A 2,000-year-old gold plaque discovered at a Roman fort in Georgia has revealed new evidence of an ancient religious cult that spread across the Roman Empire. Researchers say the artifact offers clues about the worship of Jupiter Dolichenus, a god whose followers included Roman soldiers and merchants.
Archaeologists discovered the small, leaf-shaped plaque in 2024 at Apsaros (Greek: Ἄψαρος), an ancient Roman fort on the Black Sea coast. A study published in 2026 examined its Greek inscription and identified the person who dedicated it as Thrasymedes. The inscription confirms that the offering honored the “Dolichenian God,” providing the first direct written evidence of the cult at Apsaros.
Ancient gold plaque reveals forgotten religious practices
Jupiter Dolichenus originated in Doliche (Greek: Δολίχη), an ancient Greek city near the border of modern-day Turkey and Syria. The Romans later associated the deity with Jupiter Optimus Maximus Dolichenus. The gold plaque was a religious offering presented to the god after a vow. Such gifts often expressed gratitude for divine assistance or a request believed to have been fulfilled.
A 2000-year-old gold plaque discovered at a Roman fort in Georgia has revealed clues about an ancient god's mysterious cult. Its Greek inscription points to a wealthy merchant and reveals how Greek trading networks may have helped spread religious beliefs across the Roman Empire. pic.twitter.com/mpKbu40amZ
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) October 21, 2026
The discovery adds to the evidence of ancient religious practices in the Roman Empire, where soldiers and civilians worshipped gods from different cultural traditions. Researchers are also investigating the identity of Thrasymedes, whose name appears on the plaque. Dr. Radosław Karasiewicz-Szczypiorski, a University of Warsaw archaeologist, believes he may have been a wealthy merchant from ancient Chersonesos (Greek: Χερσόνησος), a Greek city in present-day Crimea.
Ancient inscriptions show that a merchant with the same name received permission to import and export goods without paying customs duties. Researchers believe he may also have supplied goods to the Roman military. Stamped roof tiles discovered at Apsaros confirm the presence of soldiers from the Fifth Macedonian Legion. The merchant may have traveled to the fort through his military connections, although researchers have not confirmed his identity.
Discovery suggests hidden temple at Roman fort
Archaeologists found another important artifact near the gold plaque: a bronze figurine showing an eagle perched on a bull. Both animals were symbols of Jupiter Dolichenus, traditionally depicted as an armed god standing on a bull. Researchers believe the two discoveries suggest that a chapel or temple dedicated to the deity once stood at Apsaros. The artifacts date to the early second century A.D., before the cult reached its greatest popularity in the late second and early third centuries.
Apsaros stood relatively close to the deity’s original homeland. Its location suggests that Roman military outposts along the Black Sea may have helped carry the cult westward. The findings offer new insight into how religious beliefs spread through ancient trade networks across the Black Sea, connecting merchants, soldiers, and communities across the Roman Empire.
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