DOCSLIB.ORG

|||GET||| the Roman Cult of Mithras 1St Edition

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
|||GET||| the Roman Cult of Mithras 1St Edition THE ROMAN CULT OF MITHRAS 1ST EDITION DOWNLOAD FREE Manfred Clauss | 9781351540797 | | | | | ISBN 13: 9780415929776 John R. Classical Literature. Film Genre. Bivar, a British orientalist. It had its mysterious meetings: its chapels, which bore a strong resemblance to little churches. Help Learn to edit Community portal Recent changes Upload file. Keil eds. Alcimus, a slave and housekeeper of Tiberius Claudius Livinanus, has fulfilled his vow and given as a present to Sol Mithras. The writing was a bit dry but I was okay with that because I know this book is a classic of Mithraism studies. Publisher: Routledge Flavius Aug. Film Studies Student Guides. Other Popular Editions of the Same Title. There are excellent and lucidly outlined descriptions of the initiation, the rituals and the seven grades, with the meaning of the symbolism and the text of inscriptions explained in a vivid way for the lay person It is the earliest evidence of Mithras in Asia Minor. YouTube video Mithraeum A website with a collection of monuments and bibliography about Mithraism. Journal of the American Oriental Society. Zoroastrians: their religious beliefs and practices. The Roman Cult of Mithras 1st edition that we cannot go Suffice it to say that there is neither archaeological nor allied evidence for the arrival of Mithraism in the West at that time, nor is there any ancient literary reference, either contemporary or later. It is also clear, on the basis of the archaeological evidence, that the cult gained its momen- tum from the second half of the 2nd century CE onward, when the amount of datable Mithraic material increases significantly. Archived from the original PDF on 10 February In what he explains and demonstrates of the Roman version of the faith, Clauss can hardly be faulted Gordon maintains the former theory of Merkelbach and others, especially noting such examples as Dura where all names are associated with a Mithraic grade. At the same time, there is usually a plurality of possible frameworks of interpretation — cultural and social contexts — and the choosing of each of them will lead to The Roman Cult of Mithras 1st edition specific interpretation and attribution of a distinctive meaning. Journal of Mithraic Studies II : — Huld-Zetche, Mithras in Nida-Heddernheim…, Scottish Poetry. Mozley it literally means Perseanreferring to Persesthe son of Perseus and Andromeda[] The Roman Cult of Mithras 1st edition Perses being the ancestor of the Persians according to Greek legend. Media Culture. Cultural Geography. The Roman Cult of Mithras: The God and His Mysteries The time has come to review the principal scholarship which has argued for transmission and continuity based on the postulated similarities Accounts of the cruelty of the emperor Commodus describes his amusing himself by enacting Mithraic initiation ordeals in homicidal form. To Zoroaster, this cave was an image of the whole world, so he consecrated it to Mithras, the creator of the world. James Sipprelle rated it liked it Oct 06, For the English edition the author has revised the work to take account of recent research and new archaeological discoveries. Scottish Book History. Artur Olczyk rated it really liked it Sep 22, The temples of Mithras were always an underground cave, similar to those found recently underneath Teotihuacan Quetzalcoatl Pyramid and Cholula, Puebla in Mexico. In reality, we know neither the name given to this being by worshippers of Mithras evidence speaks rather for the name of Arimanius nor the role it played within the cult. Clearing copyright. Therefore, attention has shifted to the search for a founding com- munity in which the cult germinated and subsequently spread to the major- ity of Roman provinces. Roman Law. In transcription I endorse the reconstructed reading according to AEno. Main article: Mithras in comparison with other belief systems. The origins and spread of the Mysteries are matters of perennial debate among scholars of the cult. Television Studies. For the transmission of Iranian doctrine from East to West, Cumont postulated a plausible, if hypothetical, intermediary: the Magusaeans of the Iranian diaspora in Anatolia. Of more importance in the long run, however, was the even more radical paper presented by R. For, that bread and a cup of water are placed with certain The Roman Cult of Mithras 1st edition in the mystic rites of one who is being