INTRODUCTION
"Someday the secrets of Nature shall be disclosed to you, the haze will be lifted from your eyes, and the bright light will stream in upon you from all sides. Picture to yourself how great is the glow when all the stars mingle their fires; no shadow will disturb the clear sky...
Then you will say that you have lived in darkness after you have seen, in your perfect state, the perfect light - that light which you now behold darkly with vision that is cramped to the last degree. And yet, far off as it is, you already look upon it in wonder; what do you think the heavenly light will be when you see it in its proper sphere?"
These words, written by the Roman philosopher Seneca, are an insight into the ancient spiritual ideals which helped give birth to the Mystery Religion known as Mithraism. Mithras is the Savior God of the Light, a Solar Deity who presides over a path for the perfection of the Soul. The Mithraic Mysteries were practiced throughout the ancient world for centuries. It has been said that if Christianity had for some reason died in its infancy, the western world would have become Mithraic.
The ancient temples to Mithras were known as Mithraeums. These were usually underground structures that were created to be a model of the Sacred Cosmos. Over 500 Mithraeums have been found throughout the Roman world, from Britain to Africa. The worship of Mithras began in the 1st Century CE. The last proven Mithraic archaeological find is from 408 CE. In the late 300s, Mithraism began to come under attack by leaders of the newly organized Christian church. Mithraeums began to be systematically attacked and destroyed by Christian mobs, who smashed their contents and defaced the temple icons before burying the temples themselves.
Archaeologists began to rediscover temples of Mithras in the early 20th century. Through this work, a fascinating picture of the ancient worship of Mithras as a Savior Deity began to emerge. Since then, people have sought to understand the meaning behind the ancient icons and other evidence, finding it tantalizingly familiar and also, to many, spiritually compelling.
Some have theorized that Mithraism survived in various forms, including a conjecture that it is a basic foundation of modern Freemasonry. While such such ideas are probably wishful thinking, they do help illustrate the attraction that the ancient worship of Mithras has continued to have, many hundreds of years after its official passing.
THE MODERN WORSHIP OF MITHRAS
We learn more about ancient Mithraism with each passing year, and each year more people who find themselves drawn to Mithras as a deity. Mithras is a Savior god of both Light and Strength, who is bold and active. He is a soldier rather than a shepherd, and offers a way of spiritual perfection that challenges us to be responsible and to learn, rather to simply believe and be led.
There is much to recommend Mithraism as religion that can be valuable for today. It is a structured, moral religion that is also tolerant of other deities and faiths. It is a path that rewards personal responsibility rather than surrender, and it is an ancient path of knowledge through which a person may actively work toward spiritual perfection. It is little wonder that Mithraism is being explored again as a valid religious alternative.
MITHRAEUM
Mithraeum is a religious organization dedicated to the modern worship of Mithras, and a revival of Mithraism and the Mithraic Mysteries. Mithraeum has been created for the hundreds of people who have been searching for living vestiges of the ancient Mysteries, seeking practicing groups, and worshipping on their own while longing for a community with which shares their religious focus.
Our goals are simple: to revive the ancient Mysteries in the most accurate form possible, and also to encourage a new Renaissance through new forms of modern Mithraic worship. We believe that old and new forms of Mithraism can live side by side, so long as one form of Mithraic worship is not mistaken for the other, and so long as both aspire to the known Mithraic forms of organization, structure, honorable virtue, and the quest for the perfection of the human spirit.
Here at the Mithraeum website you will find information on the Ancient Mithraic Mysteries, and also on modern Mithraic worship. As you take advantage of the resources here, Mithraic knowledge will continue to progress. Together we can rebuild the ancient worship of Mithras, and ensure that Mithraism continues to be a valid path for many centuries to come.
Mithraeum is the official discussion group of this organization, and is oriented toward active spiritual practice. Join by sending an email to Mithraeum+subscribe@groups.io.
The Mithras List includes scholars and history enthusiasts, and is more focused on history.
Other groups which may be of interest to the Mithraist:
- Julian Society Forum, dedicated to the Emperor Julian, an initiate of the Mithraic Mysteries
- Byzantium Novum Classical Religion Forum
- Temple of Iarhibol Forum, celebrating Iarhibol, Sun God of Palmyra and Dura Europos, who was honored by the Roman Legion who also constructed the Dura Europos Mithraeum.
Organizations of interest
If your organization belongs on this list, email us.
- The Julian Society Dedicated to the restoration of Pagan religion as a major world religion. While not solely Mithraist, this organization is dedicated to the last Pagan Emperor of Rome, who was an initiate in the Mithraic Mysteries.
