Originalveroffentlichung in: Britannia 11, 1980, S. 2 8 9 - 3 0 1
A Reconsideration of some
Fourth-Century British Mosaics
By R E I N H A R D S T U P P E R I C H
R
o m a n B r i t a i n in late a n t i q u i t y is a n a r e a o f special interest t o t h e a r c h a e o l o g i s t , b e c a u s e
life w a s flourishing p e a c e f u l l y there at a t i m e w h e n w e h e a r a b o u t d i s o r d e r a n d d e s t r u c ­
t i o n a f f l i c t i n g t h e n e a r b y p r o v i n c e s o n t h e c o n t i n e n t . N e v e r t h e l e s s - a n d this p e r h a p s
i n c r e a s e s t h e interest - w e k n o w v e r y little a b o u t c u l t u r a l life, a b o u t t h e state o f e d u c a t i o n a n d
k n o w l e d g e in the British provinces at this time. T h e C h a n n e l , which protected Britain f r o m
t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e i n v a d e r s , m i g h t s e e m t o h a v e h a d its effect a l s o o n t h e c u l t u r a l i n f l u x f r o m
G a u l . T h e l i t e r a r y s o u r c e s , w h i c h v e r y s e l d o m m e n t i o n B r i t a i n a f t e r t h e Severi, p r o v i d e s c a r c e l y
a n y u s e f u l i n f o r m a t i o n . T h e r e is v i r t u a l l y n o o n e p r o m i n e n t i n literary o r e v e n p o l i t i c a l life
k n o w n t o h a v e c o m e f r o m B r i t a i n . N o r d o w e k n o w a n y t h i n g a b o u t t h e c u l t u r a l effect o f t h e
c o u r t o f t h e B r i t i s h u s u r p e r s o r o f t h e presence o f C o n s t a n t i u s C h l o r u s a n d h i s s o n
Constantine.1
A . A . B a r r e t t h a s recently c o n s i d e r e d t h i s p r o b l e m a n d h a s rehearsed all t h e q u o t a t i o n s a n d
r e m i n i s c e n c e s w h i c h g i v e e v i d e n c e o f t h e i n f l u e n c e o f classical literature i n B r i t a i n . 2 T h i s is
v e r y h e l p f u l , b u t is t o o restrictive f o r t h e general q u e s t i o n o f t h e degree o f e d u c a t i o n t o b e
f o u n d i n f o u r t h - c e n t u r y B r i t a i n . O n e h a s t o l o o k f o r m o r e t h a n p u r e l y literary reflections,
f o r o t h e r traces i n d i c a t i n g k n o w l e d g e u l t i m a t e l y d e r i v e d f r o m t r a d i t i o n a l e d u c a t i o n o r t h e
r e a d i n g o f classical a u t h o r s . A w i d e r f o r m u l a t i o n o f t h e q u e s t i o n will necessarily lead t o a less
precise yet n o n e t h e l e s s interesting a n s w e r .
T h e e v i d e n c e b e a r i n g o n t h i s q u e s t i o n h a s a l w a y s been s o u g h t a m o n g o b j e c t s o f a n c i e n t a r t ,
1
The following abbreviations are used:
ASR Die antiken Sarkophagreliefs. Ed. C. Robert, G. Rodenwaldt, F. Matz (Berlin 1890 ff.).
Curtius Curtius, L., Die Wandmalerei Pompejis (Leipzig 1929).
Dunbabin Dunbabin, K., The Mosaics of Roman North Africa. Studies in Iconography and Patronage
(Oxford 1978).
Kraus Kraus, Th. and L. von Matt, Pompeji und Herculaneum. Antlitz und Schicksal zweier antiker
Stadte (K61n 1977).
Levi Levi, D., Antioch Mosaic Pavements (Princeton 1947).
Rainey Rainey, A., Mosaics in Roman Britain. A Gazetteer (Newton Abbot 1973).
Reinach Reinach, S., Repertoire de Peintures Grecques et Romaines (Paris 1922).
Smith 1969 Smith, D. J., T h e Mosaic Pavements.' In: A. L. F. Rivet (Ed.), The Roman Villa in Britain
(London 1969), 71-125.
Smith 1977 Smith, D. J., 'Mythological Figures and Scenes in Romano-British Mosaics.' In: J. Munby
and M. Henig (Eds.), Roman Life and Art in Britain. A Celebration in Honour of the Eightieth
Birthday of J. Toynbee (Oxford 1977: BAR. 41), 105-58, pi. i-xxxm.
Toynbee 1962 Toynbee, J. M. C , Art in Roman Britain (London 1962).
Toynbee 1964 Toynbee, J. M. C , Art in Britain under the Romans (Oxford 1964).
VCH Victoria County History.
1 would like to thank M. Ma »»ust and Professor S. S. Frere for reading a draft of this paper and correcting
my English.
No illustrations have been included, as all mosaics discussed are illustrated in Smith 1977, whose respective
figures are referred to in the notes.
2
'The Literary Classics in Roman Britain', Britannia ix (1978), 307-13.
289
290
RE1NHARD STUPPERICH
especially t h o s e which deal with m y t h o l o g i c a l subjects. If w e consider w h a t the c o m m o n
p e o p l e o r o r d i n a r y s o l d i e r s w e r e e x p e c t e d t o u n d e r s t a n d w h e n l o o k i n g at t h e reverses o f c o i n s ,
w e m a y h o p e f o r e v e n better i n s t r u c t i o n f r o m m o r e s u m p t u o u s o b j e c t s . O f special i m p o r t a n c e
w o u l d b e o b j e c t s w i t h G r e e k i n s c r i p t i o n s , l i k e t h a t in t h e M u s e s ' m o s a i c a t A l d b o r o u g h 3 - it
h a s a literary b a c k g r o u n d r a t h e r t h a n d e r i v i n g f r o m t h e o r d i n a r y l a n g u a g e o f G r e e k - s p e a k i n g
p e o p l e , s o m e o f w h o m m a y still h a v e l i v e d in B r i t a i n in t h e f o u r t h c e n t u r y . 4 T h e C o r b r i d g e
l a n x , f o r i n s t a n c e , o r t h e M i l d e n h a l l t r e a s u r e , 5 i n d i c a t e n o t o n l y great w e a l t h , b u t a l s o s o m e
a c q u a i n t a n c e w i t h a n d d e l i g h t in m y t h o l o g y - b u t h e r e t h e p r o b l e m o f t h e d e g r e e o f k n o w l e d g e
a n d o f t h e p a r t p l a y e d in c h o o s i n g t h e m o t i f b y a r t i s a n a n d p a t r o n arises, a n d i n m o s t cases
c a n n o t b e s o l v e d . I n g e n e r a l o n e c a n a s s u m e t h a t b o t h p o s s e s s e d a t least a d e g r e e o f k n o w l e d g e ;
the invention a n d stimulus w o u l d f o r the m o s t part have been the artist's, especially with
pieces f o r e x p o r t o r s t o c k . T h e artist h a d t o u n d e r s t a n d a d e s i g n o r d e r e d ; t h e p a t r o n o n t h e
o t h e r h a n d will h a v e h a d t o u n d e r s t a n d a n d a p p r e c i a t e t h e d e s i g n , even i f h e m e r e l y c h o s e it
f r o m the variety o f the stock or the pattern b o o k .
T h u s m o s a i c s h a v e rightly been t a k e n as a g o o d instrument f o r testing the influence o f
e d u c a t i o n in B r i t a i n : 6 t h e y w e r e n o t i m p o r t e d ; t h e y p r o b a b l y b e l o n g e d t o t h a t p a r t o f t h e
p r o v i n c i a l p o p u l a t i o n t h a t m i g h t m o s t easily b e e x p e c t e d t o h a v e e n j o y e d s o m e s o r t o f e d u c a t i o n ; a n d t h e y w e r e p r o d u c e d o n i n d i v i d u a l o r d e r , t h e p a t r o n p r o b a b l y b e a r i n g in m i n d t h a t
h e w o u l d h a v e t o l o o k at t h e m d a y a f t e r d a y . B u t , r e m e m b e r i n g t h a t t h e y a r e still m o s a i c s a n d
n o more, one must not overcharge them with meaning.
W h a t is s t r a n g e a b o u t t h e m is t h a t a f t e r a first s h o r t p r e l u d e i n t h e s e c o n d c e n t u r y t h e y d o
n o t r e a l l y start t o flourish b e f o r e t h e e n d o f t h e t h i r d c e n t u r y . T h e c o m p a r a t i v e q u i e t o f
B r i t a i n d u r i n g t h e s o l d i e r - e m p e r o r s ' t i m e s e e m s n o t t o h a v e h a d a n y i m m e d i a t e effect. T h e
h e y - d a y o f local mosaic p r o d u c t i o n occurred d u r i n g the reigns o f the tetrarchs a n d
C o n s t a n t i n e ' s d y n a s t y , a p e r i o d t h a t w a s slightly less settled i n B r i t a i n . O n t h e w h o l e t h i s late
g r o u p o f m o s a i c s , w h i c h h a s b e e n g i v e n a stylistic a n d c h r o n o l o g i c a l f r a m e b y D . S m i t h ' s
careful w o r k o n the w o r k s h o p s , s h o w s s o m e connection with the schools o f the north-western
p r o v i n c e s . 7 H o w f a r i n f l u e n c e s in s t r u c t u r e a n d d e s i g n c a n b e e x p l a i n e d a n d h o w f a r i n d e p e n d e n t d e v e l o p m e n t c a n b e o b s e r v e d , a r e q u e s t i o n s d i f f i c u l t t o assess at t h e m o m e n t . F o r
dealing with i c o n o g r a p h i c p r o b l e m s S m i t h has also p r o v i d e d us w i t h a very helpful instrument
i n h i s c o m p l e t e c o l l e c t i o n o f m y t h o l o g i c a l figures a n d t h e m e s f o u n d in B r i t i s h m o s a i c s . 8 T h e
p u r p o s e o f t h e p r e s e n t p a p e r is n o t t o e x a m i n e h i s w h o l e list f o r t h e e v i d e n c e it m i g h t o f f e r ,
but o n l y t o contribute s o m e observations o n certain individual mosaics, w h i c h might help to
assess t h e i r v a l u e f o r t h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f t h e c u l t u r a l life o f t h e i r t i m e .
THE MOSAICS
(a) East Coker, Somerset
T h e m o s t i n t e r e s t i n g o f t h e m o s a i c s o f a R o m a n v i l l a a t E a s t C o k e r , f o u n d in 1753, is u n 3
4
Smith 1977, 119 f. No. 48. fig. 1. p. I.
R. G . Collingwood, The Archaeology of Roman Britain (London 1930), 177; R. G . Collingwood and
J. N. L. Myres, Roman Britain and the English Settlements'1 (Oxford 1937), 182 f.; J. Liversidge, Britain in the
Roman Empire (London 1968), 317 f.
5
O. Brendel, 'The Corbridge Lanx', JRS xxxi (1941), 100-27; K. S. Painter, The Mildenhall Treasure (London
'977); Toynbee 1962, Nos. 106 and 198.
