Roman Bronze Figurines Depicting Iuppiter from Brigetio

Abstract

This study examines eight bronze figurines depicting Iuppiter found in Brigetio. The examples presented in this paper clearly demonstrate the pivotal role Brigetio played as a centre of Roman bronze sculpture in the region. Although Iuppiter appears most frequently in Pannonian epigraphic record, his representation in bronze sculpture is relatively rare. This contrast reflects the distinction between the public and private aspects of his cult. Both standing and seated figurines are represented among the finds from Brigetio, several of which display local adaptations of iconographic types attested elsewhere in the Roman Empire. Particularly noteworthy is one composition mounted on a U-shaped base, which includes a candelabrum and a child figure as additional elements. The seated figurine of Iuppiter, now kept in the British Museum, is likewise especially remarkable: owing to its iconographic and formal characteristics, it stands as one of the most significant examples of the early Imperial period. This study compares the types and styles of the figurines from Brigetio with earlier Greek models, evaluates the contributions of local workshops, and seeks to interpret the cultic context of Iuppiter representations, with particular emphasis on the finds recovered from the Dolichenus sanctuary.