them courage, trusting in their selflessness. The Goths went round Philippopolis and noted its weak points. They launched battle accordingly and brought siege machines. After a prolonged siege, Philippopolis fell. According to an ancient report, there was a betrayal on the inside, although the local population fought to the last. The city was burned down, many died, while others were taken captive. The loot was loaded on hundreds of carts. Kniva decided to retreat to the Danube at Durostorum (Silistra), but Decius intercepted him at Abritus (Razgrad). There the Emperor died in the battlefield.

The counter council

With the establishment of Christianity, Philippopolis became a principal spiritual center of Thrace. In 343 the council of the orthodox faith was convened in Serdica. Simultaneously in Philippopolis a counter-council was held. It was attended by followers of Arianism. Recently in Plovdiv was discovered an Episcopal basilica, which with its length of 50 m is one of the largest in the diocese of Thrace. It is three-nave and one-apse, with mosaic flooring. It functioned during the 5th – 6th c. Two smaller basilicas and a martyrium have been established within the city perimeter.

Some 42 km away from Philippopolis (Plovdiv) are situated the imposing ruins of the city of Diocletianopolis (Hissarya). This is in a small valley at the southern foot of Sredna

[everythingist]

Bear identical inscriptions in Greek

The underlying mosaic, which chronologically precedes the upper one, is noteworthy. Two of the three panels of this work of art bear identical inscriptions in Greek. The text reads: “With the granted resources, thanks to the prudence of Kosmian, aka Joseph, decorate the synagogue and bless all.” In the panel center a seven-candlestick and a menorah leaf are depicted. It is dated to the 3rd century AD, which indicates that at this time in Philippopolis there was a functioning Jewish community, whose citizens coexisted with Thracians and Greeks, Romans and immigrants from Asia Minor.

Undisputedly, one of the masterpieces of the stone plastics from Thrace is the so-called “Frieze of the Health-Giving Deities” from Philippopolis. This element did not belong to an antique temple but was part of the so-called “relief historical decoration” in Roman art. It was found by the eastern gate of the city, an area that is a triumphal-memorial complex. The left corner of the frieze represents an altar with the bust of the Moon, which bears the features of round sculpture and flanks the relief. It is believed that on the right stands Faustina Junior (wife of Marcus Aurelius), then the deities Artemis, Telesphoros, Asclepius and Hygeia.

The woman with a kerchief on her head is the deceased Faustina Senior (wife of Antoninus Pius), and next to her are the Dioscuri broth-ers. The latter are identified with Commodus and one of his dead brothers – probably Antoninus (his twin brother). The presence of a dog facing the figure on the right indicates not so much the Dioscuri as patrons of hunting but rather points to the dead child. The presence of the health-giving deities expresses wishes for health. The sculpture composition is dated to 175, before the fall, when Faustina Junior died too. A little later, en route from Syria to Rome wooden workmanship byzantium, the imperial family crossed Thrace and most probably visited Philippopolis. There is yet another reason for the presence of the Dioscuri in the scene – the festive games in their honor were often organized by representatives of the Antonine dynasty, and especially by Commodus.

The death of the brave

In the late spring of 250 the Goths, headed by their leader Kniva, crossed the Danube via four sectors and invaded Lower Moesia. Their aim however was to cross the Balkan Range

and take Philippopolis, the richest city in these parts. Emperor Decius Traianus (249-251) personally arrived in the Moesian lands. When the Goths finally reached the walls of the coveted city, Decius was recruiting an army to stop them. For the first time in centuries, the City of Philip was exposed to a deadly peril. Decius wrote an encouraging letter to the governor Priscus. Historian Dexippos noted that Priscus gathered the men in the large stadium, which was inside the fortress. The Emperor advised the citizens to stay behind the thick fortified walls and not to rush into battle outside. He gave them courage, trusting in their selflessness. The Goths went round Philippopolis and noted its weak points. They launched battle accordingly and brought siege machines. After a prolonged siege, Philippopolis fell. According to an ancient report, there was a betrayal on the inside, although the local population fought to the last. The city was burned down, many died, while others were taken captive. The loot was loaded on hundreds of carts. Kniva decided to retreat to the Danube at Durostorum (Silistra), but Decius intercepted him at Abritus (Razgrad). There the Emperor died in the battlefield.