6
cf. e.g. I. A. Richmond, Roman Britain2 (Harmondsworth 1963), 121 ff., Smith 1969, 90 ff.; J. Liversidge,
op. cit. (note 4), 317-22; S. S. Frere, Britannia. A History of Roman Britain (London 1974), 352 f.; cf. R. Irwin,
The Origins of the English Library (London 1958), 54-70.
7
Smith 1969; cf. D. Johnston, in J. Munby and M. Henig (Eds.), Roman Life and Art in Britain. A Celebration
in Honour of the Eightieth Birthday of J. Toynbee (Oxford 1977), 195 f. On the earlier period cf. D. J. Smith,
in La mosaique Greco-Romaine ii (Paris 1975), 269 ff.
8
Smith 1977.
R E C O N S I D E R A T I O N OF SOME F O U R T H - C E N T U R Y B R I T I S H M O S A I C S 2 9 1
f o r t u n a t e l y l o s t . I t is p r e s e r v e d o n l y i n a d e s c r i p t i o n i n t h e Gentleman's Magazine o f t h a t
year a n d in a d r a w i n g o f the time.9 T h e t w o sources are not completely consistent. T h e
d r a w i n g d e p i c t s a c o m p a r a t i v e l y l a r g e s i n g l e m e d a l l i o n set i n t o a s q u a r e f i e l d . F o u r b u s t s o f
M e r c u r y in the corners have been recognized, u n d o u b t e d l y correctly, as the four winds with
c o n c h shells a n d w i n g e d h e a d s , as they o c c u r several times o n British m o s a i c s . 1 0 A d o u b l e
r o w o f c o n c e n t r i c circles o n a s h o r t s e c t i o n o f t h e f r a m e o f s q u a r e a n d m e d a l l i o n is t h e
d r a u g h t s m a n ' s w a y o f r e p r o d u c i n g a d o u b l e guilloche. T h e figures in the m e d a l l i o n a p p e a r t o
be rather s m a l l , b u t s o m e s h a d i n g seems t o suggest l a n d s c a p e a r o u n d t h e m . P e r h a p s the
d r a u g h t s m a n d i d n o t entirely m a i n t a i n the p r o p o r t i o n s , perhaps he neglected s o m e d a m a g e d
details, as is suggested b y the missing f o u r t h figure m e n t i o n e d in the description.
A w o m a n is l y i n g o n a s l i g h t l y a s c e n d i n g c o u c h l i k e s u p p o r t w i t h a c l o a k d r a p e d a r o u n d h e r
l e g s . T h e n u d e u p p e r p a r t o f t h e b o d y is s h o w n f r o n t a l l y a n d r a i s e d o n t h e left a r m s u p p o r t i n g
t h e h e a d . A c c o r d i n g t o t h e o l d d e s c r i p t i o n , t h e e l b o w rests o n a n h o u r - g l a s s a n d t h e r i g h t a r m
h o l d s a f l o w e r - p o t , b u t n o t h i n g o f t h a t s o r t is t o b e seen i n t h e d r a w i n g . 1 1 A t t h e feet o f t h i s
figure s t a n d s a w o m a n w i t h l o n g c u r l y h a i r , w h o w e a r s a c r o w n w i t h a c r o s s o n t o p , a l o n g
g o w n a n d o v e r it a c l o a k , w h i c h h a s s l e e v e s w i t h c u f f s a n d , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e d e s c r i p t i o n , p u r p l e
strips a l o n g the border. I n her right h a n d she h o l d s a semicircular object like a b a g o r basket.
T h e r i g h t leg i s t u r n e d w a y , b u t t h e left a r m is e x t e n d e d t o w a r d s t h e r e c l i n i n g w o m a n a n d t h e
h e a d is turned t o w a r d s her. T h e description a d d s that this w o m a n as well as a n o t h e r o n e at
h e r s i d e ( m i s s i n g i n t h e d r a w i n g ) t o u c h t h e d r a p e r y o f t h e r e c l i n i n g figure. T h a t t h e h a n d i n
t h e d r a w i n g is m u c h h i g h e r t h a n t h e k n e e m a y b e d u e t o n e g l i g e n t c o p y i n g . B e h i n d t h e legs
o f t h e reclining w o m a n stands a stout b a l d m a n with t w o - p o i n t e d beard dressed in a l o n g g o w n
a n d h o l d i n g a t o r c h i n h i s left h a n d . H e is t u r n e d t o w a r d s t h e c r o w n e d w o m a n a n d p o i n t s t o t h e
reclining o n e w i t h his right forefinger. T h e 18th-century interpreter takes h i m f o r a 'physician
. . . p r e p a r e d t o d o s o m e o p e r a t i o n b y t h e fire, e i t h e r c u p p i n g o r b u r n i n g * . J u s t a s w i t h t h e
corner-busts, b o t h the writer o f the description a n d the d r a u g h t s m a n , unfamiliar with ancient
a r t , h a d d i f f i c u l t y i n u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h e c e n t r a l p i c t u r e , a n d s o m i s r e p r e s e n t e d it i n t e r m s o f
objects a n d situations k n o w n to them. Instead o f this anachronistic interpretation Sir I a n
R i c h m o n d suggested that the birth o f B a c c h u s w a s actually w h a t w a s represented, a n d this
h a s generally b e e n accepted.12 T h e reclining w o m a n h e u n d e r s t o o d as Semele giving birth t o
h e r s o n D i o n y s u s - B a c c h u s i n t h e p r e s e n c e o f J u n o a n d J u p i t e r . T h e c r o w n is J u n o ' s d i a d e m ,
t h e t o r c h is J u p i t e r ' s l i g h t n i n g w h i c h c a u s e d S e m e l e ' s d e a t h . F o r t h e l o s t f o u r t h figure h e
s u g g e s t s I n o , S e m e l e ' s sister a n d t h e first n u r s e o f D i o n y s u s . A p a r t f r o m t h e f a c t s t h a t t h i s
t h e m e is o f n o s p e c i a l i m p o r t a n c e , o n m o n u m e n t s o r i n l i t e r a t u r e , a n d t h a t a b a l d J u p i t e r
w o u l d b e r i d i c u l o u s , neither J u n o ' s presence n o r the general t y p o l o g y a n d gesture o f the
figures fit t h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n v e r y w e l l .
I f , o n t h e c o n t r a r y , w e start f r o m t h e t y p o l o g y o f t h e w h o l e s c e n e - k e e p i n g i n m i n d t h e
8
Drawing in the Bodleian Library, Oxford: VCH Somerset i (1906), 303, fig. 88; Smith 1969, 91, fig. 3.3;
Smith 1977, 136, No. 109; 146, No. 131, pi. xira. The description in Gentleman's Magazine (1753), 293 is
cited by Rainey 68 and Smith 1977, 146.
10
For instance Toynbee 1964, 240; Rainey, 68; cf. Frampton: Smith 1977 Nos. 107 ff. especially No. 109
pi. xmb. (Such busts of Mercury actually do appear in mosaics in Britain, for instance at Rudston (Smith 1977,
pi. xxixa) but of course not four times.)
11
An hour-glass in a related scene (Mars—Rhea Silvia): Robert, ASR iii 2, No. 190 pi. LXI.
12
1. A . Richmond, Roman Britain* (Harmondsworth 1963), 123; cited also by Toynbee 1964. Smith 1969
and 1977 and Rainey, 68; cf. A. A. Barrett, Britannia ix (1978), 312. Semele giving birth to Dionysus seldom
appears in Roman art, for instance on Dionysiac sarcophagi. Details such as the child Dionysus, the Ilithyiae
and Mercury are necessarily present. Cf. A. Greifenhagen, Rom. Mitt, xlvi (1931), 27-30, pi. 1 f.; G. Hanfmann,
Am. Journ. Arch, xliii (1939), 239 ff.; F. Matz, ASR iv 3, 343 ff-. Nos. 195-198; 196 f- A rather strange painting,
once in the collection of Prince Galitzin, was already suspect to Reinach (16, 5); cf. also an ivory pyxis of
the fifth century A.D. in Bologna, Museo Civico.
REINHARD STUPPERICH
292
p r o b a b l e m i s r e n d e r i n g o f s e v e r a l d e t a i l s - w e a r e r e m i n d e d o f t h e finding o f A r i a d n e o n
N a x o s b y D i o n y s u s a n d h i s t h i a s u s , w h i c h is s o o f t e n r e p r e s e n t e d i n R o m a n a r t . 1 3 N e i t h e r
the archetype o f this picture, w h i c h goes back v i a Hellenistic intermediary stages t o a classical
p a i n t i n g , n o r i t s great v a r i e t y o f c o m p o s i t i o n n e e d t o b e d i s c u s s e d here. T h e m a i n e l e m e n t s
are the sleeping, o r j u s t - a w a k i n g , A r i a d n e in the f o r e g r o u n d ( s o m e t i m e s seen f r o m the f r o n t ,
s o m e t i m e s f r o m the b a c k ) a n d the a p p r o a c h i n g g o d Bacchus. O f t e n s o m e m e m b e r s o f his
thiasus are a d d e d , such a s P a n , Silenus o r a satyr, w h o call their master's a t t e n t i o n t o the
s l e e p i n g girl, o r e v e n lift h e r c l o a k t o d i s p l a y h e r , t h o u g h m o r e t o t h e s p e c t a t o r t h a n t o t h e
g o d . T h e r e c l i n i n g A r i a d n e p r e s e n t s n o d i f f i c u l t y . H e r r i g h t a r m is n o t a l w a y s p u t a r o u n d t h e
h e a d in t h e a n c i e n t g e s t u r e o f s l e e p . S o m e t i m e s s h e l e a n s o n h e r left a r m a s s h e d o e s h e r e . T h e
c o a r s e s t y l i z a t i o n o f late m o s a i c s e x p l a i n s t h e c o n f u s i o n b e t w e e n m a l e a n d f e m a l e f i g u r e s b y
observers u n a c c u s t o m e d t o ancient i c o n o g r a p h y . O n e c o u l d easily imagine the head o f B a c c h u s
in other m o s a i c s , as f o r instance at C h e d w o r t h , 1 4 b e i n g m i s u n d e r s t o o d as a f e m a l e h e a d w i t h
a c r o w n . T h e n t h e r e is t h e l o n g f e m a l e g o w n , w h i c h h a s a l w a y s b e e n c u s t o m a r y f o r D i o n y s o s B a c c h u s a n d which a c c o u n t s f o r the indication o f female breasts in the d r a w i n g . T h e ' b a g ' in
t h e g o d ' s h a n d m i g h t b e a l a r g e c u p . T h e g e s t u r e o f p o i n t i n g o n e finds e l s e w h e r e w i t h B a c c h u s
a n d t h e r e s p e c t i v e ' f i n d e r ' o f A r i a d n e . T h e b e a r d e d b a l d h e a d is e a s i l y r e c o g n i z e d t h e n a s
S i l e n u s . T h a t h e is s l i g h t l y t o o l a r g e c o m p a r e d t o B a c c h u s c a n b e a t t r i b u t e d t o t h e d r a u g h t s m a n
a g a i n . T h e l o s t w o m a n b e t w e e n t h e m suggests a m a e n a d , b u t t h e g e s t u r e d e s c r i b e d w o u l d
b e t t e r fit P a n o r a s a t y r s h o w i n g A r i a d n e t o h i s m a s t e r . I f t h i s e x p l a n a t i o n o f t h e m o s a i c a t
East C o k e r s h o u l d seem acceptable, the repertoire o f British mosaics w o u l d be enriched b y
o n e o f the m o s t i m p o r t a n t themes o f D i o n y s i a c i c o n o g r a p h y , n o t recognized here previously.