initiated, you either know or can learn. Recto Very sharp and […] […] much. Manfred Clauss. Customer Service Delivery Information. Browse Books. She also says that "the Persian affiliation of the Mysteries is acknowledged in the earliest literary references to them. Ulansey, The Origins…, Brian rated it really liked it Oct 23, The Roman Cult of Mithras is by far the best introduction to the subject now available in English, and advanced scholars will return to it constantly. It is far more likely that Mithraic doctrine in the weak sense of the term! Ancient Rome Roman Law. Retrieved 20 March It is dedicated to Sol Invictus Mithras. Ulansey states that "Mithraism declined with the rise to power of Christianity, until the beginning of the fifth century, when Christianity became strong enough to exterminate by The Roman Cult of Mithras 1st edition rival religions such as Mithraism. Brill Gawlikowski, Michal, Hawarte Preliminary Report. The Roman Cult of Mithras 1st editionCorux, or Corvex raven or crow. There have been many attempts to interpret this material. Hermes addresses Julian: "As for you Style Sheets. Annual report. More filters. Scottish Novel. History American History. Where's My Order? Taking a different view from other modern scholars, Ulansey argues that the Mithraic mysteries began in the Greco-Roman world as a The Roman Cult of Mithras 1st edition response to the discovery by the Greek astronomer Hipparchus of the astronomical phenomenon of the precession of the equinoxes — a discovery that amounted to discovering that the entire cosmos was moving in a hitherto unknown way. Clauss, Manfred. A Companion to Roman Religion. Online here [2] Archived at the Wayback Machine. Some scholars maintain that practice may have differed over time, or from one Mithraeum to another. The historicity of this claim is doubtful in the least, but this passage, if nothing else, at least attests the possibility that a similar aetiological nar- rative might have circulated among the worshippers of Mithras in the Roman Empire. Related Papers. Showing It is well-structured, accessibly written and extensively illustrated. Suffice it to say that there is neither archaeological nor allied evidence for the arrival of Mithraism in the West at that time, nor is there any ancient literary reference, either contemporary or later. Mithras-worship in the Roman Empire was characterized by images of the god slaughtering a bull. According to Cumont, the imagery of the tauroctony was a Graeco-Roman representation of an event in Zoroastrian cosmogony described in a 9th-century Zoroastrian text, the Bundahishn. In some depictions, the central tauroctony is framed by a series of subsidiary scenes to the left, top and right, illustrating events in the Mithras narrative; Mithras being born from the rock, the water miracle, the hunting and riding of the bull, meeting Sol who kneels to him, shaking hands with Sol and sharing a meal of bull-parts with him, and ascending to the heavens in a chariot. She also says that "the Persian affiliation of the Mysteries is acknowledged in the earliest literary references to them. In some depictions, Cautes and Cautopates are also present; sometimes they are depicted as shepherds. Matthew Zerwic rated it really liked it Aug 13, This specific ISBN edition is currently not available. Skip to the end of the images gallery. Mithras-Orion: Greek The Roman Cult of Mithras 1st edition and Roman army god. For the most part, mithraea tend to be small, externally undistinguished, and cheaply constructed; the cult generally preferring to create a new centre rather than expand an existing one. Chicago: Open Court. The person who dedicated this altar, Titus The Roman Cult of Mithras 1st edition Plotus, was a veteran of the legio IV which was, according to some sources, relocated to the region near Oescus by the emperor Trajan ruled CE. Geden writes that this may be due to a misunderstanding. Friend Reviews. His body is a naked man's, entwined by a serpent or two serpents, like a caduceuswith the snake's head often resting on the lion's head. See also: Mithraeum. Revision analysis of the pottery found in this mithraeum, however, showed that it could in fact have been founded much earlier, around CE. Brandon rated it liked it Dec 25, Sometimes he is shown as coming out of the rock as a child, and in one instance he has a globe in one hand; sometimes a thunderbolt is seen. The terminus ante quem for the dedication of this inscription is again the year CE, since the 32nd cohort of Roman citizens was stationed