The counter council

With the establishment of Christianity, Philippopolis became a principal spiritual center of Thrace. In 343 the council of the orthodox faith was convened in Serdica. Simultaneously in Philippopolis a counter-council was held. It was attended by followers of Arianism. Recently in Plovdiv was discovered an Episcopal basilica, which with its length of 50 m is one of the largest in the diocese of Thrace. It is three-nave and one-apse, with mosaic flooring. It functioned during the 5th – 6th c. Two smaller basilicas and a martyrium have been established within the city perimeter.

Some 42 km away from Philippopolis (Plovdiv) are situated the imposing ruins of the city of Diocletianopolis (Hissarya). This is in a small valley at the southern foot of Sredna

[treelifestyle]

Bear identical inscriptions in Greek

The underlying mosaic, which chronologically precedes the upper one, is noteworthy. Two of the three panels of this work of art bear identical inscriptions in Greek. The text reads: “With the granted resources, thanks to the prudence of Kosmian, aka Joseph, decorate the synagogue and bless all.” In the panel center a seven-candlestick and a menorah leaf are depicted. It is dated to the 3rd century AD, which indicates that at this time in Philippopolis there was a functioning Jewish community, whose citizens coexisted with Thracians and Greeks, Romans and immigrants from Asia Minor.

Undisputedly, one of the masterpieces of the stone plastics from Thrace is the so-called “Frieze of the Health-Giving Deities” from Philippopolis. This element did not belong to an antique temple but was part of the so-called “relief historical decoration” in Roman art. It was found by the eastern gate of the city, an area that is a triumphal-memorial complex. The left corner of the frieze represents an altar with the bust of the Moon, which bears the features of round sculpture and flanks the relief. It is believed that on the right stands Faustina Junior (wife of Marcus Aurelius), then the deities Artemis, Telesphoros, Asclepius and Hygeia.

The woman with a kerchief on her head is the deceased Faustina Senior (wife of Antoninus Pius), and next to her are the Dioscuri broth-ers. The latter are identified with Commodus and one of his dead brothers – probably Antoninus (his twin brother). The presence of a dog facing the figure on the right indicates not so much the Dioscuri as patrons of hunting but rather points to the dead child. The presence of the health-giving deities expresses wishes for health. The sculpture composition is dated to 175, before the fall, when Faustina Junior died too. A little later, en route from Syria to Rome wooden workmanship byzantium, the imperial family crossed Thrace and most probably visited Philippopolis. There is yet another reason for the presence of the Dioscuri in the scene – the festive games in their honor were often organized by representatives of the Antonine dynasty, and especially by Commodus.

The death of the brave

In the late spring of 250 the Goths, headed by their leader Kniva, crossed the Danube via four sectors and invaded Lower Moesia. Their aim however was to cross the Balkan Range

and take Philippopolis, the richest city in these parts. Emperor Decius Traianus (249-251) personally arrived in the Moesian lands. When the Goths finally reached the walls of the coveted city, Decius was recruiting an army to stop them. For the first time in centuries, the City of Philip was exposed to a deadly peril. Decius wrote an encouraging letter to the governor Priscus. Historian Dexippos noted that Priscus gathered the men in the large stadium, which was inside the fortress. The Emperor advised the citizens to stay behind the thick fortified walls and not to rush into battle outside. He gave them courage, trusting in their selflessness. The Goths went round Philippopolis and noted its weak points. They launched battle accordingly and brought siege machines. After a prolonged siege, Philippopolis fell. According to an ancient report, there was a betrayal on the inside, although the local population fought to the last. The city was burned down, many died, while others were taken captive. The loot was loaded on hundreds of carts. Kniva decided to retreat to the Danube at Durostorum (Silistra), but Decius intercepted him at Abritus (Razgrad). There the Emperor died in the battlefield.