(b) Chedworth, Glos.
T h e m a i n m o s a i c o f t h e w e l l - k n o w n v i l l a a t C h e d w o r t h c o n s i s t s o f e i g h t t r a p e z o i d a l fields
s u r r o u n d i n g a n o c t a g o n . 1 5 W h i l e t h e f o u r s e a s o n s i n t h e t r i a n g u l a r c o r n e r - f i e l d s a r e still
nearly complete, only three o f the trapezoids are so m u c h as half preserved. O f t w o others
o n l y t i n y f r a g m e n t s a r e left. I n e a c h field a s a t y r a n d a m a e n a d w e r e r e p r e s e n t e d ; i n t h e l o s t
o c t a g o n , therefore, a picture o f the l o r d o f the thiasus, Bacchus, has been suspected.16
T h e t h r e e b e t t e r - p r e s e r v e d fields l i e t o w a r d s t h e e n t r a n c e o f t h e r o o m b e s i d e a n o r n a m e n t a l
e n t r a n c e s e c t i o n . I t is s t r i k i n g t h a t t h e m i d d l e field is b r o a d e r t h a n t h e o t h e r t w o a n d d i f f e r s i n
c o m p o s i t i o n f r o m t h e m a n d o b v i o u s l y a l s o f r o m t h e n e x t o n e o n t h e l e f t : there^the c o u p l e s
are m o v i n g violently a n d at the s a m e time closely embracing o n e another, whereas here the
t w o figures a r e s e a t e d a t a s h o r t d i s t a n c e f r o m o n e a n o t h e r i n a r a t h e r s y m m e t r i c a l p o s i t i o n
a r o u n d t h e a x i s o f t h e field a n d o f t h e w h o l e r o o m . T h e legs p o i n t o u t w a r d s ; t h e h e a d s a r e
turned towards o n e another. T h i s reminds us o f the w a y that D i o n y s u s a n d A r i a d n e are s o m e t i m e s r e p r e s e n t e d s i t t i n g t o g e t h e r , a l o n e o r in t h e m i d d l e o f t h e i r t h i a s u s . 1 7 T h a t t h e figure
13
cf. e.g. Reinach, i n ff.; 112, 6 ; 113, 1-15; Curtius, 308 ff. figs. 176-79; Philostratus the Elder, Imagines
1, 15. Levi, pi. xxvua, xxvub; V. von Gonzenbach, Die romischen Mosaiken der Schweiz (Basel 1961), pi. 78;
M. Borda, La pittura Romana (Milano 1958), fig. on p. 365; H. Stern, Reeueil general des Mosaiques de la
Caule (Gallia Suppl. 10). i 1 (Paris 1957), pi. 39; A . Blanco Freijeiro, Mosaicos Romanos de Merida (Madrid
1978), pi. 26a. F. Matz, ASR iv 3, Nos. 207-29.
14
15
See below. Cf. for instance Curtius, figs. 176-77; Levi pi. ta.
R. Goodburn, The Roman Villa of Chedworth (London 1972), 25 pi. 6 ; R.C.H.M., Iron Age and RomanoBritish Monuments in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds (1976), pis. 4 - 5 ; Smith 1977, 130 No. 85, 139 f- No. 120,
pi. ixe.
** Satyrs and maenads: Toynbee 1964, 267; Goodburn, loc. cit. (note 15) 25; Rainey, 40 f.; Smith 1977,
139. Bacchus in the centre: Goodburn, loc. cit.
17
Curtius, 354 ff. fig. 193; 369 fig. 201; A . Maiuri, La Villa dei Misteri (Roma 193O, fig. 58, pi. 8 and 10;
K. Schefold, Pompejanische Malerei (Basel 1952), pi. 2; Reinach, 114, 4 and 6; J. Baity, Mosaiques antiques
de Syrie (Bruxelles 1977), 50 Nos. 20 ff.; M. Yacoub, Le Muse'e du Bardo (Tunis 1970), 184 fig- 101 rTh. Kraus,
R E C O N S I D E R A T I O N OF SOME F O U R T H - C E N T U R Y B R I T I S H M O S A I C S 2 9 3
o n t h e r i g h t is n o t a s a t y r b u t B a c c h u s is s u p p o r t e d n o t o n l y b y t h e a c c e n t u a t e d p o s i t i o n o f
t h i s field, b u t a l s o b y c o m p a r i s o n w i t h t h e s a t y r o n t h e l e f t : i n s t e a d o f s h o r t h a i r w i t h a s h a g g y
w r e a t h he has l o n g curls, w h i c h are given a c r o w n - l i k e c o n t o u r b y the impression o f a b a n d e a u .
T h i s simplification o f Bacchus's usual coiffure w i t h wreath a n d bandeau explains well the
m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f his representation o n the m o s a i c at East C o k e r . 1 8 T h e thyrsus, w h i c h is
l a r g e r t h a n t h a t i n t h e o t h e r fields, a n d t h e v e l u m - l i k e c l o a k i n t h e b a c k g r o u n d fit t h i s i n t e r pretation. T h e r o u n d object i n the g o d ' s left h a n d c o u l d b e a t y m p a n u m like the o n e o n the
g r o u n d i n t h e n e x t field; b u t it m i g h t b e a r e d u c e d f o r m o f a d r i n k i n g c u p , w h i c h w o u l d b e
m o r e suitable f o r B a c c h u s himself. T h e w o m a n at his side m u s t be A r i a d n e then. T h i s m a n n e r
o f r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e m is q u i t e s i m i l a r t o t h e p i c t u r e s o f their w e d d i n g , 1 9 a n d f r o m t h a t s p e c i a l
t y p e t h e m o r e general o n e f o u n d at C h e d w o r t h m i g h t h a v e been i n f l u e n c e d ; s o this i m p o r t a n t
episode in the D i o n y s i a c m y t h , t h o u g h n o t explicitly represented, m a y well h a v e been intent i o n a l l y h i n t e d a t here. O n e m a y e x p e c t t h a t t h e d e s t r o y e d m i d d l e o c t a g o n w i l l n o t h a v e d u p l i c a t e d B a c c h u s . D i o n y s u s a n d A r i a d n e a r e o f t e n figured a m o n g t h e i r t h i a s u s , e v e n i n c o m p a r a b l e
c i r c u l a r c o m p o s i t i o n s ; 2 0 o n t h e o t h e r h a n d t h e c e n t r a l fields o f s u c h m o s a i c c o m p o s i t i o n s d o
n o t need t o h a v e a direct, i m m e d i a t e l y o b v i o u s relation t o the pictures s u r r o u n d i n g t h e m .
( c ) Keynsham, Somerset
O n e o f the m o s t interesting mosaics f o r the tradition o f m y t h o l o g y a n d picture-types w a s
f o u n d i n a h e x a g o n a l r o o m o p e n i n g o n the great c o u r t y a r d o f the villa at K e y n s h a m . 2 1 T h e
rectangular a n d semicircular alcoves o f the six walls are n o t integrated i n t o the o r n a m e n t a l
h e x a g o n . A m o n g t h e v a r i o u s s m a l l fields w i t h b i r d s a n d o r n a m e n t s , s i x l a r g e r s q u a r e s a r e set.
U n f o r t u n a t e l y , o n l y three o f t h e m are preserved, a n d even these n o t completely.
T h e w e l l - p r e s e r v e d m i d d l e o n e is w i t h o u t c o m p l i c a t i o n : E u r o p a m o u n t e d o n t h e b u l l i s
s e e n , n o t i n t h e f r e q u e n t t y p e c r o s s i n g t h e sea, a s f o r i n s t a n c e a t L u l l i n g s t o n e , b u t a t a n e a r l i e r
s t a g e : t h e b u l l s e t t l e d o n t h e b e a c h is b e i n g d e c o r a t e d w i t h g a r l a n d s b y E u r o p a a n d f e d f r o m
a b a s k e t b y o n e o f h e r c o m p a n i o n s . T h i s o b v i o u s l y is a r e p e t i t i o n - t h o u g h s i m p l i f i e d a n d c u t
at t h e edges - o f a picture-type k n o w n , f o r instance, f r o m a p a i n t i n g at P o m p e i i 2 2 that m a y g o
b a c k t o a G r e e k original.
O f t h e field t o t h e l e f t , a b o u t t h e u p p e r left q u a r t e r is d e s t r o y e d . T h i s h a s h i n d e r e d u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e c o m p o s i t i o n a n d o f t h e w h o l e s c e n e . T h e r e is a c l e a r s e p a r a t i o n o f t h e b a c k g r o u n d b y a l o w w a l l o r t h e l i k e . B e h i n d it a b e a r d e d m a n w i t h a stick l o o k s d o w n t o w a r d s t h e
a c t i o n i n t h e c e n t r e , f r o m w h e r e a figure is r u n n i n g o f f t o t h e r i g h t i n d i s g u s t , h o r r o r o r a l a r m ,
a s e x p r e s s e d b y t h e gesture o f t h e h a n d s . I n t h e m i d d l e a f e m a l e figure w i t h a g a r m e n t c o v e r i n g
o n l y t h e legs i s b e n d i n g t o t h e o t h e r s i d e . H e r left a r m c r o s s e s t h e b o d y . H e r r i g h t leg is s h o w n
Propytten Kunstgeschichte ii (Berlin 1967), pi. 343b; A. Garcia y Bellido, Arte Romanf (Madrid 1972), 525
fig. 920. F. Matz, ASR iv 1, Nos. 36-41, No. 75 f- Rhyton from Plovdiv: Encichpedia dell Arte Antiqua 111,
116 fig. 146.
"c^noteT?, espe^Sly4Curtius 356 ff-; Maiuri, op. cit (note 17). 148-51; Schefold, op. cit. (note 17}, 55 ff-,
' 9 *° Thiasus with Bacchus on a circular frieze around an independent central picture for instance on the
Oceanus Cup of the Mildenhall Treasure: Toynbee 1962, No. 106 pi. 117; K. S. Painter, op. cit. (note 5),
fi8
"AaBduneid-D. E. Home, Archaeologia lxxv (1926), 109-38; 125 ff., pi. 16-18 (plan of the villa: H I
fig. 1, of room W: 127, fig- 6); Toynbee 1964, 240 f.. pi. 57; Rainey, 101; Smith 1977, 141 No. 123; 149 f.
Nos. 137-8, pi. xix, b-d. Only the pictured fields are now in the museum of a chocolate factory (CadburySC
SMR&*S^T2S , 5; Curtius, pi. iv; W. J. T. Peters, Landscape in Romano-Campanian Mural Painting
(Assen 1963), 96 pt- xxi, 80.
