S. Priester and S. Heid at the Podium of the Magna Mater-Temple on Palatine Hill

A visit to Rome's ancient mother of the gods

by Sascha Priester

Despite the current hot spell in the city, Stefan Heid and Dr Sascha Priester (archaeology consultant at the RIGG) did not miss the opportunity to visit the current exhibition ‘Magna Mater tra Roma e Zama’.

This show, with spectacular finds and a wealth of objects never before shown in this form, is spread across several exhibition venues in the Parco archeologico del Colosseo. Admission is included in the combined ticket for the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill.

At the centre of the exhibition is the cult of the ancient goddess mother Cybele/Magna Mater and her mythological lover Attis - a religion that was ‘imported’ to Rome from the Hellenistic East during the crisis of the Second Punic War. After the victory over Hannibal, the worship of the Great Mother of the Gods experienced a boom not only in the capital, but throughout the Roman Empire.

In imperial times and late antiquity, this mystery religion developed as one of the ancient beliefs that gave its followers hope for life after death.
In the Farnese Gardens on the Palatine Hill, the birdhouses (‘Uccellerie Farnesiane’) show the origins of this cult in Anatolia and the path of the goddess to Rome.

One terrace below is the recently restored ‘Ninfeo della pioggia’. In addition to a multimedia installation, artefacts from Rome and Ostia dedicated to the ancient priesthood and cult personnel are on display here.

The next stop is the Temple of Magna Mater on the Palatine Hill; the building is open to the public again for the first time in years. Finds from there and also from the Vatican sanctuary of the Great Mother of the Gods can be seen in the Curia Iulia on the Forum. In the so-called Temple of Romulus, fans of antiquity will find a statue from Zama (Tunisia) that is exceptional in its state of preservation, and the newly designed Museo del Foro Romano sheds light on the modern history of its reception.

"Magna Mater tra Roma e Zama’ is open until 5 November 2025. A joint guided tour for Görresians is planned for the autumn.

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Category: Roman notes