Mithras

A recent study of the Močići site on the Dalmatian coast in southern Croatia has revealed that worshippers of the Roman mystery cult of Mithras adapted their practices to the natural environment far more than previously thought. The findings challenge the long-held belief that Mithraic sanctuaries were strictly uniform, indoor, and artificial spaces designed to represent the cosmos. Located in the hills above the ancient city of Epidaurum (modern Cavtat), the Močići sanctuary features a rock-cut relief of Mithras positioned above a natural cave and spring. Unlike the typical enclosed Roman mithraea, this site lacks any built structures, suggesting that rituals were performed in the open air, directly engaging with the surrounding landscape. The Standard Model of Mithraic Worship Mithras