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Mithraeum 1

Mithraeum

A mithraeum found in the ruins of Ostia Antica,

Italy

How a modern history theme park imagines a

mithraeum: Museum Orientalis in the

Netherlands

Finds from a mithraeum in Stockstadt, Germany

A Mithraeum (or the plural Mithraea) is a place of worship for the

followers of the mystery religion of Mithraism.

The Mithraeum was either an adapted natural cave or cavern, or abuilding imitating a cave. When possible, the Mithraeum was

constructed within or below an existing building, such as the

Mithraeum found beneath Basilica of San Clemente in Rome. While a

majority of Mithraea are underground, some feature open holes in the

ceiling to allow some light in, perhaps to relate to the connection of the

universe and the passing of time. The site of a Mithraeum may also be

identified by its singular entrance or vestibule, which stands opposite

from an apse-shaped wall in which a pedestal altar at the back stood,

often in a recess. Also its "cave", called the Spelaeum or Spelunca,

with raised benches along the side walls for the ritual meal. Manymithraea that follow this basic plan are scattered over much of the

Roman Empire's former territory, particularly where the legions were

stationed along the frontiers (such as Britain). Others may be

recognized by their characteristic layout, even though converted as

crypts beneath Christian churches.

From the structure of the Mithraea it is possible to surmise that

worshippers would have gathered for a common meal along the

reclining couches lining the walls.

Finally, the ubiquity of the Mithraeums distinctive banqueting

benches implies the ubiquity of the cult meal as the liturgie

ordinaire.[1]

The Mithraeum primarily functioned as an area for initiation, in which

the soul descends and exits. The Mithraeum itself was arranged as an

"image of the universe". It is noticed by some researchers that this

movement, especially in the context of mithraic iconography (see

below), seems to stem from the neoplatonic concept that the "running"

of the sun from solstice to solstice is a parallel for the movement of the

soul through the universe, from pre-existence, into the body, and then

beyond the physical body into an afterlife.

Similarly, the Persians call the place a cave where they

introduce an initiate to the Mysteries, revealing to him the path by which souls descend and go back again.

For Eubulus tells us that Zoroaster was the first to dedicate a natural cave in honour of Mithras, the creator

and father of all this cave bore for him the image of the cosmos which Mithras had created, and the things

which the cave contained, by their proportionate arrangement, provided him with symbols of the elements and

climates of the cosmos [trans. Arethusa edition][1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mithrashttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zoroasterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Neoplatonichttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Iconographyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Initiationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Christianityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Crypthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Roman_Empirehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Apsehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Romehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Basilica_di_San_Clementehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mithraic_Mysterieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Greco-Roman_mysterieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ASaalburgmuseum_Funde_Mithraeum_Stockstadt.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3AMPO_mithras-heiligdom.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Museum_Orientalishttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3AOstia_Antica_Mithraeum.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ostia_Antica

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Mithraeum 2

A mithraeum found in the German city of

Saarbrcken

Most Mithraea can be dated between 100 B.C. and 300 A.D., mostly in

the Roman Empire.

Notable mithraea

France

Angers

Biesheim

Mackwiller

Sarrebourg

Strasbourg (district of Knigshoffen)

Germany

Cologne Dieburg/Darmstadt

Frankfurt-Heddernheim

Freiburg im Breisgau, mithraeum relics from Riegel displayed in Freiburg museum

Gimmeldingen,Mithras-Heiligtum Gimmeldingen Sehenswertes (German language) [2]

Gglingen

Hanau

Heidelberg, Kurpflzisches Museum

Knigsbrunn (near Augsburg)

Mainz, Consecration Altars of the Mithraeum Mogontiacum

Neuss (Legionslager Castra Novaesia)

Osterburken

Riegel am Kaiserstuhl[3] (near Freiburg im Breisgau)

Saalburg

Saarbrcken

Schwarzerden

Wiesloch

Hungary

Aquincum Mithraeum (of Victorinus). Remains open within Aquincum Archaeological Park.

Savaria Mithraeum. Fertorakos Mithraeum.

Israel

Caesarea Maritima, City of Herods.

Old Caesarea Roman Mithraeum.

Italy

In the city of Rome:

Mithraeum of the Circus Maximus. Remains open by appointment.

Barberini Mithraeum. remains open by appointment.

Mithraeum of San Clemente, under the basilica of San Clemente. Remains visible in archaeological museum. Mithraeum of the Baths of Caracalla. Remains open by appointment.

