Temple Of Zeus Megistos
In its final phase, which dates from AD 169/170, the temple takes up most of a street block (C4). The main entrance is in the south. The majority of the complex consists of various smaller chapels; in the west part there is a cella and in the north-east there is a large courtyard with a portico in the north.
According to older reconstructions, there was initially a sanctuary with a courtyard, an altar and three cellae. The reconstruction shows a temple that combines Hellenistic and Iranian elements. This reconstruction is problematic and it is not even certain whether a temple stood here in Greek times. The assignment of the temple to Zeus Megistos is based only on a dedicatory inscription, according to which parts of the building were made by Seleucus, Strategos (strategos kai epistates) of the city, rebuilt and consecrated to God. The inscription dates to AD 169/170 and tells of numerous construction works on the temple, perhaps after it was destroyed by an earthquake. Probably then the building received its final form. The founder Seleukos was practically a governor in Dura-Europos and belonged to a Greek family who held this office for several generations. The governor family's house was right next to the temple. Other members of the governor family, such as Lysias, are also mentioned in inscriptions, but no titles are mentioned, so there is a possibility that these are other people of the same name who did not belong to the governor's family.
Various reliefs and sculptures come from the temple. A rectangular stele shows the god Arsu. According to the dedication inscription in Palmyrian, the stele was made by the sculptor Oga. Various statues of Heracles were also found in the sanctuary. This seems to indicate that a number of deities and not just Zeus Megistus were worshiped here. Perhaps important members of wealthy families even had individual, private chapels here that only they were allowed to enter.
References
- ^ Susan B. Downey (2016). "The Dangers of Adventuorous Reconstruction". In Kaizer, Ted (ed.). Religion, society and culture at Dura-Europos. Cambridge: Yale Classical Studies. pp. 201–203. ISBN 978-1-107-12379-3.
- ^ Baird, Jennifer A. (2018). Dura-Europos. London, UK. p. 110. ISBN 978-1-4725-2211-5.
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: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ Dirven, Lucinda (1999). The Palmyrenes of Dura-Europos : a study of religious interaction in Roman Syria. Boston: Brill. p. 320. ISBN 90-04-11589-7.
- ^ Baird, Jennifer A. (2018). Dura-Europos. London, UK. pp. 144–145. ISBN 978-1-4725-2211-5.
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: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
34°44′50″N 40°43′58″E / 34.747141292499116°N 40.73281286642365°E