One of the most beautiful Roman mosaic panels found at the archaeological site of the city of Berenice is a square-shaped panel adorned with braided braids and swastika motifs. It features four surrounding images with a missing central image.

The two upper images depict the friends of the wine deity Bacchus, known as the Maenads. The lower two images portray the satyrs, who were also companions of Bacchus and would accompany him during his revelries, engaging in promiscuity and squeezing grapes for him.

The artist aimed to capture the essence and character of the four seasons in the painting. In the summer image, the girl appears with a round and radiant face like the sun. The spring image shows the girl adorning her hair with flowers abundant in that season.
As for the fall image, the man is depicted with two horns, symboli Wing the vigour, reproduction, and mating rituals of goats during that season. The winter image may have represented the culmination of the seasons, depicted as an elderly figure with falling hair.
Perhaps the missing central image represented the deified Bacchus surrounded by his companions.

© Mr Fathi Al-Sahili

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