294
REINHARD STUPPERICH
i n p r o f i l e , t h e l e f t o n e f r o n t a l l y , it s e e m s ; t h e r e f o r e t h e f o o t i n p r o f i l e f u r t h e r t o t h e l e f t s h o u l d
b e l o n g t o a n o t h e r figure, a s s h o u l d t h e e n d o f a c l o a k o n t h e g r o u n d . A d a r k , s q u a r e field
b e h i n d t h e s i t t i n g figure, b u t i n f r o n t o f t h e a r m o f t h e r u n n i n g o n e , h a s b e e n e x p l a i n e d a s t h e
b a c k o f a t h r o n e . J . M . C . T o y n b e e ' s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e s c e n e a s L e d a w i t h t h e s w a n 2 3 is
weakened by the mixing u p o f drapery a n d s w a n ' s feathers as well as b y the unnecessary
d o u b l i n g o f J u p i t e r a s s w a n a n d s p e c t a t o r . A m o r e a t t r a c t i v e e x p l a n a t i o n is t h a t t h e p i c t u r e
reflects t h e o f t e n - c o p i e d p a i n t i n g o f A c h i l l e s a m o n g t h e d a u g h t e r s o f L y c o m e d e s o n S c y r o s ,
a s h a s b e e n s u g g e s t e d b y I . M . B a r t o n . 2 4 T h e f r i g h t e n e d girl o n t h e r i g h t , t h o u g h a r a t h e r c o m m o n t y p e , d o e s t u r n u p t h e r e ; t h e figures i n t h e b a c k , a m o n g t h e m k i n g L y c o m e d e s w i t h h i s
sceptre, d o s o m e t i m e s s t a n d b e y o n d a small separating wall. A c h i l l e s s h o u l d h a v e been
d e p i c t e d o n t h e left t h e n ; m o r e i m p o r t a n t t h a n O d y s s e u s a n d D i o m e d e s m i g h t h a v e b e e n
t h o u g h t t h e i n c l u s i o n o f t h e t r u m p e t e r i n t h e b a c k g r o u n d . B u t t h i s e x p l a n a t i o n t o o is u n s a t i s factory, and s o m e other subject m o r e rarely depicted m a y be intended.25 A n y w a y the closeness
o f the c o m p o s i t i o n to s o m e P o m p e i a n paintings that c o p y G r e e k originals o f the fourth
c e n t u r y B.C. s h o w s t h a t t h i s s c e n e is still i n s p i r e d b y t h e s a m e i c o n o g r a p h i c t r a d i t i o n .
T o t h e right o f E u r o p a a n d t h e b u l l , o n l y t h e l o w e r p a r t o f a field r e m a i n s , t w o figures i n l o n g
g o w n s a n d c l o a k s . T h e o n e o n t h e left is s i t t i n g o n a n i r r e g u l a r d a r k o b j e c t , s e e m i n g l y a r o c k .
H e r r i g h t leg is s h o w n f r o n t a l l y , t h e left o n e i n p r o f i l e is s u p p o r t e d b y a s m a l l e r b l o c k . T h e
e x a c t p o s i t i o n o f t h e u p p e r p a r t o f t h e b o d y is n o t q u i t e c l e a r , b u t e v e r y t h i n g s u g g e s t s t h a t it
w a s turned in profile. T h e e n d o f a r o u g h l y stylized tibia in t h e centre c a n be p r o l o n g e d t o the
a r e a o f t h e f a c e ; a s e c o n d t u b e o n t h e left is a l m o s t c o m p l e t e l y d e s t r o y e d . O f t h e figure o p p o s i t e
e v e n less is l e f t . S h e s e e m s t o h a v e b e e n s i t t i n g a l m o s t s y m m e t r i c a l l y i n a s i m i l a r p o s i t i o n . H e r
left h a n d , f r a g m e n t e d j u s t a b o v e t h e w r i s t , is h o l d i n g a d a r k r o u n d o b j e c t w i t h l i g h t r i m .
T h o u g h g e n e r a l l y t a k e n f o r a t y m p a n u m , it m i g h t w e l l b e a vessel w i t h a w i d e m o u t h seen
f r o m above. F r o m this a sort o f d a r k pillar converging t o w a r d s the b o t t o m leads t o a n i m p o r t a n t but c o n t r o v e r s i a l o b j e c t , a n i r r e g u l a r l y - s h a p e d f r a m e o n the g r o u n d b e t w e e n t h e feet
o f t h e t w o figures. I t c o n t a i n s a h e l m e t e d h e a d w i t h t i b i a e i n t h e m o u t h . T h e e x p l a n a t i o n a s
t h e t o r n - o f f h e a d o f O r p h e u s g i v i n g o r a c l e s w h i l e floating d o w n t h e river e x p l a i n s t h e h e l m e t
a s a m i s r e n d e r e d P h r y g i a n c a p , b u t is u n a c c e p t a b l e ; t h e t i b i a e a r e n o t a n u n d e r s t a n d a b l e
s u b s t i t u t e f o r t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c l y r e o f O r p h e u s . 2 6 T h e c r e s t e d h e l m e t is r e n d e r e d t o o w e l l - b u t
it d o e s n o t f o r c e t h e e x p l a n a t i o n a s a m a l e , o r e v e n a s a R o m a n s o l d i e r ' s h e a d . 2 7
A t i b i a e p l a y e r i n f r o n t o f a b o x w i t h a h e a d i n i t c a n b e f o u n d in d i f f e r e n t c o n t e x t s , f o r
instance, the 'preparation o f a satyr p l a y ' o n a w a l l - p a i n t i n g in P o m p e i i , 2 8 with m a s k s , b u t
this will n o t be m e a n t here. T h e irregular c o n t o u r o n the g r o u n d c a n n o t be a n y t h i n g b u t a
r e f l e c t i n g w a t e r s u r f a c e . T h e v e r y f a c t t h a t a b o v e t h e t i b i a e - p l a y i n g h e a d is r e p r e s e n t e d a n o t h e r
23
Toynbee 1964, 240; Rainey, IOI a n d 7 7 f . ; contrary Smith 1977,149. A similar scheme for Jupiter-Danae:
A. Blanco-Freijeiro, Mosaicos Romanos de Italica (Madrid 1978), pi. 7a. For Leda in Roman art see e.g.:
Reinach, 16, 7-17; Robert, ASR ii, No. 2 - 9 pi. 2-3.
24
Mentioned by Smith 1977, 149; for the theme cf. Reinach 166, 2-167, 1; Curtius fig. 124, pi. II; Dunbabin
pi. VI, 12; Robert, ASR ii, No. 20 ff., pi. 6 ff.; L. Guerrini, Archaeologia Classica xxiv (1972), 27 ff.; F. Brommer,
Denkmcilerlisten zur griechisehen Heldensage ii (Marburg 1974), 80 ff.; V. M. Strocka, Die Wandmalerei der
Hang-Hiiuser in Ephesos (Forschungen in Ephesos viii/i: Wien 1977), 108 f. with a list in note 380. Cf. especially
the mosaic at Sainte-Colombe: Inventaire des Mosaiques de la Gaule i (1909), No. 198; Reinach 167, I; Monuments Piot Ivi (1969), 41, fig. 37.
23
The frightened girl running off is a frequent type in representations of several different stories apart from
Achilles on Scyros; to cite just sarcophagus reliefs for instance with Proserpina (ASR iii 3, Nos. 358 ff. pi.
119 ff.), the Dioscuri carrying off the Leucippidae (ASR iii 2, Nos. 180-85 P'- 67 ff), Orestes killing Clytaemnestra
and Aegistheus (ASR ii, No. 154 pi. 54, cf. the following) or among the dying Niobids (ASR iii 3, Nos. 312 ff.
pi. 99 ff.).
28
Toynbee 1964, 241; Rainey, [01; contrary: Smith 1977, 149 f.
Bulleid-Horne, loc. cit. (note 21) 128: Smith 1977, 149 f.
28
Curtius, fig. 26; Kraus, fig, 49.
R E C O N S I D E R A T I O N OF SOME F O U R T H - C E N T U R Y BRITISH MOSAICS 295
t i b i a e - p l a y i n g figure p o i n t s t o a reflected i m a g e . T h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n is s t r e n g t h e n e d b y c o m p a r i s o n w i t h t h e w a y in w h i c h t h i s d e t a i l is r e n d e r e d o n o t h e r m o s a i c s . T h e s t o r y o f N a r c i s s u s ,
w e l l - k n o w n f r o m O v i d ' s Metamorphoses, o f f e r s g o o d p a r a l l e l s . 2 9 T h e p o p u l a r p i c t u r e - t y p e o f
P e r s e u s a n d A n d r o m e d a r e g a r d i n g t h e h e a d o f M e d u s a reflected i n t h e w a t e r 3 0 is n o t q u i t e
as c l o s e , b e c a u s e o f its s y m m e t r i c a l c o m p o s i t i o n . H e r e , as in t h e o t h e r scenes o f t h e m o s a i c , w e
shall have t o l o o k f o r a m y t h o l o g i c a l theme. Philostratus the Elder31 describes a picture o f
a u l o i - p l a y i n g O l y m p o s , w h o l o o k s at h i m s e l f m i r r o r e d in a f o u n t a i n . B u t t h i s p l a y e r d o e s n o t
c o r r e s p o n d t o t h e rest o f t h e l e f t - h a n d figure a t K e y n s h a m . I d e n t i f i c a t i o n m u s t start f r o m t h e
h e a d o f t h i s figure, w h i c h is n o t q u i t e l o s t , since its reflected i m a g e is p r e s e r v e d o n t h e g r o u n d .