at Nida from 90 until CE. Scots The Roman Cult of Mithras 1st edition. In addition, it aims, after careful examination of all circumstances, to present some preliminary conclusions concerning the most probable and plausible historical scenarios of the origins of the Roman cult of Mithras. He also considers the connections of Mithraicism with astrology, and examines how far it can be seen as a direct descendant of the ancient cult of Mitra, the Persian god of contract, cattle and light. One statue had its base perforated so that it could serve as a fountain, and the base of another has the mask of the water god. Burned residues of animal entrails are commonly found on the main altars indicating regular sacrificial use. For the English edition The Roman Cult of Mithras 1st edition author has revised the work to take account of recent research and new archaeological discoveries.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Cosmological Narrative in the Synagogues of Late Roman-Byzantine Palestine
    COSMOLOGICAL NARRATIVE IN THE SYNAGOGUES OF LATE ROMAN-BYZANTINE PALESTINE Bradley Charles Erickson A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Religious Studies. Chapel Hill 2020 Approved by: Jodi Magness Zlatko Plese David Lambert Jennifer Gates-Foster Maurizio Forte © 2020 Bradley Charles Erickson ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii ABSTRACT Bradley Charles Erickson: Cosmological Narrative in the Synagogues of Late Roman-Byzantine Palestine (Under the Direction of Jodi Magness) The night sky provided ancient peoples with a visible framework through which they could view and experience the divine. Ancient astronomers looked to the night sky for practical reasons, such as the construction of calendars by which time could evenly be divided, and for prognosis, such as the foretelling of future events based on the movements of the planets and stars. While scholars have written much about the Greco-Roman understanding of the night sky, few studies exist that examine Jewish cosmological thought in relation to the appearance of the Late Roman-Byzantine synagogue Helios-zodiac cycle. This dissertation surveys the ways that ancient Jews experienced the night sky, including literature of the Second Temple (sixth century BCE – 70 CE), rabbinic and mystical writings, and Helios-zodiac cycles in synagogues of ancient Palestine. I argue that Judaism joined an evolving Greco-Roman cosmology with ancient Jewish traditions as a means of producing knowledge of the earthly and heavenly realms. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my sincere appreciation to my adviser, Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Cult and Votive Monuments in the Roman Provinces
    CULT AND VOTIVE MONUMENTS IN THE ROMAN PROVINCES PROCEEDINGS OF THE 13TH INTERNATIONAL COLLOQUIUM ON ROMAN PROVINCIAL ART CORPUS SIGNORUM IMPERII ROMANI CULT AND VOTIVE MONUMENTS IN THE ROMAN PROVINCES Proceedings of the 13th International Colloquium on Roman Provincial Art Bucharest – Alba Iulia – Constanța, 27th of May – 3rd of June 2013 – within the framework of Corpus Signorum Imperii Romani – Editor Cristina-Georgeta Alexandrescu Mega Publishing House Cluj‑Napoca 2015 ImλgInes Studies in ancient arts and iconography 3 Series editor Cristina-Georgeta Alexandrescu Printed with the financial support of the Romanian Academy. Editor: Cristina‑Georgeta Alexandrescu. Editorial board: Cristina‑Georgeta Alexandrescu, Liana Oța, Mihaela Mănucu‑Adameșteanu. Front cover: Fortuna relief found reused in the baths of the Roman auxiliary camp of Ilișua, Bistrița‑Năsăud County (Complexul Muzeal Bistrița‑Năsăud, Bistrița, inv. no. 23022; photo C.‑G.Alexandrescu, ArheoMedia). Back cover: Detail of the Fortuna and Pontos statue from Tomis (Muzeul de Istorie Națională și Arheologie Constanța inv. no. 2001; photo O. Țiței). First published 2015. © Institutul de Arheologie “Vasile Pârvan” & the authors. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the author and editor. This book is not for sale. The distribution of printed volumes is to be made through publication exchange and gift. Descrierea CIP a Bibliotecii Naţionale a României INTERNAŢIONAL COLLOQUIUM ON ROMAN PROVINCIAL ART (13 ; 2013 ; Bucureşti ; Alba Iulia ; Constanţa) Cult and votive monuments in the Roman province : Proceedings of the 13th Internaţional Colloquium on Roman provincial art : Bucharest - Alba Iulia - Constanţa, 27th of May - 3rd June 2013 : within the frame of Corpus Signorum Imperii Romani / ed.: Cristina‑Georgeta Alexandrescu.
