Figurative Lamps Depicting Silenus Discovered in Roman Dacia

Abstract

The paper discusses the few figurative plastic lamps with the representation of the god Silenus discovered in the Roman province of Dacia starting from the analysis of a recently found specimen at Optatiana / Sutor (Sălaj County, Romania). From a morphological perspective, all these artefacts consist of a central clay statuette around which a series of secondary functional elements are revolving, namely one or more clay lamps. The high quality of these plastic lamps (lychnophoroi) makes such artefacts extremely valuable, while their technical and artistic aspect indicates towards their local production. From a chronological point of view, the data related to their archaeological context of discovery (especially for the items discovered at Optatiana and Porolissum), suggests that such figurative plastic lamps are to be dated in Dacia during the 2nd century AD, representing the revival of a late Hellenistic tradition.