Discovered in early 1879 at the north side of the Great Altar of Zeus, this 215 cm high marble statue is dated to 150-130 BC, and is thought to be a copy of a 4th century BC original [1]. It was at first identified by archaeologists as Zeus Ammon, a combination of the great father gods of ancient Greece and Egypt. The identification was partly due to the small horns on the top of the figure's head which were associated with the goat-headed Ammon. However, it was later thought more likely to represent either Dionysos Tauros or Sabazios (Σαβάζιος), a companion of the mother goddess Kybele (Κυβέλη). A statue of Kybele, also in Istanbul Archaeological Museum, was found together with this statue [2].

Still the name Zeus Ammon persists, and the statue in the Istanbul Archaeological Museum is labelled "Statue of the supreme god Zeus Amon, god of the sky". It is one of many similar statues and heads of bearded gods in museums and collections around the world (for example, see the photo of the statue of Poseidon in the Pergamon Museum Berlin, on gallery 2, page 18). Many can not identified beyond doubt, often because their identifying symbols or attributes are missing.

The head, body and pose of this figure strongly suggest either the father god Zeus, who is typically shown holding a thunderbolt or staff; or his brother, the sea god Poseidon, who traditionally carried a trident. In the Hellenistic period Zeus Ammon was often depicted wearing ram's horns on his head (see the depiction of Alexander the Great as Zeus Ammon in the photo, right).

As for the suggestion that this could be Dionysos, this would be a very untypical depiction of the god of wine and revelry for the 4th century BC (See some images of Dionysos in Pella gallery page 9). Like Zeus, Dionysos is often shown holding a staff, his pine-cone topped "thyrsos", but not in such a grandiose pose, which was usually reserved for Zeus and Poseidon. The objection concerning the haughty pose could also apply to Tauros and Sabazios.

Detail of an Attic red-figure amphora showing
Zeus holding thunderbolts, formed by two lotus
blossoms, in his left hand.

480-460 BC. Found in Locri, Italy.

Marble statue of Zeus from
the Great Altar of Zeus,
Pergamon. 2nd century BC.

1. The "Zeus Ammon" statue from Pergamon in Istanbul

Istanbul Archaeological Museum. Inv. No. 359.
The statue stands on a plinth or socket 65 cm wide and 53 cm deep.

See:

Franz Winter, Altertümer von Pergamon, Band VII, Text I: Die Skulpturen, mit Aussnahme der Altarreliefs. Pages 60-62; Tafel X, Beiblatt 7. (The antiquities of Pergamon, Volume 7, Text 1: The sculptures, with the exception of the Altar reliefs.) Königliche Museen zu Berlin. Verlag von Georg Reimer, Berlin, 1908.

2. Statue of Kybele in Istanbul Archaeological Museum

3. Plaster cast of the "Zeus Ammon" statue from Pergamon in Berlin

The plaster cast was publicly exhibited for the first time during the temporary exhibition "Pergamon: Panorama of the Ancient City", in the Pergamon Museum, Berlin in 2012. See photo, right.

4. The "Enthroned Zeus" statue from Pergamon in Berlin

"Thronender Zeus". Berlin, Antikensammlung SNB, AvP VII 185.

Marble statue of seated Zeus.
From Demirci, Çine, Aydin.
Hellenistic, 2nd-1st century BC.

Marble statuette of enthroned Zeus
with his sacred eagle. From Nikomedia
(Izmit). Roman Imperial period,
2nd century AD.

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