    [Show full text]
  • The Melammu Project
    ! ∀ # ∃ % &∋( !∀∀#∃%& ∋()∗∗+++ , ∗ +−+−−+(−∋−. )∗∗+++ // / ∗∗ ∋−. , −0 −− − − −)−−−+− 1−(.,−)−.− −(−,2−−− −) , + ,( − +( − ((−)−, 3−)−.−40)−−− )−−0,−−+− (0,(+(−∋−.−− ,−+0 1−+−+( 0,(−)−−− 5−0)−( 6−7)−(8/ The Soul’s Journeys and Tauroctony On Babylonian Sediment in the Syncretic Religious Doctrines of Late Antiquity Amar Annus , Tartu Introduction This paper tries to investigate some important concepts in the syncretic world1 of the religions of late antiquity with respect to its Mesopotamian heritage. These features include the origin of Gnostic archons, the doctrines of fate, the soul’s ascent and descent and its clothing, and some concepts especially pertinent to Mithraism such as grade systems, Mithras’ rockbirth, and the tauroctony. Before giving an account of the Mesopotamian sediments in the religions of late antiq- fi uity perhaps a justi cation of the endeavour is in order. Apart from the pan-th Babylonian school, there were some other scholars in the first half of the 20 century who admitted Mesopotamian in fluence on the late antique religions, most notably W. Anz (1897), F. Cumont (1912; 1949) and G. Widengren (1946). For example, according to the famous dictum of Franz Cumont, the mysteries of Mithras derived its origins from ancient Persia, and subsequently were deposited in Babylonia with “a thick2 sediment of Semitic doctrines” ( un sédiment épais de doctrines sémitiquesth ). In the second half of the 20 century, the Mesopotamian in fluences on the religions of late antiquity have for a quite long time been out of fashion, and the “Babylonian sediments” have never been systematically studied. This has led many scholars to think that Cumont’s verdict was mistaken and any similar endeavour is probably based on a misapprehension.
    [Show full text]
  • Chasing the Sun: Using Coinage to Document the Spread of Solar Worship in the Roman Empire in the 3Rd Century Ce
    1 Chasing the sun: using coinage to document the spread of solar worship in the roman empire in the 3rd century ce. A Thesis Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Classics By Danielle Steyn Classics Department University of Canterbury 2012-13 2 Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3 INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 CHAPTER 1: The Legend and Legacy of Sol: The Sun in Art and Literature…………………………………… 9 1.1 Secondary Scholarship: The “Problem” of Two Sols……………………………………………………………… 10 1.2 Primary Evidence………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 14 CHAPTER 2: Orphaned From Light: Sol in the 3rd Century CE………………………………………………………. 25 2.1 Historical Background of the 3rd Century CE…………………………………………………………………………. 26 2.2 Religion in the 3rd Century CE……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 31 2.3 Explaining Sol’s Popularity in the 3rd Century CE…………………………………………………………………… 33 2.4 Emperors Who Favoured Solar Deities…………………………………………………………………………………. 38 CHAPTER 3: A Shining Benefaction: Sol and 3rd Century Imperial Coinage………………………………….. 44 3.1.1 The Necessity of Minting Coins………………………………………………………………………………………….. 46 3.1.2 A Defence of ‘Monuments in Miniature’……………………………………………………………………………. 48 3.1.3 ‘Reading’ the Obverse and Reverse Together…………………………………………………………………….. 49 3.2 Deities on Coins……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 51 3.3 The Radiate Crown……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 54 3.4 The Iconography of Sol on Coinage……………………………………………………………………………………….
