Commagenian Tiaras: Royal and Divine Author(s): John H. Young Reviewed work(s): Source: American Journal of Archaeology, Vol. 68, No. 1 (Jan., 1964), pp. 29-34 Published by: Archaeological Institute of America Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/501522 . Accessed: 27/01/2012 17:03

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http://www.jstor.org CommagenianTiaras: Royal and Divine*

JOHN H. YOUNG

PLATES 11-12

The sculptural program of Antiochus I, King of erners.5It consists of a high cap, apparently of felt, Commagene (ca. 69-34 B.c.), is only imperfectly with a rounded peak which nods forward; to its known; yet we have enough to demonstrate that lower edge a pair of lappets and a broad neckpiece its scope was sweeping and grandiose. Excavation were attached. In Commagene we see the diadem has so far been confined to two sites: the sacred pulled across the edge of the cap over the forehead mountain Nemrud Dag,' and the site at Eski and tied in back. Further, here the cap is almost in- KAhta, called in antiquity Arsameia on the Nym- variably decorated with stars which extend on to phaeus.2 In addition we have the invaluable survey the lappets and presumably the neckpiece as well. made by two great German archaeologists, Carl The Commagenian diadem, when worn with the Humann and Otto Puchstein, which records sculp- tiara, was also almost invariably decorated. tural remains at several other sites within the king- The Persian Tiara is depicted as headdress of dom.3 At Nemrud Dag alone there once stood both men and gods. The mortals appear on the row some ninety stelae bearing reliefs of men and gods. of stelae at Nemrud Dag which present the pater- Finally, we have sculptural evidence of another nal ancestors of Antiochus. This tiara is worn by kind on the rare coinage of Antiochus, as well as the following members of the line only: the even rarer issues of his father Mithradates. A. The First Ancestor, identified by an inscrip- The monuments which remain are notable in tion as Darius Son of most of all for the Hystaspes.6 many ways, perhaps precious B. The Second Ancestor, identified as... for us. .r, details of iconography which they preserve Son of Darius.' In this I shall consider one paper iconographic C. The Fourth Ancestor, unidentified since the feature headdress. only: inscription is lost, but presumably Aroandes The paternal ancestors of Antiochus were Irani- (cf. No. 4).8 ans.' were on a series of fifteen ste- They portrayed D. The Fifth Ancestor, identified as Artasouras lae at Nemrud Dag. As we should expect, their Son of Aroandes (= Orontes).' headdress is invariably the tiara, to which is added For the third ancestor the evidence is while the diadem. I use the term tiara broadly to indicate lacking, the sixth ancestor and those who followed him in any high Iranian cap equipped with lappets and neckpiece. The Commagenian monuments record the line apparently wear a different kind of tiara. four main kinds of tiara. The four who do wear the Persian Tiara show the The first kind I shall call the Persian Tiara. This lappets pulled beneath the beard and apparently tiara was well known to the Greeks; they used it tied under the chin. They also wear the diadem, to designate not only Persians but Orientals in gen- decorated either with a row of eagles or with alter- eral: Scythians, Amazons, Trojans, and other East- nating discs and lozenges. * I wish to express my gratitude to the Bollingen Foundation Nordsyrien (Berlin I89o). Henceforth referred to as HP. for making my trip to Commagene possible, and to Miss The- 4 On this dynasty see Honigmann in RE, Suppl. 4, s.v. resa Goell for permission to study the sculptures at Nemrud Kommagene. Dak. To W. F. Albright, F. E. Brown, and F. K. D6rner I 5 These include Attis, hence the common but misleading term am indebted for advice and encouragement. "Phrygian Cap." 1 Miss Theresa Goell has directed these important excava- 6 West Terrace: HP pl. xxxv 3; inscription: Jalabert and tions under the auspices of the American Schools of Oriental Mouterde, Inscriptions grecques et latines de Syrie 1, no. 14. Research. She summarizes her work in BASOR 147 (1957) For the newly discovered East Terrace counterpart see AJA 59 4ff. (1955) pl. 71, fig. 6. 