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Basilica of Saint Clement

The Mithraic Mysteries and the underground chamber of San Clemente

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Prior to the adoption of Christianity as its official religion at the end of the 3 rd century AD, the Roman Empire’s religious policy was one of tolerance. Along with the official Roman religion, other religions were allowed to be practised. Moreover, some of the deities and religious practices of the people conquered by the Roman Empire were adopted by the Romans themselves. These include mystery cults such as that of the Dionysian Mysteries, Orphic Mysteries, and Mithraic Mysteries.  

Mithra was a Zoroastrian deity who was in charge of covenants and oaths. The name of this god was adapted into Greek as Mithras. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether the Zoroastrian Mithra was the same as the Roman Mithras. Some scholars regarded Mithra and Mithras as one and the same, while others regarded Mithras as a completely new Roman product. Yet others suggest that whilst Mithras may not be as ‘Oriental’ as some suggest, the fact that a Persian name was used has some significance.

Our modern understanding of the Mithraic Mysteries is derived mainly from reliefs and sculptures. The most common imagery is that of Mithras slaying a sacred bull, an act known also as ‘tauroctony’. This scene can be seen in Mithraea (the plural form of the Mithraic place of worship, singular: Mithraeum) throughout the Roman Empire. A Mithraeum was either adapted from a natural cave or cavern, or a building built to imitate such a space. When using a building as a Mithraeum, it would usually be constructed within or under the said building. As the Mithraeum was used mainly for initiation ceremonies, the dark, enclosed areas functioned symbolically as a place where the initiate’s soul descended into and exited.

Temples dedicated to the worship of Mithras continue to be uncovered, shedding new light on this mystery cult. In 2017, excavations at Zerzevan Castle in Turkey turned up a 1,700-year-old temple to Mithras, which is the only known temple to Mithras on the Roman Empire’s eastern border. In the same year, archaeologists working in the ancient Roman city of Mariana on the French island of Corsica unearthed the ruins of another sanctuary of a cult of Mithra. It was the first evidence of Mithraism having been practiced on the island. 

A relief dedicated to Mithra

A relief dedicated to Mithra found in the Mithraeum of the Circus Maximus. Image source.

One of the most well-known Mithraeums is located in the basement of the Basilica of Saint Clement (Basilica di San Clemente) in Rome. The main cult room, which is about 9.6m long and 6m wide, was discovered in 1867 but could not be investigated until 1914 due to lack of drainage.  Central to the main room of the sanctuary was found an altar, in the shape of a sarcophagus, and with the main cult relief of the tauroctony, Mithras slaying a bull, on its front face. The torchbearers Cautes and Cautopates appear on respectively the left and right faces of the same monument. Other monuments discovered in the sanctuary include a bust of Sol kept in the sanctuary in a niche near the entrance, and a figure of Mithras petra generix (Mithras born of the rock). Fragments of statuary of the two torch bearers were also found. One of the rooms adjoining the main chamber has two oblong brickwork enclosures, one of which was used as a ritual refuse pit for remnants of the cult meal. All three monuments mentioned above are still on display in the mithraeum.

Mithras and the Bull

Mithras and the Bull: This fresco from the mithraeum at Marino, Italy (third century) shows the tauroctony and the celestial lining of Mithras' cape. Image source: Wikipedia

In addition to initiation ceremonies, archaeological evidence suggests that feasting was another common activity at the Mithraeum. For instance, utensils and food residues are often found in these places of worship. Thus, it has been suggested that banquets were carried out to imitate the feast of Mithras and Sol, a solar deity. This divine feast is the second most important Mithraic iconography, in which the two gods are seen banqueting on the hide of the slaughtered sacred bull. Based on this correlation between archaeology and art, it has been suggested that other episodes of the Mithraic narrative were re-enacted by the followers of this mystery cult.

Incidentally, it has been pointed out that the rituals of Christianity and the Mithraic Mysteries are quite similar. This was done by none other than the early Christian apologists. These Christian writers, however, viewed the Mithraic rituals negatively and argued that they were corrupted copies of the Christian ones. In view of this, it may also be argued that it was Christianity that copied the Mithraic mysteries, or that the flow of ideas went both ways. Nevertheless, it will remain uncertain, as the medium of transfer, if there ever was one, has yet to be identified.

Despite similarities in rituals, Christianity and the Mithraic Mysteries were different in other respects. For instance, whilst Christianity was inclusive in nature, membership of the Mithraic Mysteries was exclusive. The Mithraic Mysteries was quite popular with the military, as evidenced in the presence of the Mithraeum at military outposts such as at the site of Carrawburgh Roman Fort, along Hadrian’s Wall in England. Furthermore, evidence suggests that only men were initiated into the Mithraic Mysteries. In addition, most of these men would have belonged to the class just below the elite but above the lower classes.

