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Mythological scene

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I'd agree with Kosmo : women taken forcefully by a bearded man on a chariot, with a rooster (often associated with death) under the chariot, a torch and fruits (associated with Demeter, see the Eleusis mysteries) between the two female characters, Hermes leading the way under the gaze of a man who might well be Zeus.

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Apart from Demeter, lady of the golden sword and glorious fruits, she [Persephone] was playing with the deep-bosomed daughters of Okeanos and gathering flowers over a soft meadow, roses and crocuses and beautiful violets, irises also and hyacinths and the narcissus ...but the wide-pathed earth yawned there in the plain of Nysa, and the lord of many, with his immortal horses sprang out upon her; [Hades]the Son of Kronos ...

 

And [Demeter] the daughter of rich-haired Rheia answered Hekate not, but sped swiftly with her, holding flaming torches in her hands.

 

Homeric Hymn 2 to Demeter

 

In front of the chariot is certainly Hermes Psychopompus, who leads souls into the underworld. The identity of the bearded bloke on the far right is something of a mystery. Is this bas-relief from a tomb?

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Honestly, you guys never cease to impress me!

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Thanks for all the answers! this depiction is from a sarcophagus.

 

In that case (and I'll await correction from someone who knows what he is talking about) I'd assume a Roman sarcophagus and go further in thinking that the gent on the right is the deceased. If there is another panel showing a similar figure centre stage then it's almost certain.

 

You'll note that this guy is wearing a toga (rather similar in style to that of Tiberius on the Ara Pacis) which makes him rather out of place in a mythological Greek scene. There's a neat and ordinarily impractical combination of toga - which Romans were buried in - and travelling boots!

 

He has his head covered, which is the proper response of a togate Roman to the presence of the divine,and rather interestingly, a beard, which suggests that we are looking at something late second century AD?

Edited by Maty

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