2 Directed by F. K. D6rner of the University of Miinster. For 7 West Terrace: HP pl. xxxvi i; inscription: Jalabert-Mou- the site, see D6rner-R. Naumann, Forschungen in Kommagene= terde, op.cit. no. I5. Istanbuler Forschungen Io (1939). D6rner discusses the ex- 8 West Terrace: unpublished; new find. cavations in Biblioteca Orientalis 9 (1952) 94; Das Altertum 9 West Terrace: HP pl. xxxvii I; inscription: Jalabert-Mou- 2 (1956) 82. terde, op.cit. no. 16. 8 C. Humann and 0. Puchstein, Reisen in Kleinasien und 30 JOHN H. YOUNG [AJA 68 Two gods also wear the Persian Tiara. They are Epigraphical evidence identifying him is shown on stelae at Nemrud Dag in the company lacking.'" of Antiochus himself. Their identities are also con- We may also note that the fifth and sixth ancestor firmed on the backs of the stelae: by inscriptions stelae at Nemrud Dag show the lappets hanging Zeus and Mithras Helios Her- Oromasdes,'o Apollo free, although the tiaras themselves are missing. mes." Since wear this are mani- they tiara, they It seems certain that one god also wore the festly thought of here as the Iranian gods Oromas- Pointed Tiara. He is identified on a stela at Nem- des and Mithra." too (= Ahuramazda) They rud as Artagnes Heracles Ares. In this relief wear the that of Ahuramazda decorated Dag diadem, he appears in the form of the Greek Heracles, and with thunderbolts, that of Mithra with winged wears on his head a wreath of vine leaves."9But discs and Here the of the tiara are lozenges. lappets among the colossi at Nemrud Da' he is easily rec- allowed to fall the shoulders. naturally along ognized again by the club he carries and here he Another kind of tiara in Comma- represented appears in Iranian garb as the god Artagnes (= is similar to the Persian Tiara. It differs in gene Verathragna). On both the East and the West that the of the is not rounded but peak cap pointed, Terraces the peak of his headdress has been broken and instead of forward it stands nodding stiffly up- away.20 Yet it is certain that the peak was not a toward the back. I shall call right, tipping slightly separate block (as is the case for the nodding Per- this the Pointed Tiara. It too is encircled the by sian Tiara) so that it must have risen to a simple diadem and is with and equipped lappets neckpiece, point. the loose over the shoulders. The lappets hanging That a third kind of tiara was also worn by some Pointed Tiara is worn the by following kings: of the paternal ancestors at Nemrud Dag is proved A. Mithradates,father of Antiochus. On his coin- by two unpublished fragments of reliefs, neither of age this is regularly his tiara."3The last an- which can be attributed to any specific stela. They cestor stela at Nemrud Dag, that of Mithra- are unquestionably Iranian, and again resemble the dates, does not preserve the tiara, but the Persian Tiara except that the upper part of the loosely hanging lappet appears.? On the cap is so limp as to allow it to fall forward in a funeral monument at Karaku? Mithradates baggy fold which partly obscures the diadem over again wears this tiara.15 the forehead. This corresponds to the kind of tiara B. Samos, father of Mithradates and grandfather shown on coins of satraps,21 and I thus call it the of Antiochus, as he is shown on the great Satrapal Tiara. How the lappets were arranged is rock-cut relief at Gerger. His identity is con- uncertain. firmed by epigraphical evidence."1 The fourth kind of tiara found in Commagene C. The eighth ancestor on the Nemrud Da'g is more complex and more heavily ornamented than is recorded stelae, whose name as ...8.. vrg, the three we have already considered. The cap son of Aroandes.,7 itself is keel-shaped, reversed so that the bulging D. A figure displayed upon a stela in the North part fits tightly around the head while the keel Annex of the East Terrace at Nemrud Dag. itself rises as the cap narrows above. The decoration