    [Show full text]
  • The Religion of Freelance Experts in Early Imperial Rome
    AT THE TEMPLE GATES: THE RELIGION OF FREELANCE EXPERTS IN EARLY IMPERIAL ROME BY Heidi Wendt A.B., Brown University, 2004 M.T.S., Harvard Divinity School, 2007 DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of PhilosoPhy in the Department of Religious Studies at Brown University PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND MAY 2013 © Copyright 2013 by Heidi Wendt This dissertation by Heidi Katherine Wendt is accepted in its present form by the Department of Religious Studies as satisfying the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Recommended to the Graduate School Date________________ _______________________________________________ Dr. Stanley K. Stowers, Advisor Date________________ _______________________________________________ Dr. Ross S. Kraemer, Advisor Date________________ _______________________________________________ Dr. John Bodel, Advisor Recommended to the Graduate School Date________________ _______________________________________________ Dean Peter Weber, Dean of the Graduate School iii CURRICULUM VITAE Heidi Wendt was born May 12th 1982, in Bethesda, Maryland. After five years in Fairfax, VirGinia, her family moved to Danville, California, where she attended local public schools. In 2000, she entered Brown University as an underGraduate student. There she concentrated in International Relations and ReliGious Studies, with a focus on development and interactions between native reliGion and Christianity in West Africa that included field research in Ghana. After taking several reliGion courses with faculty whose expertise and research were in the ancient Mediterranean world, she grew increasingly interested in the Greco- Roman context of earliest Christianity. After graduating Magna Cum Laude from Brown in 2004, Heidi enrolled in Harvard Divinity School, where she studied reliGion in the Roman Empire with an interdisciplinary approach that included coursework in Roman art and archaeoloGy.
    [Show full text]
  • The Mysteries of Mithras
    THE VERMONT LODGE OF RESEARCH #10 THE MYSTERIES OF MITHRAS There has developed quite a large historical record on the cultic practice of Mithraism beginning around 1400 BC to its wane in the 3rd century AD. My focus in this lecture is to discuss only the initiatic degree system as a prototype of the initiatic systems in the ancient mysteries. Mithraism recognized seven degrees of divine knowledge. Members could advance from one degree to the next by undergoing a special initiation, with tests of courage and stamina at each stage. The seven ranks corresponded to the seven known celestial planets, and scaling them was a metaphor for the passage of the soul through the planetary spheres toward heaven Lets look at a traditional description of the seven degrees of Mithras by the historian Everett Ferguson in his book BACKGROUND OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY: “The symbols of the different grades are found in a remarkable pebble mosaic in the floor of a mithraeum dedicated by Felicissimus in Ostia, the port city of ancient Rome. The mosaic portrays three objects for each grade: one representing the grade itself; one an emblem of a function of the grade and one for the planetary god associated with the grade. (1) RAVEN. The first grade was under the protection of Mercury, whose role as a messenger of the gods was taken by the raven in the Mithraic myth. The symbols of this degree are the raven a cup and the caduceus of mercury. (2) BRIDE. The second grade was under the protection of Venus. There is shown a lamp and a crown.
    [Show full text]
  • Mithra Mithraism Christmas Day & Yalda Complete
    MITHRA, MITHRAISM CHRISTMAS DAY & YALDA K. E. Eduljee Zoroastrian Heritage Monographs Time saving Truth from Falsehood and Envy. Falsehood holds the mask of deceit in his hand. A 1737 painting by Francois Lemoyne (1688-1737). The artist suffered from severe depression and killed himself the day after he completed this painting. In the Zoroastrian scriptures, the Avesta, Mithra is the guardian of truthfulness, keeping one’s word and the bonds of friendship. Zoroastrianism presages a world when goodness will overcome evil, and truthfulness will overcome deceit and the Lie. Every person needs to do her or his part to enable that goal to be reached – and to battle falsehood at every step. This monograph is dedicated to the memory of my mother Katayun Eduljee née Katayun Kaikhoshro Irani. Her brother, Darius Kaikhoshro Irani’s leadership and motivation have inspired my study and writing. Detailed edition First edition published, November 2015. This second edition published, November 2016 by K. E. Eduljee West Vancouver, BC, Canada The monograph has been published in two versions: 1. Complete version with notations and source texts, 2. Abridged version without notations and source texts. For further enquiries and pdf or printed copies: [email protected] www.zoroastrianheritage.com This pdf copy in full form may be distributed freely. © K. E. Eduljee No part of this book may be reproduced in any other form without permission from the author, except for the quotation of brief passages in citation. Zoroastrian Heritage Monographs VII. References MITHRA, MITHRAISM, CHRISTMAS DAY & YALDA CONTENTS PART I – MITHRA & MITHRAISM............................................................................ 1 1. Who is Mithra?......................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Athanor Cover.Indd
