The Roman Cult of Mithras: The God and His MysteriesFirst published in 2001. The Mithras cult first became evident in Rome towards the end of the first century AD. During the next two centuries, it spread to the frontiers of the Western empire. Energetically suppressed by the early Christians, who frequently constructed their churches over the caves in which Mithraic rituals took place, the cult was extinct by the end of the fourth century. Since its publication in Germany, Manfred Clauss's introduction to the Roman Mithras cult has become widely accepted as the most reliable and readable account of this fascinating subject. For the English edition, Clauss has updated the book to reflect recent research and new archaeological discoveries. |
Contents
The growth of the cult | i |
Recruitment | xiii |
The sacred narrative | 18 |
Ritual | 73 |
The priestly grades | 97 |
Mithras swift to save | 109 |
Mithras and the other gods | 114 |
Mithras and Christ | 122 |
The mithraeum | 118 |
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Common terms and phrases
altar bull-slaying bull’s busts Carnuntum Cautes Cautopates cave Christian Commagene complex relief cult of Mithras cult-images cult-relief cult’s Cumont D(eo Dacia Dalmatia Danubian decorated dedicated deity depicted Dieburg divine E.J. Brill EPRO evidence example Father Felicissimus figure fourth century Germania Superior god’s gods grade Greek hand head images initiand initiation inscriptions invincible Jupiter killing the bull kosmos krater lamp Leyden Lions Marble relief Mercury Merkelbach mithraea mithraeum Mithraeum of Felicissimus Mithraic Mithraic congregations Mithraists Mithras and Sol Moesia Moesia Superior monuments Museum mysteries of Mithras mystery cults Nida Noricum Osterburken Ostia pagan panel Pannonia Superior pater Persian Phaëthon phrygian cap planets plaque Poetovio priests Prisca radiate crown Raetia raven religion religious representations represented ritual meal rock rock-birth rôle Roman Romania Rome scene scorpion sculptor serpent snake Sol Invictus Sol’s soldiers statue sun-god Sun’s symbol symbolised temple torch torch-bearers Vermaseren Virunum votive water-miracle zodiac