Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 30/1. (2010)
Articles
Domina and Dominus from Cristepi (Mure$ County) 81 interdiction to pronounce or write down their true names is probable, but impossible to prove. From the known inscriptions in which Dominus or Domina are mentioned, we selected only those in which they appear together and therefore it can be certain that their names are not only epithets of other gods. According to our information there are a total of ten such inscriptions. In these, Dominus appears in three cases without the syncope, in five (in the table from the Appendix marked with boldfaces) with it, and in two cases it could not be observed (in the table from the Appendix written with grey); Domina appears only in two cases without the syncope and in eight (marked with boldface) with it. So we can conclude that there is a preference for the version with the syncope. Based only on this quantitative analysis and the fact that the hastae from the first and the second rows of the mould from Criste§ti could also belong to an M, the text could have been as well: [Do] m(i)na et/ [Dom](i)nus prop(itii). In only one case, the inscription from Naissus, they appear in association with a third divinity Bonus Eventus, the god of commercial and agricultural success mostly related to Fortuna.21 This association may suggest that they were accepted at least at regional level in the Roman pantheon even if their real names were not to be pronounced. In the same inscription the goddess appears with the epithet regina quite frequently used for major feminine divinities,22 which may suggest that she has a high position in the divine hierarchy of some individuals. This possibility is also underlined by the inscription from Sarmizegetusa in which they appear as the “greater gods” and their temple is situated in the area sacra next to sanctuary of Liber Pater.23 24 The epithet propitius24 on the mould was used in the sense of favourable, gracious, which points to the association with Bonus Eventus or with the concept of the “greater gods” or “queen” goddess. In almost every inscription, Dominus appears first and then Domina, while only in the inscription from Naissus and the one from Criste§ti is the goddess mentioned first. Only in our inscription is the name of the divinities in nominative.25 If the terracottas produced in the mould where not votive objects their name can be in nominative as well, if the casts produced with the mould were votive objects, we can presume that this divine couple did not have a standardised iconography and the inscription on the terracotta was rather intended as a hint to identify them. The fact that this mould was found in Criste$ti, a well known pottery production site, gives a greater indication of the popularity of this cult than a simple dedication because with the mould many series of terracotta figurines (?) could be produced, which means that probably a significant demand for such products existed. There is no reason to think that the products were meant to serve only the local demand, because Criste§ti had an important role in providing ceramic products to a larger area in eastern Dacia.26 The dedicators have in five cases a military background (Ampelum: beneficiarius procuratoris-, Gorsium: centurio legionis; Naissus: strator consularis legionis; Noviodunum: centurio 21 For some aspects of these cults in Dacia see: Bärbulescu 2003, 155, 180. 22 In Dacia most frequently this is an epithet of Iuno (Bärbulescu 2003, 196-197, 208, 212, 214, 216, 225), Nemesis (Bärbulescu 2003, 222, 224-225), Diana (Bärbulescu 2003, 177) and Fortuna (Bärbulescu 2003, 244-245). 23 Fiedler-Höpken 2005, 317; Fiedler-Höpken 2007, 445-446, Höpken-Fiedler 2008, 145. 24 As a relevant parallel we can mention the mould from Bologa, which can be read as [Habeas propijtium geniu[m] and has been related to the imperial cult (Ruscu 1992, 129; Coci$-Ruscu 1994, 122). 25 The other inscriptions have a votive character, so the names of the divinities are in dative. 26 Concerning the role of Criste^ti for the economic life of eastern Dacia see: Man 2002.
