Philipapolis, Syria
In Jabal Al-Arab region 87 km south of Damascus, Philipapolis
stands in an oasis of orchards and vineyards. Renowned as the birthplace
of the Arab Emperor Phillip, who ruled the Roman Empire between 244 and
249 AD to honor him, the city bore the name Phillipopolis during the Roman
period.
He took a personal interest in the city, planned it after
the Roman style, built numerous palaces and temples in it, erected triumphal
arches and public baths, a theater and a great wall surrounding it. He
is said to have wanted to turn Philipapolis into a replica of Rome itself.
Remains of the city temple (Philipon), some public baths,
parts of the old wall and its four gates, as well as the two intersecting
thoroughfares and the Roman Canal can still be seen in the town.
Visitors to the Shahba museum can see the immense mosaic
panels representing ancient Greek myths found in the remains of a private
house and date from the Constantinian renaissance of the second quarter
of the 4th century, such as:
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Orpheus "the legendary poet and
musician" surrounded by animals (3.1 x 3.1 m) second quarter of 4th
century - Orpheus, dressed in a Phrygian cap and oriental attire, is sitting
on a rock, playing the lyre. He is surrounded by animals entranced by
his music. The importance of the mosaic is described by Balty: a major
resource in the history of pagan religiosity of the first decades of the
4th century, this mosaic, at the level of art history, impresses as one
of the most powerful and sensitive in the whole history of late Roman
mosaic work.
The Wedding of Ariadne and Bacchus (3.14
x 3.14 m) second quarter of 4th century - Bacchus and Ariadne are seated
on a rock (both provided with halos) in a scene typical of the "love
conversation" tradition.
Aphrodite and Ares (3.04 x 3.04 m) second
quarter of 4th century - the scene is from the Odyssey VIII. 266-270.
Aphrodite and Ares in their love tryst before Hephaistos takes his revenge,
ridiculing them before the gods of Olympos. Aphrodite, barely covered
but richly bejewelled, stands opposite Ares attended by a rather severe-looking
woman, labelled as Charis. Cupids divest Ares of his arms and armour and
dispute possession. Balty sees this depiction (particularly the presence
of Charis and two other women attendants) as a more prudish interpretation
of the "erotic-idyllic" theme of adultery.
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Tethys "Goddess of the Sea"
(2.66 x 2.65 m) second quarter of 4th century - The Goddess bears in her
thick tresses various manifestations of sea life. A favourite theme of
Antiochan artists, the Goddess is often depicted as the consort of Oceanos.
Not a major deity, she was used as a vehicle for depicting the rich variety
of fish life of the region. This mosaic work is of unaccustomed vigour
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