RELIEF WITH ARCHIGALLUS, 250-300 CE. MUSEO OSTIENSE
This relief shows the chief seer or archigallus of the state cult of Cybele, the Magna Mater. It comes from the necropolis of Portus on Isola Sacra, the island of the dead that lies between the two mouths of the Tiber. Though he has traditionally been seen as the head of the cult, more recent research tends to assign him a prophetic role. He is the "chief rooster", whereas ordinary galli, "roosters", were more like capons, as they were eunuchs, emulating the act of devotion of Attis, the goddess' consort, who emasculated himself. Whereas in Phrygia, the land around Troy where the cult originated, the galli were full priests, the Romans marginalised these "fanatical devotees" who lived on the fringes of the faith, lived by begging, and carried the statue of the goddess in processions. The archigallus was not a eunuch. Here we see him making an offering to a statue of Cybele at upper left. He's wearing a toga contabulata and a crown decorated with two reclining figures.
#ReliefWednesday takes us to an #exhibition on the #Palatine and in the #Forum about the fascinating cult of #Cybele, the #MagnaMater, imported to #Rome from #Phrygia during the Second #Punic War to reinforce the #Roman connection with ancient #Troy. #AncientBluesky 🏺
