journal of the serbian

archaeological society

Volume

26

2010

Belgrade


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ISSN 0352-5678
UDC 902(497.11)

JOURNAL OF THE SERBIAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

Editor: Miroslav Vujovi

E-mail: mvujovic@f.bg.ac.rs

Editorial Board: Anastassios Antonaras (Thessaloniki), Miroslav Lazi, Soija Petkovi,

Dejan Radievi, Robert Whallon (Ann Arbor), Jelena Cvijeti (Editorial Assistant).
Publishers Representative: Dragana Antonovi
Journal of the Serbian Archaeological Society is a peer-reviewed periodical published
annualy by: The Serbian Archaeological Society, ika-Ljubina 18-20, 11000 Belgrade,
Serbia.
Proof reading: Nataa Stojiljkovi and Milena Bogdanovi
Proof reading (english abstracts and summaries): Chris Prickett
Typesetting by: vojislav ilipovi
Printed by: Scanner Studio, Belgrade
Printed in: 250 copies
Manuscripts should be sent to the Editor, Journal of the Serbian Archaeological Society, ika-Ljubina 18-20, 11000
Belgrade, Serbia.
2011. Belgrade
All rights reserved


1*
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35/IV
11000
e-mail:bplemic@yahoo.com

Bojana Plemi
Archaeological Institute
Knez Mihailova 35/IV
11000 Belgrade
e-mail:bplemic@yahoo.com

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Abstract: Only a few of Hecate cult. indings has been revealed in the Roman provinces on the territory
of Serbia so far. They are characteristic by their epigraphic and iconographic features that emphasize
the character of Hecate as a triple deity, ie. Triformis Hecate (the goddess with three heads or three bodies) based on the models of Hellenistic art. The author discuss these monuments through interpretation
of their cult essence, general features of the cult and its possible origin within the territory of Serbia.
Keywords: Hecate, trivia, triformis, three, cult, functions, intersections, protective role

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Journal of the Serbian Archaeological Society

26 (2010) 119127.

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Fig. 1 Architrave with dedication to Hecate, Singidunum (after: Mirkovi 1976, 43, no.1)

(Mirkovi 1976, 43).

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Fl(aviae) Ma|x(imianae) [pro s]e et suis v(otum) p(osuit) l(ibens) m(erito).

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, . 194148. . 71: 1279.

, . 1987. .
() 34: 7986.
, . 2007. . .
. : .
MilieviBrada, Marina. 2009. Spomenici boice Dijane iz kolonije Claudia Aequum i logora
Tilurium. Opvscvla Archaeologica 33: 5178.
Mirkovi, Miroslava. 1968. Rimski gradovi na Dunavu u Gornjoj Meziji. Dissertationes 6.
Beograd: Arheoloko drutvo Jugoslavije.
Mirkovi, Miroslava. 1976. Singidunum et son territoire, In Singidunum et le nordouest de
la prvince. Incriptiones de la Msie Suprieure I, ed. Fanula Papazoglu, 2392. Beograd:
Centre d tudes pigraphiques et numismatiques de la Facult de Philosophie de lUniversit
de Beograd.
, ka. 1961. . 3: 3643.
, ka. 1963.
. 4: 2733.
, . 1972. . :
.
, . 1966. . 1516: 245250.
Petrovi, Petar. 1995. Timacim Minus et la valle du Timok. Inscriptions de la Mesie Superieire
III/2. Beograd: Centre d tudes pigraphiques et numismatiques de la Facult de philosophie de
lUniversit de Beograd.
Sarian, Haiganuch. 1992. Hecate (Addenda), In Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae
(LIMC) VI/1, ed. Lilly Kahil, 9811018. Zrich und Mnich: ArtemisVerlag.
, , . 1979.
. : .
, . 1991.
. 7: 1728.
, , -. 2001.
, Vestigatio Vetvstatis
- , , .
, 455493. : .
Tsontchev, Dimitre. 1934. Le nouveau sanctuaire dArtmis prs de TentaMekisch.
() 8: 92100.

125

/JSAS 26 (2010)

Tsontchev, Dimitre. 1957. La culte dHecate Philippopolis. Latomus (Bruxelles) 26: 470473.
, . 1996. .
() 161: 183186.
Wiliam, Berg. 1974. Hecate: Greek or Anatolian?. Numen: International review for the history of
religions no. 21.2: 128140.

Bojana B. Plemi
MONUMENTS OF THE HECATE CULT IN THE
ROMAN PROVINCES IN SERBIA
Summary
To this day only a few inds of the Hecate cult have been found in Upper Moesia.
They include a single epigraphic monument an inscribed architrave with a dedication
to Hecate Trivia from Singidunum, along with the head of a statue now treasured in
Smederevo Museum, a votive relief from Rgotina and a ceramic mold from Ulpiana. All
these representations show Hecate as a tripartite deity, or the iconographic type known as
Hecate triformis. This type was developed in Hellenistic art, while in Roman provincial
art it was especially popular in Thrace.
This paper is an attempt to explore the essence of this cult within these indings, in
order to learn more about the possible nature of the Hecate cult in Serbia. The architrave
from Singidunum (Pl. Fig. ) probably testiies to the existence of a small temple dedicated to Hecate as a deity of roads and crossroads, known as Trivia in Roman mythology.
It bears a dedication made by soldiers of the IV Flavia Legion stationed in Singidunum,
possibly originating from Hellenized areas in the south. A second inding of a Hecate
cult statuette represents a three-faced head now preserved in the Museum in Smederevo (
Fig. Pl. ). It may relate to the ancient custom of erecting statues of Hecate at intersections
or within household shrines as protection from evil forces for travelers and members of
the family. The unknown origin and context in which the statue once may have stood
is an additional disadvantage in discovering its true meaning. As for the third inding
(Pl. Fig. ), a votive relief from Rgotina, which represents Hecate with three bodies and
three heads, it is safer to assume that it was part of a home altar, set perhaps at the house
entrance as protection for the family and hearth, which is additionally conirmed by the
dedicants inscription. The molded clay medallion from Ulpiana with the image of the
triple Hecate (Fig. Pl. ) had a similar protective function.
Although these indings represent the entire repertoire of Hecate cult indings from
Serbia known to us, the diverse meanings and functions of this deity prompt us to discuss
here a few additional indings. These are a circular plate (Fig. pl. ) with three female dei126

ties from the Crvena Livada site near Jagodina and a bronze ibula in the form of a rabbit
from Singidunum (Fig. pl. ). Their iconographic characteristics may also be linked to the
cult of Hecate.
Given that existing material does not allow safer consideration of the existence of
Hecate cult in our country, these assumptions may guide further research and the evaluation of new indings from Serbia on their own terms.
/ Original scientiic article
: 12. 03. 2011.
: 15. 04. 2011.
UDK: 25(497.11)

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