The Myth of Aphrodite and Adonis in Roman Mosaics of Jordan, Arabia, Antioch, Mauretania Tingitana and Hispania

Abstract

The myth of the love between Aphrodite and Adonis has a Syrian origin. It was known in Greece since 700 B.C. The early Greek vases, Athenian black figure vases and Athenian red figure vases do not represent it. It appears in Corinthian mirrors from the mid-4th century B.C. A huge celebration took place in the Ptolemaic court in Alexandria in honour of Adonis. During the Roman Empire it was represented in several Roman mosaics in Antioch. The myth is not known in mosaics of Orient, Greece and Northern Africa. It was represented in Madaba during the mid-4th century A.D. In Western Roman mosaics it was represented in Lixus, Mauretania Tingitana, and in several mosaics of Hispania. A celebration in honour of Adonis took place in Hispalis in 287 A.D.

Keywords

• aphrodite and adonis
• greek vases
• mirror of corinth
• ptolemaios
• not orient
• not northern africa
• antioch
• lixus
• hispania
• hispalis