Sol-Helios. Roman Imperial, 2nd / 3rd cent. AD. Bronze hollow cast, H 31 cm. From the Shlomo Moussai
Sol-Helios. Roman Imperial, 2nd / 3rd cent. AD. Bronze hollow cast, H 31 cm. From the Shlomo Moussaieff Collection. Gorny & Mosch auction 248 No 151, June 2017. Today, December 25. marks the Roman festival of the dies natalis (anniversary) of the dedication of the temple of Sol Invictus, the Unconquered Sun, on December 25, 274 by the Emperor Aurelian. Sol Invictus was regarded as the patron of Roman soldiers and the guardian of the Emperor.The coincidence of the date of the western Christian celebration of the birth of Christ with this traditional Roman festival remains controversial among academics: Clement of Alexandria (150-215 CE) recorded that in his day the celebration of the birth of Christ was variously held in March, April, or May. Around a century after the Emperor Aurelian’s dedication of the Temple of Sol Invictus, Augustine of Hippo (354-430) noted in several sermons the coincidence of the nativity of Christ with the celebration of the festival of Sol Invictus: “..not the visible sun, but the invisible Creator of the sun has consecrated this day…” (Sermon 186) Meanwhile, in the mid to late fourth century CE, Christian leaders in the eastern Empire settled on January 6 as the date of their celebration of Christ’s birth. -- source link
#sol invictus#unconquered sun#roman polytheism#religio romana#cultus deorum