Mosaic of the Charioteer Eros

Mosaic

Tunisia

Tunisia, Dougga

The charioteer, Eros, is driving a quadriga (four horse chariot) with only three horses being visible. Eros carries a whip and laurel crown in his right hand and a palm branch of victory in his left, and is dressed in green, the colour of his factio (faction). Behind him, the starting gates (carceres) of the circus are visible. The horses are characterized by a noble bearing, and vegetal symbols on and near their heads. Two inscriptions are found on this mosaic. To the right of the charioteer reads 'EROS OMNIA PER TE' meaning 'Eros everything for you!' and above two of the horses are their names 'AMANDUS' and 'FRUNITUS'.

Musée Nationale du Bardo, Tunis

Dates to c. 2nd half of the 4th century CE. The inscriptions found on this mosaic celebrates the victorious charioteer and his horses. Scholars Poinssot and Merlin, and Dunbabin have variously interpreted the vegetal symbols on this mosaic.

Dunbabin, Katherine M.D. The Mosaics of Roman North Africa: Studies in Iconography and Patronage. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1978. Lassus, J. BAC 1961-2, pp.42-3; id., 'La Vénus de Khenchela au Musée de Constantine', Rec. Const. lxxi, 1969-71, pp.45-55. Merlin, A. and L. Poinssot. 'Factions du cirque et Saisons sur des mosaïques de Tunisie', Mélanges Charles Picard (=Rev. Arch. 1949), ii, p. 732-8.

Attributed to Angela Kalinowski under the license CC-BY-NC 4.0

CC-BY-NC 4.0

Angela Kalinowski

Photographer

Mosaic
Roman
Inscription
Charioteer
Male
Animal
Horse
Equipment
Spectacle

4th c. CE