A f e m a l e figure w e a r i n g a h e l m e t , b l o w i n g t i b i a e , a n d l o o k i n g a t her o w n i m a g e in t h e w a t e r t h i s c a n b e n o o n e b u t M i n e r v a herself, t h e i n v e n t o r o f t h e t i b i a e ; w h e n s h e realized t h a t h e r
f a c e w a s d i s f i g u r e d b y t h e b l o w n - u p c h e e k s , s h e t h r e w a w a y h e r n e w i n v e n t i o n a n d left it t o
M a r s y a s , w h o c h a l l e n g e d A p o l l o w i t h it a n d s o b r o u g h t a b o u t their f a m o u s m a t c h a n d h i s
o w n e n d . T h e d e f o r m a t i o n o f her f a c e s t r u c k M i n e r v a w h e n l o o k i n g o n t h e s u r f a c e o f t h e l a k e ,
w h e r e s h e h a d c o l l e c t e d t h e reeds f o r t h e i n s t r u m e n t . T h i s m o m e n t w a s reiterated b y O v i d in
s e v e r a l v a r i a t i o n s , s o it m u s t h a v e b e e n w e l l k n o w n e v e n i n later R o m a n t i m e s . 3 2 S u r p r i s i n g l y ,
it is n o t f o u n d v e r y o f t e n in p i c t o r i a l r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s , a l t h o u g h later e p i s o d e s o f t h e s t o r y - t h e
t h r o w i n g a w a y a n d finding o f t h e t i b i a e , t h e m a t c h b e t w e e n A p o l l o a n d M a r s y a s a n d t h e l a t t e r ' s
b i t t e r e n d - f r e q u e n t l y are. T h e s t o r y is seen i n all its p h a s e s r o l l i n g o f f i n a w i d e l a n d s c a p e
o n a m u r a l p a i n t i n g o f t h e t h i r d style f r o m P o m p e i i . 3 3 I n t h e f o r e g r o u n d M i n e r v a w i t h h e r
c r e s t e d h e l m e t is s i t t i n g at t h e f o o t o f a r o c k o n t h e s h o r e o f a l a k e , b l o w i n g her t i b i a e , w h i l e in
f r o n t o f her a n y m p h c o m i n g u p f r o m t h e w a t e r h o l d s o u t a b i g m i r r o r s y m b o l i z i n g t h e r e flecting w a t e r s u r f a c e . M a r s y a s ' s a c t i o n s f o l l o w in t h e b a c k g r o u n d . M y t h o l o g i c a l p i c t u r e s o f
t h i s t y p e o f t e n r e a s s e m b l e p i c t u r e - t y p e s a n d e l e m e n t s f r o m o l d e r o r i g i n a l s in their n e w c o m p r e h e n s i v e f r a m e . I n a n o t h e r w a l l - p a i n t i n g , o n c e at R o m e , 3 4 M i n e r v a w i t h h e l m e t a n d t i b i a e
is s i t t i n g b e t w e e n t w o n y m p h s , o n e o f w h o m l e a n s o n a vessel. N e i t h e r w a t e r n o r m i r r o r c a n
b e r e c o g n i z e d h e r e , b u t t h e g e n e r a l p i c t u r e - t y p e is t h e s a m e . R o m a n figured s a r c o p h a g i
d e v o t e d t o t h e s t o r y g i v e f e w e x p l i c i t p a r a l l e l s f o r t h i s e p i s o d e ; 3 5 o n l y o n t h e sides M i n e r v a
a n d M a r s y a s a s w e l l as t h e n y m p h s s o m e t i m e s a r e s h o w n t o g e t h e r . T h e m a t c h w i t h A p o l l o
w a s m u c h m o r e i m p o r t a n t . T h e s e c o n d figure o n t h e K e y n s h a m m o s a i c , w h i c h c a n n o t b e
M a r s y a s , is p r o b a b l y a n y m p h i n d i c a t i n g t h e l o c a t i o n . T h e r o u n d o b j e c t in her h a n d m u s t b e
h e r f o u n t a i n 3 6 a n d t h e strip u n d e r it t h e w a t e r - j e t f a l l i n g i n t o t h e s m a l l l a k e , M i n e r v a ' s m i r r o r .
29
Ovid, Metamorphoses iii, 339 ff.; Philostratus the Elder, Imagines i, 23; cf. Reinach, 196-7; Kraus, fig.
257; V. von Gonzenbach op. cit. (note 13) pi. 63 and 85; Th. Kraus, Propyliien Kunstgeschkhte ii (Berlin 1967),
pi- 34730
Reinach, 206, 1-4; 207, 1-2; cf. Brading: Smith 1977, 139 No. 119, pi. vi. b.
31
Philostratus the Elder, Imagines, i, 21 (pointed out to me by W. Holscher).
32
Ovid, Fasti vi, 697-710, especially 699-702; cf. ibid, vi, 701 with Ovid, Ars iii, 505 f., Ovid, Metamorphoses
vi, 386; 'tibias ad fontem' proverbial: Lactantius iii, 14, 1; cf. F. Bomer, Kommentar zti den Fasten (Heidelberg
1958), 382. See for instance Apollodorus, Bibliotheca i, 42; Hyginus, Fabulae 165; Athenaeus, Deipnosophistae xiv, 616 (Kaibel p. 360).
33
Reinach 21, 2; W. J. T. Peters, op. cit. (note 22), 83, pi. xix, 69. (Further figures cited by K. Schefold,
Die Wiinde Pompejis (Berlin 1957), 72).
34
Reinach; 2 1 , 1 . The destroyed painting at Pompeii vi, 16, 28 remains obscure: 'Marsyas (?) lernt von
Nymphe das Floten? Rechts oben Priap?' (Schefold, loc. cit. (note 33) 159).
35
C. Robert, ASR iii 2, 242 ff., especially No. 196 pi. 63; cf. Nos. 205 and 207 pi. 67, No. 208 pi. 68; H.
Sichtermann-G. Koch, Griechische Mythen auf romischen Sarkophagen (Tubingen 1975). No. 35 pi. 85; No.
36 pi. 89 (when playing the tibiae Minerva never wears her aegis). G. F. Harllaub, Zauber des Spiegels.
Geschichte imd Bedentung des Spiegels in der Kunst (Munchen 1951) (pointed out to me by W. Holscher)
mentions the theme (p. 77) only shortly, citing an unpublished Heidelberg doctoral dissertation: L. Dreger,
Das Bild im Spiegel (1939)- . , „
3S
For instance Woodchester, Glos.: Smith 1977, pi. xxxnb: a similar fountain jet filling a sea which reflects
the bathing Artemis: S. Germain, Les mosaiques de Timgad(Paris 1969), pi. 7- Dunbabin pi. vi 13.
296 R E I N H A R D S T U P P E R I C H
W i t h this further e x a m p l e , 3 7 the picture-type o f the initial phase o f the story b e f o r e the
a r r i v a l o f M a r s y a s s e e m s t o b e m o r e firmly e s t a b l i s h e d f o r u s i n t h e R o m a n i c o n o g r a p h i c a l
r e p e r t o i r e . L i k e t h e o t h e r t w o s c e n e s i n t h e m o s a i c , it s e e m s t o d e r i v e still f r o m t h e s a m e
g e n e r a l t r a d i t i o n , w h i c h w e c a n see, e . g . i n s c e n e s o f P o m p e i a n m u r a l p a i n t i n g . S o t h e q u e s t i o n
a r i s e s , w h e t h e r it a l s o g o e s b a c k s o m e h o w t o a G r e e k p a i n t i n g , a n d the o t h e r five e m b l e m a t a ,
n o w lost, as well. T h e state o f preservation d o e s n o t a l l o w a n y conjecture o f a t h e m a t i c c o n n e c t i o n , b u t it s e e m s t h a t t h e o w n e r o f t h e v i l l a t r i e d t o a s s e m b l e in t h i s floor a s e q u e n c e o f
e m b l e m a t a o f very traditional, 'classical' c o n c e p t i o n . M a y b e the mosaicist even embellished
it i n h i s e s t i m a t e b y A c t i v e a t t r i b u t i o n t o s o m e o l d m a s t e r s .
(d) Pitney, Somerset
T h e mosaics o f a villa at Pitney are preserved o n l y in early 19th-century drawings.38 T h e
d i s p o s i t i o n o f the m a i n o n e resembles that o f the m o s a i c at C h e d w o r t h . T h e central a n d the
e i g h t t r a p e z o i d fields h a v e a s i n g l e figure i n e a c h ; s o m e o f t h e m a r e i d e n t i f i a b l e , s o m e h a v e n o
t r a d i t i o n a l a t t r i b u t e s . T h e y d o n o t c o n f o r m t o a n y c y c l e o f e i g h t o r n i n e figures o f t h e k i n d
s o m e t i m e s f o u n d in such m o s a i c s . T h e alternation o f m e n a n d w o m e n , as well as the respective
t u r n i n g o f the heads, indicates that t h e y are g r o u p e d as f o u r couples, as w a s recognized b y
J . M . C . T o y n b e e ; 3 9 t h i s s u b d i v i s i o n is s t r e n g t h e n e d b y t h e o b l i q u e a x i s o f t h e c e n t r a l figure.
S o N e p t u n e w i t h h i s t r i d e n t is r u n n i n g t o w a r d s a w a t e r n y m p h , p e r h a p s A m y m o n e , w h o m h e
is s e v e r a l t i m e s r e p r e s e n t e d s u r p r i s i n g a t a f o u n t a i n . 4 0 T h e figure-type a n d t h e d i p t y c h o n
the g r o u n d indicate that the sitting w o m a n o n his other side must be P h a e d r a , the y o u t h
t u r n i n g a w a y H i p p o l y t o s . T a k e n together they represent the central element o f the P h a e d r a H i p p o l y t o s s c e n e ; 4 1 t h e u n i t y o f t h e t w o figured fields is m a d e o b v i o u s h e r e b y t h e d i p t y c h ,
w h i c h in m o r e detailed v e r s i o n s is b r o u g h t b y P h a e d r a ' s o l d nurse a n d actually falls t o the
g r o u n d f r o m H i p p o l y t o s ' s h a n d s . T h e r u n n i n g m a n b e y o n d the N e p t u n e g r o u p is M e r c u r y
w i t h a m i s - s h a p e d c e r y c i u m a n d a purse rather t h a n Perseus w i t h G o r g o n ' s h e a d i n a b a g a n d
the sickle - especially since the w o m a n with sceptre a n d velificatio d o e s n o t l o o k like
A n d r o m e d a ; n o r w i l l s h e b e H e r s e o r C h i o n e , b u t r a t h e r V e n u s h e r s e l f . T h o u g h M a r s is h e r
l o v e r i n t h e first p l a c e , s h e h a s a v e r y o l d c o n n e c t i o n w i t h M e r c u r y . T h e t w o a r e r e g a r d e d a s
H e r m a p h r o d i t e ' s parents. O c c a s i o n a l l y they are represented as a c o u p l e in R o m a n m o s a i c s
a n d p a i n t i n g s . 4 2 T h e r e m a i n i n g figure is a h e r d s m a n l o o k i n g l i k e P a r i s i n h i s o r i e n t a l d r e s s
w i t h P h r y g i a n c a p . H i s c o m p a n i o n w i t h t y m p a n u m o r vessel a n d s y r i n x c a n n o t b e V e n u s , a s
w a s suggested. T h e same c o u p l e o b v i o u s l y appears in c o m p a r a b l e pictures, f o r ' i n s t a n c e t w o
" As Prof. Metzler informs me, another example of this scene appears on a mosaic at Utica, Tunisia, still
unpublished. „ . ,
3
» VCH Somerset i (1906), 327 fig. 84; Toynbee 1964, 248 f.; Smith 1969, pi- 3-3*, Ramey, 129; Smith 1977,
120 f. No. 50, 124 No. 60, 136 No. 96, 150 f. Nos. 140-44, pl- XXVII ; Smith 1978, 129 fig. 39 (after a coloured
lithograph of 1828 by Samuel Hassei).
39
Toynbee, loc. cit. (note 38). .
40
Toynbee 1964: Amphitrite. For Neptune and Amymone see Philostratus the Elder, Imagines 1, 8 ; Reinach
34, 5 and 7; F. Berti, ASAtene 1-H (1972-73), 451-465, especially 459 ff- Cf. also J. Baity, Mosaiques Antiques
deSyrie (Bruxelles 1977), 82 No. 36-38.
" Toynbee 1964, 249. Cf. Schauenburg, dtv-Lexikon der Antike, Rel. i, 313; Philostratus, Imagines 2, 4; ct.
Reinach, 209-10; Levi, 71-5 with fig. 29, pl. xib.
Thus also Toynbee 1964, 249: Rainey 129; contrary, Smith 1977, 151 No. 141. For the figure-type of the
Perseus Andromeda scene cf. e.g. a mosaic at Bulla Regia: Dunbabin pl. v 9. Mercury and Venus as parents
of Hermaphroditus: Ovid, Metamorphoses iv, 288, 383-7; Christodorus of Coptus, Anth. Pal. ii, 102-7.
