Relief of Zeus Kyrios-Baalshamin in situ
YUAG, Dura-Europos Collection, negative number dura-g75b~01
The sanctuary called the Temple of Zeus Kyrios was built at Tower 16 against Dura’s western wall, where this relief sculpture of the god Zeus Kyrios-Baalshamin was placed. Given that the temple was located just one block from the Christian building, the high level of visibility of an image of a prominent god prompts reflection about the coexistence of monotheists and polytheists in third-century Dura. Specifically, questions arise about the exclusivity of the Christian building and the synagogue, and whether images such as the synagogue paintings of the destruction of statues of deities are intended to refer to the ritual practices of Dura’s polytheists. The god Zeus Kyrios-Baalshamin is enthroned, wears a polos (high crown), holds a scepter in his left hand, and carries a large bundle of flowery stalks of grains in his left. On the left, the dedicant Seleukos holds a lamb in his arms as an offering for the god. A Greek inscription with their names appears at the top and a bilingual Greek-Palmyrene Aramaic inscription below gives further details about the dedication of the relief.