Roman-German Museum in Köln, January 18, 2015

Roman-German Museum in Köln, January 18, 2015

Today I went to Cologne and visited the Römisch-Germanisches Museum there. Cologne was a Roman city and many artifacts have been found from that era. (These are only a few of the photos - click on the link to see the whole set).

There were two very nice mosaic floors, one on the floor of a Roman villa. It was exposed in the early years of WWII when the authorities were building air raid shelters. It's called the Dionysus mosaic because of the mythological figures depicted, but what I really liked were the animals.

Another mosaic floor is called the "Philosopher's Mosaic" because it depicts several ancient Greek philosophers.

This is Plato.

Aristotle

And this is Socrates.

Here's another mosaic floor, called a "lithostroton." 

Another example of the same style.

Another mosaic, partially restored, of the gladitorial games.

These ladies below are Germanic mother goddesses. The Latin inscription reads: "For the Matrones Afliae. Marcus Marius Marcellus established the altar for himself and his family on the order of the Matrons."

This is a gravestone for the cavalryman Longinus. The inscription, not shown here, says
"Longinus Biarta, son of Bisa, from the tribe of the Bessus, cavalryman
 in the (regiment) of Ala Sulpicia (in Bulgaria). Died at age 46 years."

Another dedicatory inscription: "For the goddess Vagdavercustis,
Titus Flavius Constans, Commander of the Imperial Guard."

Depiction of a river god, perhaps of the Rhine.