The counter council

With the establishment of Christianity, Philippopolis became a principal spiritual center of Thrace. In 343 the council of the orthodox faith was convened in Serdica. Simultaneously in Philippopolis a counter-council was held. It was attended by followers of Arianism. Recently in Plovdiv was discovered an Episcopal basilica, which with its length of 50 m is one of the largest in the diocese of Thrace. It is three-nave and one-apse, with mosaic flooring. It functioned during the 5th – 6th c. Two smaller basilicas and a martyrium have been established within the city perimeter.

Some 42 km away from Philippopolis (Plovdiv) are situated the imposing ruins of the city of Diocletianopolis (Hissarya). This is in a small valley at the southern foot of Sredna

[bookingbg]

Bear identical inscriptions in Greek

The underlying mosaic, which chronologically precedes the upper one, is noteworthy. Two of the three panels of this work of art bear identical inscriptions in Greek. The text reads: “With the granted resources, thanks to the prudence of Kosmian, aka Joseph, decorate the synagogue and bless all.” In the panel center a seven-candlestick and a menorah leaf are depicted. It is dated to the 3rd century AD, which indicates that at this time in Philippopolis there was a functioning Jewish community, whose citizens coexisted with Thracians and Greeks, Romans and immigrants from Asia Minor.

Undisputedly, one of the masterpieces of the stone plastics from Thrace is the so-called “Frieze of the Health-Giving Deities” from Philippopolis. This element did not belong to an antique temple but was part of the so-called “relief historical decoration” in Roman art. It was found by the eastern gate of the city, an area that is a triumphal-memorial complex. The left corner of the frieze represents an altar with the bust of the Moon, which bears the features of round sculpture and flanks the relief. It is believed that on the right stands Faustina Junior (wife of Marcus Aurelius), then the deities Artemis, Telesphoros, Asclepius and Hygeia.

The woman with a kerchief on her head is the deceased Faustina Senior (wife of Antoninus Pius), and next to her are the Dioscuri broth-ers. The latter are identified with Commodus and one of his dead brothers – probably Antoninus (his twin brother). The presence of a dog facing the figure on the right indicates not so much the Dioscuri as patrons of hunting but rather points to the dead child. The presence of the health-giving deities expresses wishes for health. The sculpture composition is dated to 175, before the fall, when Faustina Junior died too. A little later, en route from Syria to Rome wooden workmanship byzantium, the imperial family crossed Thrace and most probably visited Philippopolis. There is yet another reason for the presence of the Dioscuri in the scene – the festive games in their honor were often organized by representatives of the Antonine dynasty, and especially by Commodus.

The death of the brave

In the late spring of 250 the Goths, headed by their leader Kniva, crossed the Danube via four sectors and invaded Lower Moesia. Their aim however was to cross the Balkan Range

and take Philippopolis, the richest city in these parts. Emperor Decius Traianus (249-251) personally arrived in the Moesian lands. When the Goths finally reached the walls of the coveted city, Decius was recruiting an army to stop them. For the first time in centuries, the City of Philip was exposed to a deadly peril. Decius wrote an encouraging letter to the governor Priscus. Historian Dexippos noted that Priscus gathered the men in the large stadium, which was inside the fortress. The Emperor advised the citizens to stay behind the thick fortified walls and not to rush into battle outside. He gave them courage, trusting in their selflessness. The Goths went round Philippopolis and noted its weak points. They launched battle accordingly and brought siege machines. After a prolonged siege, Philippopolis fell. According to an ancient report, there was a betrayal on the inside, although the local population fought to the last. The city was burned down, many died, while others were taken captive. The loot was loaded on hundreds of carts. Kniva decided to retreat to the Danube at Durostorum (Silistra), but Decius intercepted him at Abritus (Razgrad). There the Emperor died in the battlefield.