o10West Terrace: HP pl. xxxix I; inscription: Jalabert-Mou- Mouterde, op.cit. no. 50. terde, op.cit. no. 34. 16 HP 355, fig. So; inscription: Jalabert-Mouterde,op.cit. no. 11 West Terrace: HP pi. xxxvin 2; inscription: Jalabert-Mou- 47. On the coinage Samos is sometimes shown with a modifi- terde, op.cit. no. 33. cation of this tiara (cf. Babelon, op.cit. p. ccviii, fig. 45; at 12 When Apollo Mithras Helios Hermes is represented in his other times his head is shown radiate, as in plate xxx fig. i). Greek manifestation he is bareheaded: Jalabert-Mouterde,op.cit. 17 West Terrace: HP pl. xxxv 4; inscription: Jalabert-Mou- no. 52 with bibliography; I owe a photograph to the kindness terde, op.cit. no. 18. of the British Museum. 18 HP pl. xxxv 2. 13 Wroth, BMC, Galatia etc. pl. XIV7; Babelon, Rois de Syrie 19 HP pl. xxxix 2; inscription: Jalabert-Mouterde,op.cit. pl. xxx fig. 2 (here said to wear a "Persian tiara"; the coin no. 35. is in fact so worn that the headdress is unclear. 20 HP pl. xxiii right. Heads: East Terrace HP pl. xxix 14HP pl. xxxvII 3; the drawing fails to indicate the lappet, I and 2; West Terrace HP pl. xxx i and 2. which is clear on the stela; inscription: Jalabert-Mouterde, 21 E.g., BMC, lonia pl. xxxi nos. 5ff. Orontes son of Arta- op.cit. no. 8. souras also wears the Satrapal Tiara on the coins (Hunterian 15 HP 221, fig. 41; cf. p. 42: "ohne weiteres deut- Collection 2, pl. 2), although he wears the Persian Karakus: xLvwin lich ist daran nur die konische Tiara"; inscription: Jalabert- Tiara on the fifth ancestor stela at Nemrud Dag. 19641 COMMAGENIAN TIARAS: ROYAL AND DIVINE 31 is on the sides and at the top. On the side it con- race dexiosis relief which shows him with sists of a single figure in relief, usually a lion, Apollo Mithras Helios Hermes.25 which is framed front, back, and above by floral 4. Antiochus, at Nemrud Dag, the West Ter- sprays. These sprays rise from the front and back race dexiosis relief which shows him with of the cap and come together in the center above; Zeus Oromasdes.26 sometimes the leaves spring naturally from a wind- 5. Antiochus, at Nemrud Dag, the West Ter- ing central stalk, sometimes they are packed to- race dexiosis relief, which shows him with gether into tight rectangular borders. On the coins, Artagnes Heracles Ares.27 where there is less room, the decoration is instead 6. Antiochus, at Selik, the dexiosis relief which a star flanked by an eagle at either side. From the again shows him with Artagnes Heracles top of this cap rise five points; when shown in de- Ares.28 tail we can observe that each is a point really very The above list cites every known example where tall and that where it pointed palmette, springs epigraphical evidence makes it certain that An- from the cap its base is covered by a second pal- tiochus is represented, and where his tiara is pre- mette, low and spreading. From the lower edge of served. the cap depend the neckpiece and a pair of lappets, We may now summarize our evidence for the the latter decorated again with floral sprays. Over use of these four types of tiaras in Commagene of diadem the lower edge the tiara the is tied; it too (pl. II, fig. I). is often with a row of decorated, lions. I. The Persian Tiara is worn by the earliest This headdress is well known to numismatists, Iranian ancestors of Antiochus as they are rep- since it appears on certain Late Hellenistic coins resented at Nemrud Dag. It is certainly worn by of as the headdress of Armenia, especially Tigranes Ancestors I, 2, 4 and 5, and probably by all the the Great on his famous coinage.22 It is called by first five. It is worn by two gods in their Iranian them the "Armenian Tiara," and I shall use this aspect: Ahuramazda and Mithra, whose identities term for it. In its developed form it may well be are confirmed by inscriptions. that its origin is Armenia, but the general type is 2. The Pointed Tiara is worn by the later Irani- surely of ancient Iranian origin. In Commagene it an ancestors of Antiochus, including his father is used as the headdress of Antiochus, both