    The Metropolitan Museum of Art Tauroctony: New Possibilities in the Worship of Mithras Amy Yandek On display in the Roman galleries of the Metropolitan Mu- through its existence. Mithras must therefore hunt it down seum of Art in New York is a cast bronze plaque depicting and kill it. When the god finally overpowers the bull, he drags a relief of the Roman god Mithras in the act of killing a bull it into a cave before stabbing it. By killing the bull, Mithras (Figure 1).1 The object is relatively small — when compared both restores order and creates life, sometimes illustrated by with other representations of its kind — measuring only about a stalk of wheat growing from either the tail or the wound. fourteen by twelve inches and is most likely from Italy. The Supporting the god in his work are two Greco-Roman sym- museum dates it to the late second or early third centuries. bols of abundance and rebirth: the scorpion and the snake.3 This dating is assumed to be assigned for two reasons: this Through this single action Mithras has offered salvation to period is when Mithraism was at its height and the plaque mankind by providing life to sustain all creatures. is naturalistic in style, a characteristic that is often ascribed The cave where the bull-slaying occurs later becomes to the Antonine era. There is no other reason to limit the the locus of worship for members of the cult. Within the plaque’s date or date of use to this period. The bull-killing context of these mysteries, the mithraeum is an extension scene — or tauroctony — is the most common visual rep- of the first mythical cave of Mithras, and therefore comple- resentation related to the religion.
    [Show full text]
  • Mithraism: Archaeological Evidence of the Spread and Change of a Roman Cult Religion
    Mithraism: Archaeological Evidence Of The Spread And Change Of A Roman Cult Religion By Garrett Kaminski May 5th, 2008 A SENIOR PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN- LA CROSSE 1 Abstract: The cult of Mithraism is generally well-known in circles concerning Roman history and archaeology. The set of beliefs embodied by this cult transformed very rapidly when adopted by the Romans. This adoption most likely occurred in the late first century C.E. There are currently several proposed theories concerning the Roman adoption of Mithraism, and these focus on the Roman military during its occupation of Persia. Archaeology has uncovered origins of Mithraism in this area and as far east as India. When Mithraism reached Rome, it became very popular among legionnaires and lower statesmen. There is substantial archaeological evidence of Mithraism’s prominence in nearly all of Rome’s territories, including modern Great Britain and Africa. Most of this evidence occurs in the form of ruined Mithraeums. By the late third century C.E., Mithraism had all but disappeared, as it came into conflict with Christianity in Rome. The fact that followers of Mithras left few written records forces us to rely solely on archaeological evidence for information about its origins, growth, and eventual disappearance. 2 Introduction: The cult of Mithraism is not necessarily a new subject in the field of archaeology. Some of the first prominent work on the subject was done in the 19th century by Franz Cumont, whose Classical interpretation posited that Roman Mithraism was simply a Persian transplant that became Romanized as it spread throughout the Roman empire (Shandruk 2004).
    [Show full text]
  • American Journal of Archaeology
    AMERICAN JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY THE JOURNAL OF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF AMERICA This article is © The Archaeological Institute of America and was originally published in AJA 113(1):81–97. This reprint is supplied to the primary author for personal, non-commercial use only, following the terms stipulated by the AJA Editor-in-Chief. The definitive electronic version of the article can be found at http://www.atypon-link.com/AIA/doi/abs/10.3764/ aja.113.1.81. Volume 113 ● No. 1 January 2009 ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF AMERICA 2009 officers C. Brian Rose, President Elizabeth Bartman, First Vice President John Russell, Vice President for Professional Responsibilities Jenifer Neils, Vice President for Publications Mat Saunders, Vice President for Education and Outreach Alexandra Cleworth, Vice President for Societies Brian J. Heidtke, Treasurer Teresa M. Keller, Executive Director honorary PresiDents Robert H. Dyson, Jr., James R. Wiseman, Martha Sharp Joukowsky, James Russell, Stephen L. Dyson, Nancy C. Wilkie GOVERNING BOARD Elie Abemayor Donald W. Morrison Michael Ambler Robert E. Murowchick Cathleen Asch Helen Nagy Eugene Borza Lynn Quigley John McK. Camp II Paul Rissman Laura Childs Caroline Rubinstein Lawrence Coben Ann Santen Mitchell Eitel Glenn Schwartz William Fitzhugh Ava Seave Harrison Ford David C. Seigle Sebastian Heath Charles Stanish Peter Herdrich Charles Steinmetz Lillian Joyce John J. Yarmick William A. Lindsay Paul Zimansky Jerald T. Milanich TRUSTEES EMERITI Norma Kershaw Charles S. LaFollette PAST PRESIDENT Jane C. Waldbaum Andrew J. Foley, of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, General Counsel memBershiP in the archaeological institute of america anD suBscriPtion to the AMerIcaN joURNAL of arcHaeoLogY The American Journal of Archaeology is published by the Archaeological Institute of America in January, April, July, and October.