(Mercury and Herse: Apollodorus, Bibliotheca iii, 14, 3 and 6; Hyginus, Fabulae 166; Ovid, Metamorphoses
ii, 708-832; Mercury and Chione: Ovid, Metamorphoses xi, 303-15). Mercury and Venus: Reinach, 97, 3 and
7'; Catalogue Antik mosaikole (Budapest 1974) No. 10; A. Furtwangler, Antike Gemmen (Berlin 1900), pl. 43,
58. Cf. Reinach 97, 5 (Mercury carrying off a woman). For Venus cf. e.g. Robert, ASR ii, No. 10, pl. 4
(before Paris).
R E C O N S I D E R A T I O N OF SOME F O U R T H - C E N T U R Y BRITISH M O S A I C S 2 9 7
o t h e r B r i t i s h m o s a i c s (see b e l o w ) . A p o s s i b l e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n m i g h t b e P a r i s a n d O e n o n e , 4 3 h i s
first w i f e , a r i v e r - g o d ' s d a u g h t e r . H e left h e r f o r H e l e n a n d later h e r r e f u s a l t o h e a l h i s w o u n d
b r o u g h t a b o u t h i s d e a t h . T h e i r letters i n O v i d ' s Heroides a n d t h e a p p e n d i x t o it m a d e h e r
w e l l - k n o w n in R o m a n times. T h e y were even represented as a c o u p l e a m i d s t a g r o u p o f heroes
c o n n e c t e d w i t h the fall o f T r o y in the sculptural repertory o f the Z e u x i p p o s b a t h s at
B y z a n t i u m , perhaps o f Constantinian date.
T h e r e s e e m s t o b e a d i v i s i o n b e t w e e n u n h a p p y h u m a n l o v e t o t h e left a n d s u c c e s s f u l d i v i n e
l o v e t o t h e r i g h t o f t h e figure e n t h r o n e d i n t h e c e n t r a l field, w h o h a s b e e n i d e n t i f i e d a s B a c c h u s
b y t h e c u p i n h i s r i g h t h a n d . B e y o n d t h e i n f l u e n c e o f w i n e o n l o v e , h o w e v e r , t h e r e seems, t o b e
n o direct c o n n e c t i o n between h i m a n d this 'thiasus' o f pairs o f m y t h o l o g i c a l lovers.
(e) Brading, I. o. W.
F o u r o t h e r m y t h o l o g i c a l c o u p l e s a r e t o b e seen o n a m o s a i c i n R o o m 12 o f t h e v i l l a a t
B r a d i n g , i n r e c t a n g u l a r fields s u r r o u n d i n g a G o r g o n ' s h e a d . 4 4 T h e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f L y c u r g u s
a n d A m b r o s i a , w h o w a s c h a n g e d i n t o a v i n e , is o b v i o u s . O n t h e o p p o s i t e s i d e t h e a t t r i b u t e s
indicate the story, f a m o u s t h r o u g h the Eleusinian mysteries a n d A t t i c cultural p r o p a g a n d a ,
o f D e m e t e r - C e r e s g i v i n g t h e e a r s o f c o r n a n d w i t h it t h e k n o w l e d g e o f a g r i c u l t u r e t o T r i p t o l e m u s o f Eleusis.45 T h e third rectangle again s h o w s the Phrygian herdsman a n d the n y m p h ,
w h o w e r e i d e n t i f i e d a s P a r i s a n d O e n o n e a b o v e . S o t h e q u e s t i o n arises, w h e t h e r i n t h e d a m a g e d
f o u r t h field t h e r e m i g h t n o t h a v e b e e n a n o t h e r m y t h i c a l c o u p l e r a t h e r t h a n a n a n o n y m u s
satyr a n d m a e n a d , as has been suggested. I n these g r o u p s , s o frequent in D i o n y s i a c i c o n o g r a p h y , t h e m a e n a d s e l d o m s h o w s s u c h a n o b v i o u s l y terrified a t t e m p t a t flight. T h e t h y r s u s
a n d o t h e r B a c c h i c a t t r i b u t e s a r e m i s s i n g . A g o d s u r p r i s i n g a h u m a n girl w o u l d b e m o r e a p propriate therefore. A p o l l o a n d D a p h n e are not very probable candidates, because the sprouti n g b r a n c h e s o f l a u r e l c a n n o t all h a v e b e e n l o s t i n t h e g a p . B u t t h e r e a r e several o t h e r p o s sibilities. A n o w - d e s t r o y e d attribute o f the g o d m a y well h a v e identified the c o u p l e t o the
spectator.48 T h e m o s a i c in the n e i g h b o u r i n g part o f the triclinium seems to h a v e s h o w n a
c y c l e o f m y t h i c a l p a i r s o f l o v e r s , o f w h o m o n l y P e r s e u s a n d A n d r o m e d a s u r v i v e in a r e c o g n i z a b l e state. O b v i o u s l y t h e artist d i d n o t w a n t s i m p l y t o r e p e a t t h i s g e n e r a l t h e m e h e r e : C e r e s
a n d T r i p t o l e m u s are n o t lovers. A s this c o u p l e stands f o r agriculture a n d A m b r o s i a f o r
v i t i c u l t u r e , t h e m y t h i c a l h e r d s m a n m a y r e p r e s e n t c a t t l e - b r e e d i n g . W h e t h e r in t h e last s q u a r e
a f o u r t h i m p o r t a n t m e a n s o f m a n ' s s u p p o r t w a s t h u s r e p r e s e n t e d , p e r h a p s fishing v i a
N e p t u n u s , c a n o n l y be guessed. T h e picture o f an a s t r o n o m e r in the passage between the t w o
parts o f the r o o m , identified o n i c o n o g r a p h i c evidence as the archaic natural p h i l o s o p h e r
A n a x i m a n d r o s o f M i l e t u s , 4 7 c a n n o t h e l p here. It need not necessarily h a v e a n y c o n n e c t i o n
with the n e i g h b o u r i n g mosaics, a n d t o the fourth-century villa owner he was perhaps just a
f a m o u s wise astrologer.
43
Toynbee 1964, 249: Paris; Rainey 129: 'Orpheus?' That his clothing immediately evokes Paris, is shown
by Apuleius, Metamorphoses x, 30, 2. Paris and Oenone: Ovid, Heroides v, 12-30 and 139; cf. Apollodorus,
Bibliotheca iii, 12, 6 ; Christodorus of Coptus, Anth. Pal. ii, 215-21 and others. Cf. Reinach 163, 4 ; 164, 3;
165, 1 (?); Levi, 210 f. pi. 46a. (That the syrinx, just as on the Ludovisi Relief cited ibid, and here in Pitney,
is held by the woman, argues against the alternative explanation favoured by Levi as Argus and Io) Cf. also
Paris and the-nymphs on a Roman sarcophagus: Robert, ASR ii, No. 10. pi. 4.
44
VCH Hampshire i (1900), 314 fig- 23; Toynbee 1962, No. 196 pi. 233; Toynbee 1964, 257; Rainey, 28;
Smith 1977, >°8 No. 4, «38 f. Nos. 115-18 pi. v.
45
Explanation as Ambrosia and Triptolemos by Toynbee, Rainey and Smith, loc. cit. (note 44).
46
Neptune and Amymone or Amphitrite: Reinach 34, 5 cf. 34, 6 and 7. Jupiter and Antiope: A. Blanco
Freijeiro, Mosaicos Romanes de Italka i (Madrid 1978), 27 pi. 4b (the context leads to this interpretation there);
S. Germain, Les mosaiqttes de Timgad (Paris 1969), 78 f. No. 96, pi- 33 f- Apollo and Daphne: Reinach, 26,
1-7; Levi, 211 ff.; 212 No. 96, p i . X L V i i b ; K. Schefold, Pompejanische Malerei (Basel 1952), p i . 40; O. Elia,
Pittura di Stabia (Napoli 1957), pi. II.
" See K. Parlasca, Romische Mosaiken in Deutschland (Berlin 1959), 29 with n. 2, pi. 28, 2.
298
REINHARD STUPPERICH
( / ) Frampton, Dorset
T h e s o - c a l l e d N e p t u n e m o s a i c o f F r a m p t o n is e s p e c i a l l y f a m o u s f o r t h e f r a m e c o n t a i n i n g a
C h r i s t o g r a m a n d t w o d a m a g e d epigrams o n N e p t u n e a n d C u p i d . 4 8 O n e o f the f o u r square
c o r n e r - f i e l d s i n its m a j o r s e c t i o n is d a m a g e d ; a n o t h e r c o r n e r a s w e l l a s all t h e f o u r s e m i c i r c u l a r
fields b e t w e e n t h e m , a r e d e s t r o y e d , s e e m i n g l y o n p u r p o s e .
A c c o r d i n g t o J . M . C . T o y n b e e ' s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , t h e series o f s q u a r e s f o r m e d a V e n u s A d o n i s - c y c l e . 4 9 T w o p o i n t s s e e m t o m e t o b e a g a i n s t t h i s thesis. T h e r e is n o c y c l e o f t h e p o s t u lated f o r m - the m o s a i c o f L o w H a m being different in structure - a m o n g other British
mosaics, w h o s e pictorial sequences n o r m a l l y consist o f independent themes that are connected
b y s o m e similarity o r equivalence. A n d o n e s h o u l d a l w a y s start w i t h the h y p o t h e s i s that i n
their c o m p l e t e state the pictures m u s t h a v e been easily recognizable t o a spectator even o n l y
partially acquainted with mythological i c o n o g r a p h y ; in this he was helped b y the rather
traditional picture typology. W e k n o w the iconography o f the V e n u s - A d o n i s story f r o m
R o m a n figured s a r c o p h a g i . B u t u n f o r t u n a t e l y t h e r e a r e n o a t t r i b u t e s w h i c h a l l o w t h e v i e w e r
t o i d e n t i f y i m m e d i a t e l y a n y figure i n t h e m o s a i c , n o r a r e t h e r e t y p o l o g i c a l r e l a t i o n s t o t h e
s a r c o p h a g i . A n e n t h r o n e d figure w i t h s c e p t r e i n t h e h a l f - d a m a g e d field c o u l d b e a g o d d e s s V e n u s o r P r o s e r p i n a - w i t h little A d o n i s in f r o n t o f h e r ; b u t parallels seem t o be missing. N o
m a t t e r h o w o n e m a y c o m p l e t e t h i s field ( p e r h a p s t h e c h i l d - l i k e feet a r e s i m p l y d r a w n o u t o f
p r o p o r t i o n ) , t h e t w o c o m p l e t e fields o b v i o u s l y s h o w p a i r s o f m y t h o l o g i c a l l o v e r s - a n d t h i s
m a y o n c e a g a i n h a v e b e e n t h e tertium comparationis o f t h e c o r n e r - f i e l d series. T h e s i t t i n g
P h r y g i a n h e r d s m a n a n d the s t a n d i n g n y m p h , w h o lacks a n y attribute here, seem t o be the s a m e
as t h o s e o n t h e mosaics o f P i t n e y a n d B r a d i n g , f o r w h o m interpretation as Paris a n d O e n o n e
w a s s u g g e s t e d a b o v e . O n e c o u l d a l s o c o m p a r e t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f A t t i s ( a figure r e l a t e d t o
A d o n i s ) w i t h t h e n y m p h s . 5 0 T h e r e c l i n i n g figure i n t h e last s q u a r e recalls s l e e p i n g E n d y m i o n ,
w h o s e d i s c o v e r y b y the m o o n - g o d d e s s w a s a f a v o u r i t e t h e m e o f R o m a n relief s a r c o p h a g i a n d
a p p e a r s also in m u r a l painting.51 T h e E n d y m i o n here has n o h u n t i n g spear, the a p p r o a c h i n g
goddess n o crescent, o n l y a n o r m a l d i a d e m a , but the torch in her h a n d appears again o n a
m u r a l painting. I f o n e a d h e r e s to the A d o n i s interpretation, the w o m a n c a n n o t b e t a k e n as
V e n u s , w h o m a l o n e t h i s s c e n e w o u l d s u i t a c c o r d i n g t o t r a d i t i o n a l i c o n o g r a p h y , b u t o n l y as
Proserpina, because o f the t u r n e d - d o w n torch. T h i s indicates a c h t h o n i c or nocturnal goddess.