The Mithraic Mysteries will likely remain a mystery to us in the modern world. Apart from the archaeological evidence, there is little written evidence to inform us about the rituals carried out by its members. Yet, the archaeology allows us a glimpse into the secret world of the Mithraic Mysteries, and perhaps more may be uncovered in the future.

Featured image: Mithraeum in lowest floor in San Clemente in Rome, Italy. Photo source: Wikipedia

By Ḏḥwty

References

Beck, R., 2011. The Pagan Shadow of Christ?. [Online]
Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/paganshadowchrist_article_01.shtml

[Accessed 8 August 2014]. Encyclopaedia Iranica, 2002. Mithraism. [Online]
Available at: http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/mithraism

[Accessed 8 August 2014].Ross, D., 2014. Carrawburgh Temple of Mithras. [Online]
Available at: http://www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=3582

[Accessed 8 August 2014].Wikipedia, 2014. Mithra. [Online]
Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithra

Wikipedia, 2014. Mithraeum. [Online]
Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithraeum

Wikipedia, 2014. Mithraic Mysteries. [Online]
Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithraic_Mysteries

Wikipedia, 2014. Tauroctony. [Online]
Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tauroctony

www.mithraeum.eu, 2014. Mithraea, the temples of god Mithras. [Online]
Available at: http://www.mithraeum.eu/monumentae.php?tid=1

 

Comments

I have re-read that which I wrote and I cannot see where I implied that Christianity has anything to do with the depiction of the man with the blade slaying the Bull.

It is incorrect to say that pre-Christian Roman culture was religiously tolerant. Once the cult of 'Divine Emperors' was established after Augustus, it was a capital offence not to worship the Emperor. Also, after the Jewish rebellion in the 1st century AD, Jews and Christians were systematically persecuted until Constantine I decided, in the 4th century, to make Christianity the State religion of Rome and the Empire.

Tsurugi's picture

I agree with some of what you say, but I think you should check your dates.

The Age of Aries began sometime around 2000 BC. So while I agree that the imagery in the carving depicts a shift to a new age from Taurus to Aries, it cannot possibly be Christianity that was symbolized as the blade and the god of war in the carving, because Christianity didn't show up till 2000 years later, around AD 0, at the beginning of the Age of Pisces... which is why the Fish is a symbol of that religion.

It seems likely that it was Rome that was being symbolized as the blade of the god of war in the carvings. Consider, for instance, how many Mithrae were found in Roman military barracks. A fighting man's religion.
Either way, it certainly wasn't Christianity.

Mithra came before Jesus but they are in fact the same deity as with all religions they simply metamorph’ to adapt to the change of the Age.

(see DvD Zeitgeist)

 

“Our modern understanding of the Mithraic Mysteries is derived mainly from reliefs and sculptures. The most common imagery is that of Mithras slaying a sacred bull, an act known also as ‘tauroctony’

 

The bull is representing the Age of Taurus the man with the blade at the throat of the bull is representing Aries, the natural associated planet with Aries is Mars the ruler of war, blood, sharp blades etc, etc.

 

The entire relief represents the changing of the Age and therefore the metamorphing of the religion (Mithra(ism)) to Christianity.

 

One can see this happening now as we change from the Age of Pisces to the Age of Aquarius; the current religion (R.C.) is undergoing a metamorphosis.

 

(mythical) Moses moved out of Egypt as he knew that the civilization was at the point of collapse, signifying the movement from the Age of Taurus to the Age Aries.

The Egyptian civilization as grand as it was, collapsed.

 

Moses’s people when he, as their leader, left them to go into the mountains they created a golden calf or actually a bull, they where displaying their desire to return to the relative comfort (Taurus) of Egypt but Moses knew better and destroyed the calf upon his return.

Moses also knew that he was headed towards the Romans and subsequently the Roman Empire. (Romans Empire: ruled by Aries.)

 

The current Age of Aquarius is upon us. The movement began 21st December 2012. The Mayan end of the age which people took up as the end of the world.

This civilization is collapsing and will in a few short years be relegated to misunderstood myth, as with all previous civilisations.

dhwty's picture

Wu

Wu Mingren (‘Dhwty’) has a Bachelor of Arts in Ancient History and Archaeology. Although his primary interest is in the ancient civilizations of the Near East, he is also interested in other geographical regions, as well as other time periods.... Read More

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