on his and his grandfather, and also as far back as the coins and his monuments. On the former the lap- Sixth Ancestor in his lineage as portrayed at Nem- pets fall naturally over the shoulders, but on the rud Dag. It is also worn by the god Artagnes Hera- latter they are invariably pulled up over the diadem cles Ares when he is represented in his Iranian where they overlap across the crown of the head. form, Verathragna. The Armenian Tiara appears on the following 3. The Satrapal Tiara was apparently worn by representations, in every case identified by epi- at least two of the later Iranian ancestors of An- graphical evidence: tiochus as shown at Nemrud Dag. i. Antiochus, on his coinage.23 4. The Armenian Tiara is worn by Antiochus I 2. Antiochus, at Nemrud Dag, the West Ter- of Commagene, wherever he is surely identifiable, race dexiosis relief which shows him with and, as far as direct epigraphical evidence attests, Commagene.24 by him alone. It is his only headdress. 3. Antiochus, at Nemrud Dag, the West Ter- We must now turn our attention to the huge

22E.g., Babelon, op.cit. 2IIff, pl. xxxx. For an enlarged 26 HP pl. xxxix I; inscription: Jalabert-Mouterde, op.cit. no. photograph cf. G. Hill, Select Greek Coins (Paris 1927) pl. 34. XVIII 2. 27 HP pl. xxxxx 2. The head of Antiochus, now broken away, 23 E.g., Babelon, op.cit. pl. xxx fig. 5; Wroth, op.cit. pl. is also illustrated in O. Hamdy Bey and Osgan Effendi, Le xiv 8. tumulus de Nemrud Dagh (Constantinople 1883) frontispiece, 24 The is shown in BASOR in 2. head, recently found, 147 (1957) reproduced Archaeology 5 (i952) 137, fig. Inscription: 21, fig. 7. Part of the relief is in Berlin and shown in HP Jalabert-Mouterde, op.cit. no. 35. pl. xxxvin I; the stela itself, with the newly found torso of 28 HP 368, fig. 52; the inscription: Jalabert-Mouterde, op.cit. Commagene: AJA 59 (1955) pl. 70, 4; the inscription: Jala- no. 51. Here neither figure is identified, but the exact cor- bert-Mouterde, op.cit. no. 32. respondence of the relief to the Nemrud Dak stela is clear, 25HP pl. xxxvIII 2; inscription: Jalabert-Mouterde, op.cit. while the authorship of the inscription is self-evident. no. 33. 32 JOHN H. YOUNG [AlA 68 seated figures of the gods, the most awesome of the Now of all the heads of the East Terrace colossi, sculptural remains at Nemrud Dag. These are a that which could be best studied was the one be- row of five gods, shown enthroned on the East Ter- longing to the figure"3 seated between Zeus and race, and repeated on the West Terrace. They were Heracles, since it had been set upright by the Turk- first discovered and described by the German ex- ish expedition led by Hamdy Bey which visited pedition led by Humann and Puchstein in 1890.29 the site between the first and second German visits. Here again there is epigraphical evidence. Across Puchstein decided after careful study that this the back of the five thrones runs the famous Nem- head displayed portrait-likefeatures not to be found rud Dag inscription, which among other things in the other faces. He thus identified it as an ideal- makes clear that the figures were called synthronoi ized portrait of Antiochus.32The headless statue at theoi, and that they represent: Zeus Oromasdes; the south end must then be assigned to Apollo Apollo Mithras Helios Hermes; Artagnes Heracles Mithras, and the identification of the colossi was Ares; Commagene personified; and Antiochus him- established as follows from left to right: self."3 Which was which was a left for problem Oromasdes- Puchstein to solve. Apollo Mithras-Commagene-Zeus Antiochus-Artagnes Heracles His task was not altogether easy. The costumes of the colossi were generalized and very sketchily The colossi of the West Terrace were so ar- rendered. The best evidence for identification lay, ranged as to present the same sequence to the therefore, in their faces; but the blocks which viewer as those on the East. Here all five heads were located the German formed the heads had, with one exception, fallen to by expedition, although some were even more difficult