Fitz Jenő (szerk.): Religions and Cults in Pannonia. Exhibiton an Székesfehérvár, Csók István Gallery 15 May - 30 September 1996 – Szent István Király Múzeum közleményei: A. sorozat 33. (1998)

RELIGIONS AND CULTS IN SOUTH PANNONIAN REGIONS A. Rendic-Miocevic - M. Segvic For many reasons it is not easy to talk about the problem of cults and religions in the Croatian part of what used to be the Roman Pannónia. One of the most important reason is the fact that Croatian borders do not coincide with the borders of this Roman province. An even greater problem is the recent shifting of borders. Many of monuments from the eastern regions of south Pannónia, which today are no longer part of Croatia, are kept in various museum collections in Croatia, primarily in the Zagreb Archaeological Museum. Some are represented in our choice of monuments for the exhibition and our synthesis would be incomplete had we left them out. Therefore, this introduction, and the choice of monuments at the exhibition, are a compromise between what we could present for this occasion and what perhaps should be presented at an exhibition which aims at an integral representation of ancient Pannónia and works relevant to the topic: Religions and Cults in Pannónia. On the whole, monuments from the Croatian part of Upper Pannónia are analyzed in more detail than those from Lower Pannónia which is also true for finds from Sirmium, the most important center in that part of the Province, without which it is impossible to discuss life in ancient Pannónia. Due to various reasons it was impossible to present some important and interesting monuments kept in museums throughout Croatia, among others the inscription dedicated to the Aquae Iasae nymphs, the votiv relief of Nemesis with a votiv inscription from the vicinity of Zagreb, the altar dedicated to the river-god Savus and others, and a large number of figurai monuments: the famous bronze bust of Attis (Mithras?) from Sisak, the bronze Minerva statue from Grbavac, the two Hercules statues from Sisak and Cakovec, the Fortuna statue from Vinkovci, the Apollo and Pan statues from Osijek, as well as some stone altars like the one dedicated to the local god Silvanus from Daruvar. We will, however mention them later on. The romanization of Pannónia and its southern regions came somewhat later than in other parts of the Empire. It was not until the rule of Flavii that these regions saw intense urbanization.1 Most of the cult monuments of the time were erected by Roman government officials, who headed the administrative structures and were responsible for order. Most of them were consular beneficiaries (bénéficiant consulares) and military officials. Dedications were often made in public. Of the votive monuments most note-worthy are those which were dedicated to gods worshiped in official Roman cults: written monuments and figurai representations of protagonists of these cults were placed sub divo, in temples and smaller sanctuaries as well as in private homes, in necropolies and elsewhere. They were all erected adhering to all that symbolized the state authorities. The largest number of inscriptions were dedicated to the leading Roman god Jupiter and carried the formula "the best and the greatest" (Iuppiter Optimus Maximus, IOM). He was worshipped alone or together with other deities and appears in monumental stone sculptures and bronze reliefs. The god is depicted either seated on a thrown or standing with characteristic attributes. Iuppiter also appears on various utensils and his name is mentioned on about forty altars throughout the whole southern Pannónia. More than eighty altars were discovered in the end of the 1980's, all at one place atSirmium2,

and obviously in one of the official sanctuaries, so important charasteristic of this eminent centre in Lower Pannónia. Also registered are twelve figurai representations of Iuppiter in bronze and stone. It is obvious that Iuppiter's monuments were distributed throughout the whole south Pannonian region. He is often found in temples where other gods were also worshipped, primarily those of the Capitoline Triad. This is mentioned on the interesting altar dedicated to Iuppiter, Iuno and Minerva from Osijek (Mursa) (Fig. I)? In the famous spa in Upper Pannónia, Aquae Iasae, excavations revealed a temple dedicated to Iuppiter along with those dedicated to the other Triad gods (this being the only excavated and preserved town forum in the Croatian part of Pannónia).4 It is interesting that along with the usual dedicatory specifications one also finds appellations characterizing him as Fulgurator, Depulsor, Conservator, Nundinarius, Culminalis, etc. Of the other Triad gods Iuppiter's wife Iuno doesn't appear very frequently; only four inscriptions carrying her name have been registered. She is mentioned as Regina or Augusta. The third member of the Triad, Minerva, appears more often. Eight of her monuments were registered and she appears more frequently in the form of sculpture in the round than is mentioned on inscriptions. The most significant example of figurai plastic art in the Croatian part of southern Pannonian region is the monumental marble statue of Minerva with a pedestal and dedicatory inscription, which was discovered in a temple dedicated to her in the above mentioned temple in Varazdinske Toplice {Aquae Iasae) (Fig. 2). Among the most beautiful examples of bronze figurai plastic art is the 'Mócsy 1959,107-115,136;Mócsy 1962, 597,604-610; Mócsy 1974,112 sqq. Concerning the Croatian part cfr. Pinterovic 1978,35. 2Data about eighty founded

arae dedicated to Iuppiter published in newspaper article in "Vjesnik" from 22. V. 1988. p. 10. also cfr. Jeremic et al. 1992. 3 Pinterovic 1978, 129, T. XVII. 1. The inscription reads: I(ovi) O(ptimo) M(aximo) \ Iunoni \ Minerváé sacr(um) C(aius) Iul(ius) \ ...nus? | aug(ustalis) [col(oniae] | Mur(sae) \ v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito). 4Vikic-Gorenc 1967, 102 sqq; Gorenc-Vikic 1968, 119 sqq, T. XLII; Gorenc 1970, 138 sqq, T. XLIII: 1,2; Gorenc-Vikic 1979, 32 sqq; Gorenc-Vikic 1980, 10-18. 7