1,700-Year-Old Roman Artifact Depicting Gods in Drinking Contest Unearthed
In a discovery hailed as the 'first of its kind,' archaeologists in Israel have found a Roman marble sarcophagus which depicts a scene of the mythical gods Dionysus and Hercules engaged in a drinking contest, according to a press release from the Israel Antiquities Authority.
The artifact, which is estimated to be about 1,700 years old, was discovered during an excavation in Caesarea, which lies along the country's Mediterranean coast. "We were uncovering soft dune sand when suddenly the tip of a marble object appeared," explained archaeologists Nohar Shahar and Shani Amit. The coffin had been broken into many pieces, but overall remained fantastically preserved. "Piece by piece, we revealed gods, satyrs, animals, and finally the crowning scene—Hercules reclined on a lion's skin, cup in hand, clearly defeated."
"This isn't just decoration," Shahar continued. "This motif of the drinking contest between Dionysus and Hercules, while found in mosaics from Zippori and Antioch, has never been discovered on a sarcophagus in our region. It reflects a belief that death marks not an end, but a transition-celebrated with wine, dance, and divine company."
After a painstaking conservation process undertaken by a series of experts, the full scene emerged for the first time in centuries. The scene finds famously strong Hercules felled not by his mythical opponents, but rather wine, as Dionysus looks on unfazed. "It's clear who won the contest," Shahar cracked. "Hercules can no longer stand."
The sarcophagus will shortly be on display for the public. "This sarcophagus prompts us to rethink the spiritual and physical geography of Roman Caesarea," said Eli Escusido, Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority. "It's a powerful example of how Roman-era funerary art merged myth, ritual, and personal legacy."1,700-Year-Old Roman Artifact Depicting Gods in Drinking Contest Unearthed first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 14, 2025
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