to since not the ground, and many of them were hidden among study, other blocks strewn on the terraces. The blocks for only the heads but most of the blocks which formed the bodies had thrown to the the heads alone were huge and so heavy that the been ground. They left to German expedition was hardly able to move them. presented the following order, again right north to Puchstein began the business of identification on (here south): the East Terrace, where he was further hampered Youthful Face-Female-Bearded Face-Youthful by the fact that the head belonging to the figure at the south end of the line had fallen and could not Face-Bearded Face be found. He thus faced the following sequence: The tiaras could here be recognized, except that the one worn the at the was then Head Missing-Female-Bearded Face-Youthful by figure right assumed to be the Persian tiara. Puchstein had Face-Bearded Face, Club already decided on the sequence of identification The female one of the colossi to figure-the only based on his study of the East Terrace heads and have the head still in place-was manifestly the found no reason to alter it here.33The West Ter- The bearded at the goddess Commagene. figure race figures he again identified as: north end of the line held an upright club in his Oromasdes- left hand and must then be Heracles, the Artagnes Apollo Mithras-Commagene-Zeus Heracles Ares Heracles of the inscription. Puchstein next Antiochus-Artagnes observed that the central colossus was larger even It is a tribute to the respect every scholar feels for than the others and that its throne jutted forward the word of Otto Puchstein that these identifica- from the line; this must then be the greatest of tions have never been questioned. the gods both Greek and Persian, Zeus Ahura- And yet there is one false note in Puchstein's mazda (the Zeus Oromasdes of the inscription). arrangement of these figures, one which cannot 29 East Terrace: HP 253ff, pl. xxiiff; West Terrace: HP 293ff, identified as Antiochus could not at first be found; it was with reconstruction on 328. finally discovered almost hidden among the mass of huge 30 Dittenberger, OGIS 383 = Jalabert-Mouterde,op.cit. no. x, blocks which covered much of the terrace, lying on its left with bibliography. side and so encumbered that photography was impossible. 31 HP pl. xxIx 3-4. Puchstein wrote of it: "One gets the impression that the artist 32 HP 257: "A certain lifeless expression of the features is had intended to strip everything portrait-like from the features brought about chiefly through the schematic treatment of form; of the deified king and to render him entirely as an ideal, with yet they seem to recall a specific individuality rather than an a calm friendly smile. Yet its identity with the East Terrace idealized Greek god." head of Antiochus is recognizable beyond doubt in the broad 33 The West Terrace counterpart to the East Terrace head face, the strong cheekbones, and the short straight nose." 1964] COMMAGENIAN TIARAS: ROYAL AND DIVINE 33 fail to startle the student of Commagenian sculp- only are these idealized but they are so small that ture. It is a matter of rank. In Commagene the to properly compare them with the giant heads of place of honor is at the right, but at the right as the colossi would be folly. Furthermore, the heads it appears to the spectator. We see this in the Dexi- on the coins, as well as the larger heads on the ste- osis reliefs where the god stands to our right, the lae, are not only generalized but are presented in king at our left, whereas in the funeral relief from profile, while the colossal heads were meant to be Karaku? the king stands to our right, the dying seen from the front alone. One test remains: if the princess to our left. So, although by our etiquette head from the East Terrace identified by Puchstein it is entirely correct to seat the goddess Commagene as a portrait of Antiochus is in fact a portrait it at the right hand of Father Zeus, by Commagenian should closely resemble the corresponding head standards it is Antiochus (if we accept Puchstein's