Anubis on Roman fresco | Photo: Fabio Caricchia
In the Roman baths of the Emperor Caracalla (reigned 211-217 CE), there is a preserved fresco depicting Anubis, which dates back to the 2nd century CE.
Anubis, one of the most important gods of ancient Egypt, was the protector of the dead and guide of souls to the afterlife. He was most often depicted as a man with the head of a jackal – an animal associated with cemeteries, as jackals often appeared near burial sites. In Egyptian mythology, Anubis oversaw the mummification process, weighing the hearts of the dead on the scales of truth and justice to determine their fate after death.
The presence of Anubis in a Roman fresco in the Baths of Caracalla is a fascinating example of religious syncretism in the Roman Empire. By the time of Emperor Caracalla, Egypt had long been a Roman province, and its religion – with gods such as Isis, Serapis, and Anubis—had deeply permeated Roman culture.