The counter council

With the establishment of Christianity, Philippopolis became a principal spiritual center of Thrace. In 343 the council of the orthodox faith was convened in Serdica. Simultaneously in Philippopolis a counter-council was held. It was attended by followers of Arianism. Recently in Plovdiv was discovered an Episcopal basilica, which with its length of 50 m is one of the largest in the diocese of Thrace. It is three-nave and one-apse, with mosaic flooring. It functioned during the 5th – 6th c. Two smaller basilicas and a martyrium have been established within the city perimeter.

Some 42 km away from Philippopolis (Plovdiv) are situated the imposing ruins of the city of Diocletianopolis (Hissarya). This is in a small valley at the southern foot of Sredna

[bulgariaturkey]

Bear identical inscriptions in Greek

The underlying mosaic, which chronologically precedes the upper one, is noteworthy. Two of the three panels of this work of art bear identical inscriptions in Greek. The text reads: “With the granted resources, thanks to the prudence of Kosmian, aka Joseph, decorate the synagogue and bless all.” In the panel center a seven-candlestick and a menorah leaf are depicted. It is dated to the 3rd century AD, which indicates that at this time in Philippopolis there was a functioning Jewish community, whose citizens coexisted with Thracians and Greeks, Romans and immigrants from Asia Minor.

Undisputedly, one of the masterpieces of the stone plastics from Thrace is the so-called “Frieze of the Health-Giving Deities” from Philippopolis. This element did not belong to an antique temple but was part of the so-called “relief historical decoration” in Roman art. It was found by the eastern gate of the city, an area that is a triumphal-memorial complex. The left corner of the frieze represents an altar with the bust of the Moon, which bears the features of round sculpture and flanks the relief. It is believed that on the right stands Faustina Junior (wife of Marcus Aurelius), then the deities Artemis, Telesphoros, Asclepius and Hygeia.

The woman with a kerchief on her head is the deceased Faustina Senior (wife of Antoninus Pius), and next to her are the Dioscuri broth-ers. The latter are identified with Commodus and one of his dead brothers – probably Antoninus (his twin brother). The presence of a dog facing the figure on the right indicates not so much the Dioscuri as patrons of hunting but rather points to the dead child. The presence of the health-giving deities expresses wishes for health. The sculpture composition is dated to 175, before the fall, when Faustina Junior died too. A little later, en route from Syria to Rome wooden workmanship byzantium, the imperial family crossed Thrace and most probably visited Philippopolis. There is yet another reason for the presence of the Dioscuri in the scene – the festive games in their honor were often organized by representatives of the Antonine dynasty, and especially by Commodus.

The death of the brave

In the late spring of 250 the Goths, headed by their leader Kniva, crossed the Danube via four sectors and invaded Lower Moesia. Their aim however was to cross the Balkan Range

and take Philippopolis, the richest city in these parts. Emperor Decius Traianus (249-251) personally arrived in the Moesian lands. When the Goths finally reached the walls of the coveted city, Decius was recruiting an army to stop them. For the first time in centuries, the City of Philip was exposed to a deadly peril. Decius wrote an encouraging letter to the governor Priscus. Historian Dexippos noted that Priscus gathered the men in the large stadium, which was inside the fortress. The Emperor advised the citizens to stay behind the thick fortified walls and not to rush into battle outside. He gave them courage, trusting in their selflessness. The Goths went round Philippopolis and noted its weak points. They launched battle accordingly and brought siege machines. After a prolonged siege, Philippopolis fell. According to an ancient report, there was a betrayal on the inside, although the local population fought to the last. The city was burned down, many died, while others were taken captive. The loot was loaded on hundreds of carts. Kniva decided to retreat to the Danube at Durostorum (Silistra), but Decius intercepted him at Abritus (Razgrad). There the Emperor died in the battlefield.

The counter council

With the establishment of Christianity, Philippopolis became a principal spiritual center of Thrace. In 343 the council of the orthodox faith was convened in Serdica. Simultaneously in Philippopolis a counter-council was held. It was attended by followers of Arianism. Recently in Plovdiv was discovered an Episcopal basilica, which with its length of 50 m is one of the largest in the diocese of Thrace. It is three-nave and one-apse, with mosaic flooring. It functioned during the 5th – 6th c. Two smaller basilicas and a martyrium have been established within the city perimeter.

