A historical-artistic-mystical journey through the goddess’s influence during the Republican era
The Archaeological Park of the Colosseum is hosting the exhibition "Magna Mater between Rome and Zama" until November 5 2025, a historical, artistic, and mystical journey into the profound influence that the cult of Cybele, later assimilated as the Great Mother, had on Republican Rome. The exhibition unfolds through six thematic sections, bridging archaeology and myth, featuring Phrygian, Greek, and Imperial - era statues - alongside medieval, Renaissance, and even Baroque documents. The path begins with the Eastern origins of the cult (at the Uccelliera Farnesiana), continues with its geographic spread during the Imperial age (at the Curia Iulia), includes a sensory experience recreating the initiatory ritual through sound and light (at the Ninfeo della pioggia) and presents new sculptural findings from the excavations at Zama Regia in Tunisia (in the Tempio di Romolo), culminating in the iconographic legacy of Cybele across the centuries (at the Museo del Foro Romano).
Cybele arrives in the city from Pessinus on April 4th, 204 BC
Above all, the Temple of Magna Mater on the Palatine Hill stands out, where the divine power of the Anatolian goddess is reimagined following her arrival in the city. Notably, Republican Rome was a society that was extremely pragmatic, determined, and resolute, where “tradition” was synonymous with greatness. At the same time, this very society reflected itself in a deeply religious sentiment bordering on superstition, in which omens, dreams, and prophecies held significant weight. Cybele arrived in the city on April 4th, 204 BC, during a time when Carthage and Rome were embroiled in an ongoing and violent conflict. The war showed no sign of abating. In search of divine intervention, the Senate turned to the Sibylline Books, hoping for guidance that could tip the scales in Rome’s favor. It was thus decreed that the statue of Cybele - a sacred image carved from a black meteorite, originating from Pessinus (in present-day Turkey, where the cult had its roots) - would be brought to Rome. Significantly, Carthage was also devoted to this same goddess, and in Rome she soon became a symbol of salvation and regeneration. The political implications of this act were immense, perhaps even surpassing the cultural ones. On one hand, the decision boosted public support, patriotic sentiment, and popular morale: as the statue traveled up the Tiber River under the escort of Scipio Africanus: “ [...] The most noble matrons welcomed her. They passed the goddess from hand to hand, one to the next: meanwhile, the entire city had rushed out to meet them (...) all praying that she would enter Rome of her own will and with goodwill" [Tito Livio]. On the other hand, this moment accelerated the gradual Hellenization of Roman culture, a process already underway throughout the Mediterranean. Rome would become its consecration point, even though this marked the definitive loss of cultural autonomy for the Greek póleis.
With the Magna Mater of the Palatine, the goddess's power is reconstructed following her transfer to the Urbs