    [Show full text]
  • Archaelogical Indications on the Origins of Roman Mithriasm
    Archaelogical Indications on the Origins of Roman Mithraism Lewis M. Hopfe, Ph.D.1 Reprinted by permission of Eisenbrauns Publishers from pp. 147–156 of Uncovering Ancient Stones, edited by Lewis M. Hopfe, 1994. etween the end of the first century Evidence for Mithraism comes from CE and the last part of the fourth several sources. It is mentioned in early Bcentury a mystery religion called Christian writings.3 The Christians’ view Mithraism was extremely popular among of this rival religion is extremely negative, soldiers, merchants, and civil administrators because they regarded it as a demonic in the Roman Empire. Today more than mockery of their own faith. One also four hundred locations of Mithraic worship learns of Mithraism from brief statements have been identified in every area of the in classical Greek and Roman authors.4 Roman Empire. Mithraea have been found These rare literary sources are of little help as far west as England and as far east as in understanding the beliefs and practices Dura-Europas. Between the second and of Mithraism. Apparently, Mithraism was fourth centuries CE, Mithraism may have truly a “mystery” religion in that its devotees vied with Christianity for domination of never committed its rituals or theology to the Roman world.2 writing. If the tenets of Mithraism ever Tauroctony scene. Second to third century Roman marble monument. This (obverse) face of the monument depicts a tauroctony scene, Mithras slaying the bull in a cave, above which in the upper corners Sol (top left) and Luna (top right) emerge. Luna has a crescent behind her shoulders.
    [Show full text]
  • Mithraism and Cosmography in the 2Nd-5Th Centuries CE
    SANDRA BLAKELY Social Mobility: Mithraism and Cosmography in the 2nd-5th Centuries CE Abstract Pragmatic cognitive science, rooted in Dewey’s epistemology and models of distributed cognition, offers new hypotheses for the emergence and decline of the Mithraic rites. These models foreground the responsiveness of the rites to their economic and social environment, generating new form-meaning pairs through multimodal engage- ments inside the Mithraic caves. These moments of cognitive blending answered the needs of the early social catchment of the rites, which was predominantly freedmen and soldiers benefitting from the upward mobility of the thriving second century CE. Within the caves, multimodal engagements with the triumph of light over dark – physical movement, imagery, gesture, role playing, and interaction with cult equipment – aligned the experience of the initiate with Mithras’ cosmological triumph. The caves are also a confluence of mechanisms for social mobility that were broadly familiar in the imperial period, including patronage, symposia, engagement with exotic cultural forms and philosophical speculation. The decline of the rites was coincident with the dissolution of the economic opportunities that enabled the rise of the Roman middle class and of the social currency of these practic- es. The language of euergetism yielded to the language of service to the poor, and the cosmological imagery that characterized the caves shifted into the restricted spheres of exchange among competing princes. This model of the rites suggests dynamics with Christianity focused less on theology than on responsiveness to the economic and social transformations of the fourth and fifth centuries CE. Introduction: Mithras between cognition and historiography The mysteries of Mithras – apprehended through images and cult spaces, broadly spread but chronologically restricted – offer a productive case study for the exploration of multimodal ritual experience and historical change.
    [Show full text]