Some 42 km away from Philippopolis (Plovdiv) are situated the imposing ruins of the city of Diocletianopolis (Hissarya). This is in a small valley at the southern foot of Sredna

[mirelaistanbul]

Bear identical inscriptions in Greek

The underlying mosaic, which chronologically precedes the upper one, is noteworthy. Two of the three panels of this work of art bear identical inscriptions in Greek. The text reads: “With the granted resources, thanks to the prudence of Kosmian, aka Joseph, decorate the synagogue and bless all.” In the panel center a seven-candlestick and a menorah leaf are depicted. It is dated to the 3rd century AD, which indicates that at this time in Philippopolis there was a functioning Jewish community, whose citizens coexisted with Thracians and Greeks, Romans and immigrants from Asia Minor.

Undisputedly, one of the masterpieces of the stone plastics from Thrace is the so-called “Frieze of the Health-Giving Deities” from Philippopolis. This element did not belong to an antique temple but was part of the so-called “relief historical decoration” in Roman art. It was found by the eastern gate of the city, an area that is a triumphal-memorial complex. The left corner of the frieze represents an altar with the bust of the Moon, which bears the features of round sculpture and flanks the relief. It is believed that on the right stands Faustina Junior (wife of Marcus Aurelius), then the deities Artemis, Telesphoros, Asclepius and Hygeia.

The woman with a kerchief on her head is the deceased Faustina Senior (wife of Antoninus Pius), and next to her are the Dioscuri broth-ers. The latter are identified with Commodus and one of his dead brothers – probably Antoninus (his twin brother). The presence of a dog facing the figure on the right indicates not so much the Dioscuri as patrons of hunting but rather points to the dead child. The presence of the health-giving deities expresses wishes for health. The sculpture composition is dated to 175, before the fall, when Faustina Junior died too. A little later, en route from Syria to Rome wooden workmanship byzantium, the imperial family crossed Thrace and most probably visited Philippopolis. There is yet another reason for the presence of the Dioscuri in the scene – the festive games in their honor were often organized by representatives of the Antonine dynasty, and especially by Commodus.

The death of the brave

In the late spring of 250 the Goths, headed by their leader Kniva, crossed the Danube via four sectors and invaded Lower Moesia. Their aim however was to cross the Balkan Range

and take Philippopolis, the richest city in these parts. Emperor Decius Traianus (249-251) personally arrived in the Moesian lands. When the Goths finally reached the walls of the coveted city, Decius was recruiting an army to stop them. For the first time in centuries, the City of Philip was exposed to a deadly peril. Decius wrote an encouraging letter to the governor Priscus. Historian Dexippos noted that Priscus gathered the men in the large stadium, which was inside the fortress. The Emperor advised the citizens to stay behind the thick fortified walls and not to rush into battle outside. He gave them courage, trusting in their selflessness. The Goths went round Philippopolis and noted its weak points. They launched battle accordingly and brought siege machines. After a prolonged siege, Philippopolis fell. According to an ancient report, there was a betrayal on the inside, although the local population fought to the last. The city was burned down, many died, while others were taken captive. The loot was loaded on hundreds of carts. Kniva decided to retreat to the Danube at Durostorum (Silistra), but Decius intercepted him at Abritus (Razgrad). There the Emperor died in the battlefield.

The counter council

With the establishment of Christianity, Philippopolis became a principal spiritual center of Thrace. In 343 the council of the orthodox faith was convened in Serdica. Simultaneously in Philippopolis a counter-council was held. It was attended by followers of Arianism. Recently in Plovdiv was discovered an Episcopal basilica, which with its length of 50 m is one of the largest in the diocese of Thrace. It is three-nave and one-apse, with mosaic flooring. It functioned during the 5th – 6th c. Two smaller basilicas and a martyrium have been established within the city perimeter.

