Reaching Out

Gesture at Dura-Europos

“…36 Therefore, it is surprising not only that Dionysus does not figure more prominently in Dura-Europos, but also that this scene would represent the only illustration of Greek mythology in the wall paintings in the city. 37 Some aspects of the painting, however, do not fit easily with an interpretation of it as showing Dionysus' discovery of Ariadne. For example, Cumont doubted that the seated figure was divine because of the lack of a nimbus; the same would make identification of the figure in the panther skin as Dionysus problematic.…”