A Fragment of Pediment from Cyzicus

Abstract

The fragment appears to have belonged to the corner of a triangular pediment. A sitting female figure, who is stretching her right leg under her left leg that is drawn back slightly, occurs on the corner part of the pediment. A standing male is depicted to the left of this sitting female figure. This naked male figure has a worn surface which is carved on a rectangular two-step pedestal, as if the figure walked towards his right. On the acroterion of the pediment, a lower part of a female figure wearing a himation over a long tunic has been partially preserved. What appears to be a box, the front of which is broken and the inside of which is carved as a rectangle, is placed to the left of this female figure. A battle between Roman Emperor Septimus Severus and Pescennius Niger, who rebelled against him, took place near the city of Cyzicus in 194 A.D. Cyziqene people supported Emperor Septimus Severus. The studied fragmentary pediment must belong to the tomb of a Cyziqene nobles who fought in this battle of 194 A.D. Both stylistic features of the figures and the ornaments indicate that this pediment may be dated to the late second century A.D.