T h e s t r a n g e l y s y s t e m a t i c d e s t r u c t i o n o f t h e f o u r s e m i c i r c u l a r fields h a s left b u t a f e w t i n y
f r a g m e n t s in o n e o f t h e m o f w h a t s e e m s t o b e fishes' fins. P e r h a p s t h e y w e r e p a r t o f m y t h o l o g i c a l
m a r i n e hybrids. S o a c c o r d i n g t o the p r o b a b l e sense o f the t w o epigrams in the*doorways,52
the realms o f N e p t u n u s a n d mightier C u p i d o m i g h t have been o p p o s e d t o o n e a n o t h e r in the
t w o picture sequences as well.
48
Published by S. Lysons in: Reliquiae Britannieo-Romanae iii, (1813), 2-4, pi. v. T. 0 . Kendrick, AngloSaxon Art to A.D. goo (1938), pi. 21; Toynbee 1962, No. 199 pi. 234; Toynbee 1964, 250 f.; ead. in: M. W.
Barley, R. P. C. Hanson, Christianity in Britain 300-700 (1968), 183 pi. 2 ; Smith 1969, 109 pi. 3- 27! K . S.
Painter in: G. de G. Sieveking (Ed.), Prehistoric and Roman Studies (London 1971), 164 f. pi. 71; Rainey, 78;
Smith 1977, 111 f. No. 17 (lit.), 140 No. 121, 148 f. Nos. 134 f.; id. in: M. Todd (Ed.), Studies in the RomanoBritish Villa (Leicester 1978), 129 fig. 41.
43
Toynbee 1964, 250 f.
50
In the architecture of a fourth-style wall-painting: G. Picard, Die Kunst der Romer (Stuttgart 1968), 74 f.
fig. 48; Kraus, fig. 251. Why not Paris?
51
Reinach, 53, 4 - 5 4 ; especially 54, 1 and 3 (with torch, but not a turned-down one); 54, 2 and 4 (Endymion
without arm over the head); G. Calza, La neeropoli del porta di Roma neWisola sacra (Roma 1940), 171 fig. 84;
Dunbabin pi. v 10; M. Yacoub, he Musee du Bardo (Tunis 1970), fig. 76; Robert, ASR iii 1, 53-111 Nos.
39-92, pis. 12-25 (with torch: No. 72 pi. 18).
52
The epigram, for the most part taken as heptametres, might better be interpreted as versus paroemiaci
as by F. Biicheler, Anthologia Latina ii (1897), No. 1524. His conjectures for the missing parts at the end of
line 3 and the beginning of line 7 and 8, made without knowledge of the drawing, seem too long but necessary.
Either the fourth-century mosaicist or Lysons must have been somewhat inexact here.
R E C O N S I D E R A T I O N OF SOME F O U R T H - C E N T U R Y BRITISH MOSAICS 2 9 9
( g ) Bramdean, Hants.
I n t h e c e n t r e o f a n o w - l o s t m o s a i c a t B r a m d e a n 5 3 is s h o w n , i n t h e t y p e o f a w r e s t l i n g m a t c h ,
h o w Hercules defeated A n t a e u s by lifting h i m f r o m his strength-giving m o t h e r Earth. A t the
r i g h t H e r c u l e s h a s p u t d o w n h i s c l u b a n d l i o n s k i n , t o t h e left a h e l m e t e d w o m a n is s i t t i n g ,
w h o m S m i t h 5 4 i d e n t i f i e s a s m o t h e r E a r t h b y w h a t h e t h i n k s is p a r t o f a g l o b e a t h e r s i d e .
H e r h e l m e t h e e x p l a i n s as t h e m i s r e n d e r e d p o r t i o n o f a tree i n t h e o r i g i n a l c o p y . B u t c o m p a r i s o n w i t h o t h e r R o m a n representations o f this t h e m e s h o w s that M i n e r v a , as she h a d
p r e v i o u s l y b e e n c a l l e d , 5 5 m u s t a c t u a l l y b e i n t e n d e d here. T h e H e r c u l e s - A n t a e u s g r o u p c a n
a p p e a r alone, o r with Earth sitting o n the g r o u n d , o r with the m u t u a l helpers Earth and M i n e r v a
f r a m i n g the g r o u p or sitting side b y side, a c c o r d i n g t o the requirements o f the p r o p o r t i o n s o f
the picture.56 T h e e x p l a n a t i o n o f t h e helmet a n d o f the semicircular shield-contour as the
m i s r e n d e r i n g o f a tree a n d a g l o b e is u n s a t i s f a c t o r y . T h e s a m e t y p e o f h e l m e t a n d t h e s t r e t c h e d o u t a r m are associated w i t h M i n e r v a , whereas E a r t h turns o n e a r m u p to h e a v e n in despair or
m o u r n i n g , o r e l s e is s i t t i n g s o r r o w f u l l y o n t h e g r o u n d . T h o u g h m o r e essential t o t h e s t o r y t h a n
M i n e r v a , she m u s t h a v e been left o u t here. P e r h a p s she w a s sitting in the f o r e g r o u n d i n f r o n t
o f M i n e r v a in the pattern b o o k , t o o complicated an overlapping to be followed a n d perhaps
n o t even correctly understood by the mosaicist.
(h) Dyer Street, Cirencester
A m o n g t h e O r p h e u s m o s a i c s , s o t y p i c a l o f t h e C o r i n i u m w o r k s h o p , t h e r e is a r a t h e r s t r a n g e
o n e f o u n d a t C i r e n c e s t e r i t s e l f . 5 7 T h e figure o f O r p h e u s i n t h e c e n t r a l m e d a l l i o n is p r e s s e d
d o w n r a t h e r s m a l l t o w a r d s t h e l o w e r e d g e b y a n o t h e r figure. U n f o r t u n a t e l y t h e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n
o f t h i s r a t h e r o b s c u r e figure is m a r r e d b y t h e f a c t t h a t it is k n o w n o n l y f r o m a d r a w i n g p u b l i s h e d
a c o n s i d e r a b l e t i m e after t h e m o s a i c w a s f o u n d a n d destroyed.
A f r o n t a l h e a d w i t h a c o n i c a l c a p is set o n a s h o r t t h i c k b o d y . I n h i s v e r t i c a l l y o u t s t r e t c h e d
a r m s t h e figure i s h o l d i n g a n a r r o w a n d a w h i p o r h a t c h e t o r t h e l i k e . I n s t e a d o f legs, h e h a s
t h r e e w i n d i n g , s n a k e - l i k e legs e n d i n g i n a s o r t o f fish's tail. H e c a n n o t b e a T r i t o n o r s i m i l a r
m a r i n e creature, a n d his higher p o s i t i o n c o m p a r e d t o the s t o o p i n g O r p h e u s symbolizes visually
his superiority a n d preponderance. Frontal appearance a n d out-stretched arms address the
v i e w e r d i r e c t l y a n d m a k e o n e t h i n k o f a s u p e r n a t u r a l e p i p h a n i a . ( N o t h i n g l i k e t h e orans-type
o f late a n t i q u i t y c a n b e m e a n t here.) T h e snake-legged feature r e m i n d s o n e o f the so-called
' A b r a x a s ' , 5 8 i n v o g u e especially in late a n t i q u i t y o n g e m s , a m u l e t s a n d m a g i c objects. N o r m a l l y
h e h a s a c o c k ' s h e a d , a s h a s t h e figure r e c o g n i z e d as ' A b r a x a s ' o n a m o s a i c i n t h e v i l l a o f
B r a d i n g . 5 9 B u t t h e r e h e h a s c o c k ' s l e g s a s w e l l , n o a t t r i b u t e s i n t h e h a n d s , a n d is s t a n d i n g i n
f r o n t o f a t e m p l e a n d t w o g r i f f o n s . T h e o t h e r t w o fields o f t h e s a m e m o s a i c , d e p i c t i n g a
63
C. Roach Smith, Collectanea Antiqua ii (1852), 54-64, pi. 21; VCH Hampshire i O900), fig. 19; Toynbee
1964, 258; Rainey, 28 f, pi. 2 A; Smith 1977, 144 No. 129 pi. vn b.
54
Smith ibid.
55
Toynbee and Rainey, loc. cit. (note 53).
56
For instance a painting in the tomb of the Nasonii at Rome: B. Andreae, Studien zur romischen Grabkunst
(Romische Mitteilungen, 9. Ergh.: Heidelberg, 1963), pi. 55; relief from Steinheim: E. Esperandieu, Recueil
General des Bas-Reliefs . . . de la Germanie Romaine (Paris, Bruxelles 193O, No. 696; sarcophagus Rome,
Museo Naz. delle Terme: C. Robert, ASR iii 1, No. 138 pi. 138; relief from Capua: ibid. fig. on p. 162. Cf.
the list on this theme by F. Brommer, Denkmalerlisten zur griechischen Heldensage i (Marburg 1971), 24-8.
57
K. J. Beecham, History of Cirencester (1886), 257, pi. opposite p. 226; Toynbee 1964, 268 f.; Smith 1965,
107 f. fig. 12; Rainey, 48; Smith 1977, 126 No. 70 pi. xib.
58
For the magical figures in vogue in late antiquity cf. A . Procope-Walter, Tao und Set. (Zu den Figurae
Magicae in den Zauberpapyri)'. Archiv fur Religionswissenschaft xxx 0933), 34-69. especially 40 ff.; C. Bonner,
Studies in Magical Amulets. Chiefly Graeco-Egyptian (Ann Arbor 1950); K. Preisendanz, Abrasax, in: Der
Kleine Pauly i, 17 f. Comparison with Triton: Rainey, 48.
58
Toynbee 1962, 202 No. 197 pi. 231; Toynbee 1964, 255; Smith 1977, >o6 No. I pi. IV b.