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Baths_of_Caracallahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Basilica_of_San_Clementehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barberinihttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Circus_Maximushttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Romehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Old_Caesarea_Roman_Mithraeumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Caesarea_Maritima%2C_City_of_Herodshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fertorakos_Mithraeumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Savaria_Mithraeumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aquincum_Mithraeum_%28of_Victorinus%29http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wieslochhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Freisenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Saarbr%C3%BCckenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Saalburghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Freiburg_im_Breisgauhttp://www.kaiserstuhl.eu/Orte/Riegel/mithras-kult.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Riegel_am_Kaiserstuhlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Osterburkenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Neusshttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mogontiacumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mainzhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Augsburghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=K%C3%B6nigsbrunnhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kurpf%C3%A4lzisches_Museumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Heidelberghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hanauhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=G%C3%BCglingenhttp://www.gimmeldingen.de/?q=node/6http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gimmeldingenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Freiburg_im_Breisgauhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Heddernheimhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Frankfurthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Darmstadthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dieburghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Colognehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Strasbourghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sarrebourghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mackwillerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Biesheimhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Angershttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3AMithrasgrotte_Halberg_Saarbruecken.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Saarbr%C3%BCcken

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Mithraeum 3

Castra Peregrinorum mithraeum, under the church of Santo Stefano Rotondo. Remains open by appointment.

Mithraeum under the Santa Prisca basilica. Remains open by appointment.

In Campania:

Mithraeum of Santa Maria Capua Vetere

Mithraeum of Naples

Romania

A reconstructed Mithraeum in the Brukenthal Museum's Lapidarium, with some of the items unearthed at Apulum

(Alba Iulia).

Spain

Roman Ville of Fuente lamo's Mithraeum (Puente Genil).

Switzerland

Martigny (ancient Octodurus) - a reconstructed Mithraeum [4]

Syria

Duro-Europos - Transported to and rebuilt at Yale University's Gallery of Fine Arts.

United Kingdom

Caernarfon Mithraeum, Wales.

Carrawburgh, Hadrian's Wall, England. Remains open.

London Mithraeum, England. Remains open.

External links

List of mithraea [5] from Mithraeum.eu

[1] [Ritual, Myth, Doctrine, and Initiation in the Mysteries of Mithras: New Evidence from a Cult Vessel Roger Beck The Journal of Roman

Studies , Vol. 90, (2000), pp. 145-180 Published by: Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies Article Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/

stable/300205], additional text],[2] http://www.gimmeldingen.de/?q=node/6

[3] http://www.kaiserstuhl.eu/Orte/Riegel/mithras-kult.htm

[4] http://www.martigny.ch/pagetype.cfm?page=pages/en/culture_archeologie.cfm&sousmenuId=32& section=5

[5] http://www.mithraeum.eu/monumentae.php?tid=1

http://www.mithraeum.eu/monumentae.php?tid=1http://www.martigny.ch/pagetype.cfm?page=pages/en/culture_archeologie.cfm&sousmenuId=32&section=5http://www.kaiserstuhl.eu/Orte/Riegel/mithras-kult.htmhttp://www.gimmeldingen.de/?q=node/6http://www.jstor.org/stable/300205http://www.jstor.org/stable/300205http://www.mithraeum.eu/monumentae.php?tid=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=London_Mithraeumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hadrian%27s_Wallhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Carrawburghhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Caernarfon_Mithraeumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dura-Europos%23The_Mithraeumhttp://www.martigny.ch/pagetype.cfm?page=pages/en/culture_archeologie.cfm&sousmenuId=32&section=5http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Martigny%2C_Switzerlandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Puente_Genilhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alba_Iuliahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brukenthal_Museumhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Santa_Maria_Capua_Veterehttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Campaniahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Santa_Priscahttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Santo_Stefano_Rotondo

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Article Sources and Contributors 4

Article Sources and ContributorsMithraeum Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=529953548 Contributors: Andypeg123, Big Brother 1984, Carmentis, D6, DanielCD, Emarsee, Ev, Fennessy, Filos96, Gekritzl,Indiansummermh, Kelisi, Kormin, Lfh, LilHelpa, Lumpeseggl, Lysy, Mani1, MeltBanana, Menibbles, MetaManFromTomorrow, Mr pand, Neddyseagoon, Nedrutland, RCS, Robert Prummel,Roger Pearse, SJayFairbanks, Symposiarch, The Topher, Vegaswikian, Wetman, Zello, Ziko,, 19 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsImage:Ostia Antica Mithraeum.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Ostia_Antica_Mithraeum.jpg License: Public Domain Contributors: Michelle Touton (Ailurophyle)

File:MPO mithras-heiligdom.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:MPO_mithras-heiligdom.jpg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0Contributors: Ziko

File:Saalburgmuseum Funde Mithraeum Stockstadt.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Saalburgmuseum_Funde_Mithraeum_Stockstadt.jpg License: CreativeCommons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0,2.5,2.0,1.0 Contributors: Haselburg-mller

File:Mithrasgrotte Halberg Saarbruecken.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Mithrasgrotte_Halberg_Saarbruecken.jpg License: Creative CommonsAttribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors: Anna16

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