Some 42 km away from Philippopolis (Plovdiv) are situated the imposing ruins of the city of Diocletianopolis (Hissarya). This is in a small valley at the southern foot of Sredna

[bluebisera]

Bear identical inscriptions in Greek

The underlying mosaic, which chronologically precedes the upper one, is noteworthy. Two of the three panels of this work of art bear identical inscriptions in Greek. The text reads: “With the granted resources, thanks to the prudence of Kosmian, aka Joseph, decorate the synagogue and bless all.” In the panel center a seven-candlestick and a menorah leaf are depicted. It is dated to the 3rd century AD, which indicates that at this time in Philippopolis there was a functioning Jewish community, whose citizens coexisted with Thracians and Greeks, Romans and immigrants from Asia Minor.

Undisputedly, one of the masterpieces of the stone plastics from Thrace is the so-called “Frieze of the Health-Giving Deities” from Philippopolis. This element did not belong to an antique temple but was part of the so-called “relief historical decoration” in Roman art. It was found by the eastern gate of the city, an area that is a triumphal-memorial complex. The left corner of the frieze represents an altar with the bust of the Moon, which bears the features of round sculpture and flanks the relief. It is believed that on the right stands Faustina Junior (wife of Marcus Aurelius), then the deities Artemis, Telesphoros, Asclepius and Hygeia.

The woman with a kerchief on her head is the deceased Faustina Senior (wife of Antoninus Pius), and next to her are the Dioscuri broth-ers. The latter are identified with Commodus and one of his dead brothers – probably Antoninus (his twin brother). The presence of a dog facing the figure on the right indicates not so much the Dioscuri as patrons of hunting but rather points to the dead child. The presence of the health-giving deities expresses wishes for health. The sculpture composition is dated to 175, before the fall, when Faustina Junior died too. A little later, en route from Syria to Rome wooden workmanship byzantium, the imperial family crossed Thrace and most probably visited Philippopolis. There is yet another reason for the presence of the Dioscuri in the scene – the festive games in their honor were often organized by representatives of the Antonine dynasty, and especially by Commodus.

The death of the brave

In the late spring of 250 the Goths, headed by their leader Kniva, crossed the Danube via four sectors and invaded Lower Moesia. Their aim however was to cross the Balkan Range

and take Philippopolis, the richest city in these parts. Emperor Decius Traianus (249-251) personally arrived in the Moesian lands. When the Goths finally reached the walls of the coveted city, Decius was recruiting an army to stop them. For the first time in centuries, the City of Philip was exposed to a deadly peril. Decius wrote an encouraging letter to the governor Priscus. Historian Dexippos noted that Priscus gathered the men in the large stadium, which was inside the fortress. The Emperor advised the citizens to stay behind the thick fortified walls and not to rush into battle outside. He gave them courage, trusting in their selflessness. The Goths went round Philippopolis and noted its weak points. They launched battle accordingly and brought siege machines. After a prolonged siege, Philippopolis fell. According to an ancient report, there was a betrayal on the inside, although the local population fought to the last. The city was burned down, many died, while others were taken captive. The loot was loaded on hundreds of carts. Kniva decided to retreat to the Danube at Durostorum (Silistra), but Decius intercepted him at Abritus (Razgrad). There the Emperor died in the battlefield.

The counter council

With the establishment of Christianity, Philippopolis became a principal spiritual center of Thrace. In 343 the council of the orthodox faith was convened in Serdica. Simultaneously in Philippopolis a counter-council was held. It was attended by followers of Arianism. Recently in Plovdiv was discovered an Episcopal basilica, which with its length of 50 m is one of the largest in the diocese of Thrace. It is three-nave and one-apse, with mosaic flooring. It functioned during the 5th – 6th c. Two smaller basilicas and a martyrium have been established within the city perimeter.

Some 42 km away from Philippopolis (Plovdiv) are situated the imposing ruins of the city of Diocletianopolis (Hissarya). This is in a small valley at the southern foot of Sredna