The Roman Cult of Mithras Mira Richard-Fioramore
Feb 22, 2016
The Roman Cult of Mithras
Mira Richard-Fioramore
History 1st c. AD – 4th c. AD Sources: Depictions on monuments All males Mithraic cult is a mystery religion Mithras = Indo-Persian deity Mitra? Roman origin? Christian?
Myth information Mithras was born from a rock. Slaughters a bull, bows to the Sun, Sun
and himself eat parts of the bull together.
On Latin monuments = Mithras On Greek monuments = Mithra
IconographyThe Mithraeum
Rock cave with central aisle and podiums.
Centrepiece depicting relief of tauroctony.
400+ temples throughout the Roman Empire
Close to streams or springs
IconographyTauroctony
Mithras killing a bull.
A bit different in style, same concept.
Some reliefs have depictions of the myth of Mithras
IconographyBanquet of the Sun & Lion-headed figurine
Relief on opposite side of tauroctony relief.
Mithras and Sun dining. Strictly Mithraic Art Arimanius = deus = god
Initiation Only holy ones can be initiated into the cult. 5 step ritual
Initiation Raven (Mercury) Nymphus (Venus) Soldier (Mars) Lion (Jupiter) Persian (Moon) Heliodromus (Sun) Father (Saturn)
Works cited Pearce, Roger. “The Roman Cult of Mithras.”
The Tertullian Project. N.d., Web. 4 Nov. 2013.
http://www.tertullian.org/rpearse/mithras/display.php?page=main
“Mithraism.”Religion Facts. N.d, N.p. Web 4 Nov. 2013.http://www.religionfacts.com/greco-roman/sects/mithraism.htm
Speidel, Michael P. Mithras-Orion. Netherlands: E.J. Brill, 1980, 1-13. Print.