A unique gold plaque dedicated to the ancient Roman deity Jupiter Dolichenus has been found by a Polish-Georgian archaeological team at the site of a Roman fortress in western Georgia.
The thin, hand-sized gold plaque with embossed decorations and a Greek inscription was found during work at the 2,000-year-old Gonio Fortress, historically known as Apsaros, which once marked the frontier of the Roman province of Cappadocia.
According to the archaeologists, the unique find was a gift to Jupiter Dolichenus and his mysterious cult, which is sometimes referred to as the ‘Baal of Doliche’ or ‘Dolichenian Baal’ and was popular with Roman soldiers during the second century AD but never truly established its place in the Roman Empire.
In addition to the gold plaque, other artifacts linked to the worship of Jupiter Dolichenus were uncovered, including small bronze figurines of a bull and an eagle—symbols associated with the deity.
Dr. Radosław Karasiewicz-Szczypiorski from the University of Warsaw said: “The roots of the cult of Jupiter Dolichenus can be traced back to the east, the borderlands of modern Syria and Turkey.
According to the archaeologists, the unique find was a gift to Jupiter Dolichenus and his mysterious cult, which is sometimes referred to as the ‘Baal of Doliche’ or ‘Dolichenian Baal’ and was popular with Roman soldiers during the second century AD but never truly established its place in the Roman Empire.
In addition to the gold plaque, other artifacts linked to the worship of Jupiter Dolichenus were uncovered, including small bronze figurines of a bull and an eagle—symbols associated with the deity.
Dr. Radosław Karasiewicz-Szczypiorski from the University of Warsaw said: “The roots of the cult of Jupiter Dolichenus can be traced back to the east, the borderlands of modern Syria and Turkey.
“It was a local deity that, for reasons not fully explained, became popular in Roman military circles.
“The find confirms that functioning nearby was a place of worship, a temple.
“Maybe we will find its remains in the coming years.”
Further excavations revealed Roman pottery kilns used for firing amphorae, alongside a wine press. Researchers believe this industry may have supplied wine for Roman military use, with local craftsmen operating during the soldiers’ absence.
The archaeological team from the University of Warsaw and Georgia’s Agency for the Protection of Adjara Cultural Heritage has been working at Gonio since 2014.
“The find confirms that functioning nearby was a place of worship, a temple.
“Maybe we will find its remains in the coming years.”
Further excavations revealed Roman pottery kilns used for firing amphorae, alongside a wine press. Researchers believe this industry may have supplied wine for Roman military use, with local craftsmen operating during the soldiers’ absence.
The archaeological team from the University of Warsaw and Georgia’s Agency for the Protection of Adjara Cultural Heritage has been working at Gonio since 2014.
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