An embossed silver plate, about 390 millimeters across and weighing 3,555 grams, found in 1907 at a Roman cemetery near Parabiago, Italy, and held by the Archaeological Museum of Milan. Its dating is disputed, a 2nd-century CE date argued on style against a 4th-to-5th-century CE date supported by technical analysis. At the center Cybele rides a chariot drawn by four lions beside her consort, accompanied by three Corybantes, within a wider cosmic scene, a youth holding a zodiac ring around the god Aion, the Sun and Moon in their own chariots with the morning and evening stars, river nymphs, the ocean deities Oceanus and Tethys, the seasons as Erotes, and the earth goddess Tellus with her attendants, a devotional image placing Cybele at the center of the Roman cosmos. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Facts
Subject Matter
Devotional FunctionSourced to the subject's own accountDespite its densely religious imagery, most scholars read the plate as a luxury silver display object made for a wealthy Roman household rather than a functional cult implement, comparable to other large decorated silver plates produced as elite gifts and domestic display pieces in late antiquity; its scale and thinness suit table or wall display rather than altar use. 1 Physical Form
MediumSourced to the subject's own accountEmbossed silver, Roman, 2nd to 5th century CE (disputed) 1 Classification
Object TypeSourced to the subject's own account Medium (class)Sourced to the subject's own account Connections
Associated With
Milan, Cities This source names Milan directly: "held by the Archaeological Museum of Milan."
Source Parabiago Plate (Wikipedia)
This source names Oceanus directly: "stars, river nymphs, the ocean deities Oceanus and Tethys, the seasons as Erotes, and the earth goddess Tellus with her attendants, a devotional image placing Cybele at the center of the Roman cosmos."
Source Parabiago Plate (Wikipedia)
This source names Oceanus directly: "stars, river nymphs, the ocean deities Oceanus and Tethys, the seasons as Erotes, and the earth goddess Tellus with her attendants, a devotional image placing Cybele at the center of the Roman cosmos."
Source Parabiago Plate (Wikipedia)
This source names Tethys directly: "nymphs, the ocean deities Oceanus and Tethys, the seasons as Erotes, and the earth goddess Tellus with her attendants, a devotional image placing Cybele at the center of the Roman cosmos."
Source Parabiago Plate (Wikipedia)
This source names Tethys directly: "nymphs, the ocean deities Oceanus and Tethys, the seasons as Erotes, and the earth goddess Tellus with her attendants, a devotional image placing Cybele at the center of the Roman cosmos."
Source Parabiago Plate (Wikipedia)
Belongs to Tradition
Source Parabiago Plate (Wikipedia)
Depicts
The plate's central and largest figure, enthroned in her lion-drawn chariot at the heart of a Roman cosmic scene, Roman devotional art's own image of the Great Mother, on display at the Archaeological Museum of Milan.
Source Parabiago Plate (Wikipedia)
Additional Source Parabiago Plate, File Record (Wikimedia Commons, Archaeological Museum of Milan)
Originated In
Source Parabiago Plate (Wikipedia)
Sources
1. Parabiago Plate (Wikipedia)
Wikipedialead, on the plate discovery and subject
The Parabiago plate, also known as the Parabiago patera, is an ancient Roman circular silver plate depicting mythological figures. It was found in an ancient Roman cemetery at Parabiago, near Milan, in 1907, and is now in the Archaeological Museum of Milan.
catalogue record, medium/object-type description
An embossed silver plate, about 390 millimeters across and weighing 3,555 grams, found in 1907 at a Roman cemetery near Parabiago, Italy, and held by the Archaeological Museum of Milan.
Originated In: Ancient Rome, Lead
is an ancient Roman circular silver plate depicting mythological figures
View the Source Roman art (Wikipedia)
In Group: Ancient Roman Art, found in 1907 at a Roman cemetery near Parabiago, ItalyView the Source Parabiago Plate, File Record (Wikimedia Commons, Archaeological Museum of Milan)
Wikimedia CommonsDepicts: CybeleQuote, Depicts: Cybele
The gods Cybele and Adonis from the Parabiago patera (dating from 361/363 AD).
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