300 REINHARD STUPPERICH
gladiatorial m a t c h a n d a h a l f - d e s t r o y e d scene w i t h a f o x , a l s o remain u n e x p l a i n e d ; s o this
c o n t e x t c a n n o t lend m u c h h e l p in e x p l a i n i n g the Cirencester m o s a i c . P e r h a p s the f r o n t a l l y
presented c o c k ' s head o f a magical p a p y r u s has s i m p l y been misrendered in this one. B u t the
so-called A b r a x a s has a lot o f variations a n d related figures in the i c o n o g r a p h y o f magical
p a p y r i a n d a m u l e t s . T h e s e figures a n d t h e g n o s t i c m y s t i c a l s p e c u l a t i o n s t h e y r e p r e s e n t m a y
h a v e p l a y e d a part i n the late a n t i q u e O r p h i c cult as well. T h e griffons, f a b u l o u s h y b r i d s a n d
watchers o f the far n o r t h o r b e y o n d , i n late a n t i q u i t y s o m e t i m e s a p p e a r a m o n g the wild a n i m a l s
o f O r p h e u s s c e n e s a s is t h e c a s e i n s o m e m o s a i c s i n B r i t a i n . 6 0 A ' g n o s t i c i n f i l t r a t i o n ' o f t h e
O r p h e u s m o s a i c s seems a possibility, h o w e v e r t h e y s h o u l d b e classified.
CONCLUSIONS
T h e s e r e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n s , w h o s e m o r e o r less c a s u a l c h a r a c t e r p o i n t s t o t h e f a c t t h a t t h e r e still
r e m a i n s e v e r a l p r o b l e m s o f i n t e r p r e t a t i o n w a i t i n g f o r s o l u t i o n , m a y g i v e rise t o f u r t h e r r e f l e c tions.81 T h e Cirencester O r p h e u s m o s a i c p r o b a b l y shows the infiltration o f gnostic mystical
elements i n t o t h e surviving classical f o r m o f the late m o s a i c s . T h i s reinforces the possibility
that at this t i m e a deeper m e a n i n g m i g h t b e read i n the O r p h e u s m o s a i c s . 6 2 T h o u g h f o r m a l l y
quite different, the placing o f a c h r i s t o g r a m o n the mosaics o f F r a m p t o n a n d H i n t o n St. M a r y
seems t o be a similar p h e n o m e n o n . 6 3 T h e seemingly p a r a d o x i c a l j u x t a p o s i t i o n o f classical
m y t h o l o g y a n d n o n - c l a s s i c a l r e l i g i o u s s y m b o l s reflects a c h a n g e i n t h e R o m a n a t t i t u d e t o w a r d s
classical i c o n o g r a p h y that h a d p r o b a b l y c o m e a b o u t s o m e t i m e a g o . E v e n i n its stylistically
reduced provincial f o r m classical i c o n o g r a p h y r e m a i n e d absolutely d o m i n a n t f o r a l o n g time,
a n d in some instances even seemed t o be regaining ground. Consequently the intrusion o f
e x t r a n e o u s , a s it w e r e ' s u b c u l t u r a l ' , e l e m e n t s m u s t h a v e b e e n r e g a r d e d a s i n a p p r o p r i a t e t o
have been kept back for so long.
U n f o r t u n a t e l y the intermittant development o f mosaics in Britain does n o t provide e n o u g h
material f o r c o m p a r i s o n b e t w e e n earlier a n d later phases. It m a y be significant f o r t h e g e o graphical position o f Britain, that gnostic a n d christian s y m b o l s were placed ( o b v i o u s l y o n the
special o r d e r o f t h e villa o w n e r s ) a m o n g scenes o f classical i c o n o g r a p h y w i t h o u t a n y feeling
o f incongruity, w h i l e the mosaicists d i d n o t p r o v i d e a n y specific religious patterns except for
classical ones o p e n t o o t h e r interpretation, like O r p h e u s . Fear o f prosecution d o e s n o t a c c o u n t
f o r this, but simply lack o f need for a n y other alternative iconography.
A s p e c i a l f e a t u r e i n t h e m o s a i c s is t h e c y c l e o f p a n e l s , n o r m a l l y f o u r i n n u m b e r , a c c o r d i n g
t o t h e m o s a i c ' s s t r u c t u r e . T h e y reflect t h e R o m a n f o n d n e s s f o r series o f e x e m p l a : t h e y , t o o ,
s e e m t o b e h e l d t o g e t h e r b y s o m e c o m m o n m e a n i n g , w h i c h i n d a m a g e d m o s a i c s is d i f f i c u l t o r
even d a n g e r o u s t o conjecture. N o t all o f the c o m p l e t e picture-sequences f o u n d i n m o s a i c s
m a k e g o o d s e n s e . T h e i r figure-types a r e u l t i m a t e l y d e r i v e d f r o m t r a d i t i o n a l p r o t o t y p e s a n d
c o m p l e t e s c e n e s t o o , b u t h a v e b e e n s i n g l e d o u t , m i x e d u p w i t h o t h e r figures a n d a d a p t e d t o
60
Cf. H. Stern, Gallia xiii (1955), 55 fig. 14 No. 31; J. Baity, Mosaiques Antiques de Syrie (Bruxelles 1977),
44 ff. Nos. 17-19; in Britain: Smith 1977, 126 No. 69 pi. x b (Cirencester, Barton Farm); 127 No. 75 pi. xxxb
(Whatley, Som.; rather odd); 128 No. 78 (Woodchester, Glos.; better picture: D . J. Smith, The Great Pavements
and Roman Villa at Woodchester, Glos. (1973), fig. 5.)
61
For instance, the mosaic with a boy, a snake and a fallen bucket at Pitney. Because of the bucket none
of the interpretations offered (see Smith 1977, 15 • f-, No. 145, pt- xxvi b) seems acceptable, except for that
as 'Cadmus and the dragon', though Cadmus would be rather young. For 'Opheltes-Archemorus left at the
fountain Nemea' (cf. E. Simon, Archaohgischer Anzeiger 1979, 31-45) on the other hand, the boy might seem
to be already too big.
62
Smith 1969, 88 ff.
63
The difference of conventional decorative mythological iconography and such new elements of deeper
religious meaning has been stressed especially by H. Brandenburg, 'Bellerophon christianus? Zur Deutung
des Mosaiks von Hinton St. Mary und zum Problem der Mythendarstellungen in der kaiserzeitlichen
dekorativen Kunst', Romische Quartalschrift Ixiii (1968), 49-86, perhaps too restrictiveiy.
R E C O N S I D E R A T I O N OF SOME F O U R T H - C E N T U R Y B R I T I S H M O S A I C S 301
t w o - f i g u r e g r o u p s or, at P i t n e y , f o r m a l l y even i n t o single figures. S o m e o f the picture-types
are v e r y a p p r o p r i a t e f o r this use, as f o r instance Perseus a n d A n d r o m e d a at t h e lake, others
less s o . W h e r e a s t h e c h o i c e o f t h e figure-types f r o m t h e s t o c k o f c o p i e s o f t h e s a m e o r a r e l a t e d
character m u s t h a v e been u p t o the artist, the p a t r o n m a y o c c a s i o n a l l y h a v e h a d a h a n d in the
c h o i c e o f the subjects a n d the c o m p o s i t i o n o f t h e cycle. T o u n d e r s t a n d these g r o u p s a c o n siderable a c q u a i n t a n c e w i t h m y t h o l o g y , t r a d i t i o n a l i c o n o g r a p h y a n d its internal l a w s w a s
n e e d e d ; otherwise they w o u l d have remained enigmatic to the viewer, especially since in
B r i t a i n t h e r e w e r e u s u a l l y n o c a p t i o n s i d e n t i f y i n g t h e figures. N o w t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e c o n n e c t i o n o f a c y c l e ( e s p e c i a l l y i f it d i d n o t j u s t c o n s i s t o f p a i r s o f l o v e r s ) , a n d still m o r e t o p l a n
such a g r o u p i n g oneself, w o u l d d e m a n d a fairly g o o d k n o w l e d g e o f m y t h o l o g i c a l i c o n o g r a p h y .
A l l t h i s s u g g e s t s t h a t s u c h m o s a i c s w e r e p r o d u c e d f o r a g r o u p o f p e o p l e still f a i r l y - w e l l
e d u c a t e d , as m i g h t b e expected o f the villa owners.
T h e n e w interpretation o f the East C o k e r m o s a i c suggested here replaces a c o m p a r a t i v e l y
rare e p i s o d e w i t h a w e l l - k n o w n traditional type. B e i n g well-established in B a c c h i c i c o n o g r a p h y ,
it d o e s n o t d e m a n d t o o d e t a i l e d a f a m i l i a r i t y w i t h c l a s s i c a l m y t h o l o g y . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d t h e
r o c k y b a c k g r o u n d points t o a closer connection t o the versions f o u n d , for instance, in
Pompeian murals.
T h e K e y n s h a m panels a l s o p r o v i d e t r a d i t i o n a l picture-types o f classical m y t h s . B u t here
t h e i c o n o g r a p h i c t r a d i t i o n s a r e m o r e o b v i o u s , t h e s u b j e c t s a r e less c o m m o n a n d f o r m a c y c l e ,
s o t h e w h o l e h a s a m o r e ' c l a s s i c a l ' r i n g . I t is n o t c e r t a i n w h e t h e r t h e y w e r e c o p i e d f r o m s p e c i a l
p a t t e r n b o o k s b e l o n g i n g t o t h e w o r k s h o p o r f r o m i l l u m i n a t e d b o o k s . T h e l a t t e r is m o r e e v i d e n t
i n t h e c a s e o f t h e m o s a i c a t L o w H a m , s i n c e t h e p i c t u r e s c o n f o r m less t o t h e m o s a i c f r a m e a n d
s t y l e t h a n is u s u a l .
I n a n y case, t h e panels s e e m t o h a v e been m a d e at special request; the w o u l d - b e 'classical'
style a n d t y p o l o g y m a y represent a deliberate choice, a conscious recourse t o the ' g o o d o l d '
a r t . T h i s c o u l d b e i n t e r p r e t e d - t h o u g h it n e e d n o t b e - a s a r e f l e c t i o n o f t h e f o u r t h - c e n t u r y
p a g a n renaissance, the e x p o n e n t s o f w h i c h were J u l i a n a n d the aristocratic o p p o s i t i o n in Italy
a n d t h e E a s t . T h a t s u c h a n a t t i t u d e , i n d e e d , w a s t o b e f o u n d a l s o i n B r i t a i n is a t t e s t e d b y t h e
w e l l - d a t e d s a n c t u a r y a t L y d n e y w i t h its m a r i n e m o s a i c s . 6 4
W h e t h e r t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f t h e m o r e c o m p l e x m o s a i c s , l i k e t h o s e d i s c u s s e d here, i n t h e
limited area o f a few southern counties depends m o r e o n the g o o d e c o n o m i c conditions a n d the
f e u d a l villa-structure o f this area, o r o n the availability o f capable mosaicists in local w o r k s h o p s , c a n h a r d l y be assessed. B u t b o t h the mosaicists a n d the local gentry o f the f o u r t h
c e n t u r y c a n still b e r e g a r d e d a s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f a c e r t a i n g r a d e o f t r a d i t i o n a l e d u c a t i o n .
Archaologisches Seminar der Universitat
Munster.
64
R. E. M. Wheeler, T. V. Wheeler, Report on the Excavations in Lydney Park, Gloucestershire (Oxford
1932). Cf. O. Brendel, JRS xxxi (1941), 100-127 on the Corbridge lanx.