The Mithras Cult in the Roman Empire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many soldiers of the Roman army supported the Mithras cult (Mithraism) which was celebrated with several secret ceremonies held in small and dark rooms, sometimes in an underground cave.

 

Since Roman soldiers were posted all over the Empire, the Mithras cult was celebrated in many Roman provinces.

 

The Mithras cult was only for men. No women were allowed. It was popular among Roman soldiers.

 

Small and dark temples where the Mithras cult was celebrated have been (partially) preserved in many parts of the Roman Empire.

 

I have seen and visited the remains of a Mithraeum, a temple dedicated to Mithras, in several locations:

 

** Ostia, not far from Rome, Italy

** Saalburg, Germany

** Walbrook. London, UK

** Brocolitia, Carrawburgh, Scotland, UK

 

For a while, between AD 100 and 300, this cult was almost as popular as the Christian religion.

 

But eventually, the Christian religion turned out to be more popular than the Mithras cult.

 

Perhaps this was because the Christian religion was open to both men and women.

 

Perhaps this was because the Christian ceremonies were held in large rooms filled with light.

 

This photo shows a small and dark room where the secret ceremonies of Mithraism were performed.

 

The aisle is flanked by less than ten seats on the left side and the right side of the room.

This photo shows the floor of the aisle which is divided into seven sections. In each section, a mosaic image marks a stage in the hierarchy of the cult:

 

# 1. Cox = raven

# 2. Nymphus = bridegroom

# 3. Miles = soldier

# 4. Leo = lion

# 5. Perses = Persian

# 6. Heliodromus = courier of the sun

# 7. Pater = father

 

On the wall at the end of the aisle, a large relief shows the magic moment when Mithras is killing the bull.

 

This photo shows a relief from a temple dedicated to the Mithras cult. Mithras is killing the bull with his dagger.

 

Three animals are helping him:

 

** a dog

** a snake

** a scorpion

 

On the top right and the top left, we have the sun and the moon.

 

On the left side and the right side, we have the two torch bearers:

 

** Cautes (who is holding his torch up) marks the sunrise, the beginning of the day, or perhaps the beginning of life.

** Cautopates (who is holding his torch down) marks the sunset, the end of the day, or perhaps the end of life.

 

REFERENCES

 

The Roman Cult of Mithras

By Manfred Clauss

(2001)

This is the English translation

The original German version was published in 1990.

Manfred Clauss (1945-2025) was a German historian who focused on ancient history.

Manfred Clauss and Wolfgang A. Slaby (1948-2024) were co-founders of an important epigraphical database which was established in the 1980s.

 

The Mysteries of Mithras:

The Pagan Belief That Shaped the Christian World

By Payam Nabarz

With a foreword by Caitlin Matthews

(2005)

 

The Religion of the Mithras Cult in the Roman Empire:

Mysteries of the Unconquered Sun

By Roger Beck

(2006 = hardcover)

(2007 = paperback)

 

The Cult of Mithras in Late Antiquity:

Development, Decline, and Demise, ca. AD 270-430

By David Walsh

(2018)

 

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Brocolitia, 

Carrawburgh

Scotland, the UK

This photo shows the remains of 

the ancient Roman Mithraeum

 

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