from the West Terrace, for it is clear that models identifications) who occupies the position of honor, of some sort must have been used by the sculptors elbowed while the gods Apollo and Heracles are of these huge heads. In my forthcoming study of out to the ends of the line. To be those who sure, the sculptures at Nemrud Da' I shall try to show have read the words of Antiochus as set forth in that models were indeed used, in the following way. his would call him a great inscriptions scarcely Leaving the heads of the goddess Commagene modest but at the same time his ceremonious king, apart, there are two types of faces on each terrace: is indubitable and So piety everywhere apparent. the mature bearded faces of Zeus and Heracles on uncertainty arises, and with it a desire for more the one hand, and the youthful beardless faces of positive evidence. Apollo Mithra and Antiochus on the other. I be- Fortunately, this evidence is now at hand. The lieve it is clear, especially on the West Terrace, American expedition, with better equipment, was that a pair of models was used, one for both the able to set upright all the colossal heads seen by bearded faces, the other for the faces, so Puchstein. In addition, several of the topmost youthful that on the West Terrace both Zeus and Heracles courses which formed the peaks of the tiaras have were after the same the faces of also been found, so that the headdresses are now sculptured model, Antiochus and after but these two better understood. Finally, the missing head from Apollo another; the East Terrace was recovered, and it wears the models were not the same as those used for the Now Armenian tiara. Once again, we may repeat the corresponding faces on the East Terrace. if sequence on each terrace, this time with the types the heads of Apollo Mithra and of Antiochus were of headdress and with Puchstein's identifications fashioned after the same prototype, how are we to in brackets: say which is which without further identification? Youthful Face Female Bearded Face Youthful Face Bearded Face Armenian Tiara Persian Tiara Persian Tiara Pointed Tiara - [Apollo Mithra] [Commagene] [Zeus Ahura. [Antiochus] [Heracles mazda] Verathragna] The above table makes it clear that not only is And if this is difficult for us, consider the plight the sequence itself curious, but that the headdresses of the ancient visitor, who must make the distinc- of the two youthful colossi contradict all the other tion with heads twenty feet and more above him. evidence. Elsewhere we have noted that Apollo Surely the one striking difference which he could Mithra wears the Persian Tiara, while the Armeni- not fail to observe was the difference of the tiaras. an Tiara at Commagene is regularly the headdress The tiaras were meant to be his key: of Antiochus alone. What could have caused this Bearded face with Persian Tiara = Zeus Ahura- unprecedented exchange of headgear? Or, instead, mazda can we possibly reverse the identification of the Bearded face with Pointed Tiara = Heracles two youthful figures? Verathragna The figure identified in the table above as An- Youthful face with Persian Tiara = Apollo tiochus was recognized by Puchstein because of its Mithra "portrait-like"features. Can we confirm this por- Youthful face with Armenian Tiara = Anti- trait-like quality? Any comparison with the heads ochus, wearing the tiara which was uniquely of Antiochus on the coins will be fruitless, for not his 34 JOHN H. YOUNG [AIA 68 Puchstein'sidentifications of Antiochusand Apol- not resemblethe faces of Antiochus at Nemrud lo Mithraare surely wrong and must be reversed. Da', both Doerner, the excavator,and I have Consideringthat in his time the heads were partly recognizedin it the king Mithradates.But we have obscuredby debris,and that one was lost, it is easy since learned how untrustworthythese Comma- to see how he could make such a mistake.And yet genian "portraits"are, and how importantthe tiara there has alwaysbeen one clue, independentof the is for purposesof identification.This king wears heads themselves,to their