Bronze Mithraic tablet of Sextus Pompeius Maximus

Provenance unknown. In view of the contents of the inscription (mentioning the ferry-service of the toga bearers) certainly from Ostia. Bought in 1873 from Alessandro Castellani.
Date: 170-230 AD. W. 0.29, h. 0.42.

Below a sacrificial knife, a bust of Sol, and a patera is the text:

SEX(to) POMPEIO SEX(ti) FIL(io) MAXIMO SACERDOTI SOLIS IN VICTI MIT(hrae) PATRI PATRVM Q(uin)Q(uennali) CORP(oris) TREIECT(us) TOGA TENSIVM SACERDO TES SOLIS INVICTI MIT(hrae) OB AMOREM ET MERI TA EIVS SEMPER HA BET

To Sextus Pompeius, son of Sextus, Maximus, priest of Sol invincible Mithras, father of fathers, president of the guild of the ferry-service of the toga bearers. The priests of Sol invincible Mithras, because of his affection and merits. May he have it forever.

Sextus Pompeius Maximus is documented as pater in the Mithraeum "Aldobrandini" (II,I,2). Here he features as "father of fathers", so a different original location cannot be excluded.

Inv. nr. 1873,0820.260. CIL XIV, 403 ("formula semper habet mihi et nova est et parum intellegitur"; the shape of the B is a bit odd). EDR144062. Photo: Eric Taylor. BM info.