properidentification. It the Armenian Tiara. Mithradates,on his coinage lies in the words of Antiochushimself. For in the (and apparentlyalso on the ancestorstela at Nem- great inscription on the backs of the colossal rud Dag) wears the Pointed Tiara. We must throneshe says: "I have set up these divine images changeour identificationand recognizein this king of Zeus Oromasdesand of Apollo MithrasHelios once again AntiochusI of Commagene. Hermes and of Artagnes Heracles Ares, and also Again, at Nemrud Da' the German expedition of my all-nourishinghomeland Commagene,and found an unfinishedstela on the West Terrace,un- from the same stone, thronedlikewise among the inscribed." It representedtwo male figures face graciousdaemons, I have consecratedthe features to face; the upper portionof the figure to the left of my own form, and thus admitteda new Tyche and the area between the two figures was broken to sharein the ancienthonors of the great gods."3" away; this relief is now in the BerlinMuseum. Re- It is clearthat he lists the gods first,beginning with cently, the Americanexpedition found parts of a Zeus in the center, next to him Apollo, and next similar relief in clearingthe East Terrace.In this Heracles,in the orderof their importance.He then case the central area is preservedand we clearly turns to figures of a different sort, flanking the see that the figures held between them an out- other side of Zeus, again in order of importance, stretcheddiadem which was being passed from the goddess Commagenefirst, and finally the king one to the other." It is, then, an investiturerelief, himself-Antiochus. and the relief in the Berlin Museum must be its We then have the following dispositionof the West Terrace counterpart.These are by far the colossalfigures (pl. 12, fig. 2): earliestportrayals of an Iranianinvestiture so far

Young Face Female BeardedFace Young Face BeardedFace ArmenianTiara Persian Tiara PersianTiara Pointed Tiara Antiochus Commagene Zeus Oromasdes Apollo Mithras Heracles

We have now established that within the bound- discovered.38Is it then a god investing a king after aries of Commagene it is Antiochus and Antiochus the fashion of the famous Sassanid investiture re- alone who wears the Armenian Tiara, in all cases liefs? As long as we were in doubt about the true where epigraphical evidence identifies the wearer. significance of the Armenian Tiara we could not Once we know this for certain we may identify answer this question. Now we can. The more im- him by this tiara even where inscriptions fail us. portant figure, to our right, clearly wears the strik- I shall cite two examples. At Kahta, the site known ing and immediately recognizable Armenian Tiara. in antiquity as Arsameia-on-the-Nymphaeus, re- He must be Antiochus. The unfinished state of the cent excavations have uncovered a large and beau- two reliefs points unmistakably to the only pos- tifully preserved relief which shows a king at the sible answer. As one of the last monuments to be left grasping the hand of a god standing before set up in his lifetime, Antiochus sought to bring him, Heracles with his club and lion skin.35 Since his sculptural program to its logical conclusion, this site is shown by inscriptions to have honored as he hands down the diadem, symbol of royalty, Mithradates, the father of Antiochus, and since to the successor, his son. the face of the king depicted on the relief does THEJOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY 34Jalabert-Mouterde, op.cit. no. I = Dittenberger, OGIS 37 AJA 62 (1958) pl. 19, figs. 12f. 11. I here the translation 38 383, 54ff. quote by Frederick C. A Parthian investiture relief from Susa, now in Teheran, York Grant, Hellenistic Religions (New 1953) 22. shows Artabanus V handing the diadem to a satrap: Ghirsh- To be in the 35 published forthcoming volume on the ex- man, Iran (Penguin Books 1954) 280 and pl. 37. For the cavations at Arsameia. Sassanid reliefs see Art 36 Pope, Survey of Persian IV, pls. 154ff. HP pl. xxxvI 2. bn

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FIG. 2. The colossi