- Byzantium Novum A micronation dedicated to the revival of Byzantine civilization and culture. As a modern successor state we uphold the edict of religious equality on which Byzantium was founded - therefore we maintain a Classical Religion forum in which Mithraism is welcome.
- Byzantine Paganism Dedicated to the continuation of Classical Religion through the later periods in history. Mithraism is one of the religious paths which continued into the Byzantine era.
- MithraCon New England Conference on Mithraic Studies, held each spring at Yale University in New Haven, CT. This convention features presentations on Mithraism and other Roman and ancient religious topics, and a day trip to the Yale Library for research.
- Temple of Iarhibol Iarhibol is the Sun God of Palmyra and of Dura Europos, a city in which a Mithraeum was found, along with scenes of Roman officers making offerings to Iarhibol. Iarhibol and Mithras seem to have been regarded as allied cults by the Roman legions stationed in these cities.
GIFTS
Mithraeum is brought to you in part by Imperium Ancient Arts, featuring both ancient artifacts and modern religious images.
BOOKS
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Mithras, Andrew Fear
An updated look at the evidence of Mithraism and the controversies around its interpretation. Our top recommendation for learning about this history.
The Mithraic Origins of Christianity, Allan di Donato
Fascinating look at the cult of Mithras in the context of early Christianity. The author questions some of the accepted wisdom about the parallels between the two paths.
The Mysteries of Mithras, Payam Nabarz and Caitlin Matthews
Half a historical overview of the Mithras cult, but half a practical guide for the modern spiritual seeker who values Mithras, including rituals, meditations, orations, and teaching tales.
The Religion of the Mithras Cult in the Roman Empire, Roger Beck
A deeply researched and technical book. Includes interesting information and 3D modeling of Mithraeums.
The Roman Cult of Mithras, Manfred Clauss
This book is in our opinion the best book on Mithraism available today. Clauss does a wonderful job of presenting the latest facts on the subject, and also presenting some of the most rational conjectures on the meanings behind those facts. Filled with great photos and excellent information. Sections on ritual and ethical teachings are included that are unavailable elsewhere. If you're only going to own one book on Mithraism, this is the one. A must read!
The Mysteries of Mithra, Franz Cumont
The book that brought Mithraism back to the modern world. Franz Cumont was the first modern scholar to systematically approach Mithraism as a scientific study, back in early 1900's. This book, his most popular, was an attempt to explain the meanings behind the ancient archaeological evidence from Mithraeum temples, etc. Although many of Cumont's theories have been questioned in the hundred years since he first published, his work is absorbing and filled with interesting primary facts. A classic starting point to any study of Mithraism.
The Origins of the Mithraic Mysteries, David Ulansey
This work is an interesting exploration of astronomical origins of the Mithraic Mysteries. While Ulansey's theory may be debated as a complete package, there is no doubt that much of Mithraism centered on both astrology and astronomy. This book contains many interesting primary facts and theories about them... certainly it has been another great popular work which has gained the interest of many in the modern world.
Mithras: Mysteries and Initiation Rediscovered, D. Jason Cooper
A look at Mithraism through the experience of a modern Pagan. While there have been many complaints about Cooper's accuracy and thoughts about some aspects of Mithraism, this book is a pleasant and easy read. Definitely interesting to see the insights that a worshipper of the ancient Gods brings to the study of Mithraism.
Ancient Astrology, Tamsyn Barton
Quite the best scholarly book on ancient astrology and cosmology available today. This book, a part of the Routledge "Ancient World" series, has incredible in-depth facts about ancient astrological knowledge. There is an entire chapter explaining the astrological aspects of Mithraism. If you're wondering about the "precession of the equinoxes", etc., it is all explained clearly in this work. Valuable for reference.
Hermetic Magic, Stephen Edred Flowers
While not a Mithraic book per se, this translation of the Greek Magical Papyri does have some Mithraic content. Most significant is The Mithras Liturgy, a ritual that has been debated by scholars for decades. This book is useful in that it presents ancient magical material with instructions for actual ritual practice. There is a section on how to set up a temple, perform rites, etc.
Inside a Magical Lodge, John Greer
A fascinating and important book which gives the basic foundations for running a magical group in a lodge format. There are many theories that fraternal lodges as they are known today have some Mithraic connection in the distant past. Certainly they are a modern example of a similar organizational structure... a non-public initiatory system dedicated toward spiritual goals. Certainly a better model for "non historical" Mithraism than many other types of modern group organization.
Planetary Magic, Melita Denning and Osborne Phillips
The best modern occult work on planetary magic available today. Includes Mithraic information, although the reader must be careful in that Denning & Phillips have assigned the Grades to different planets to suit their working group system. Other ancient information is included as well, such as NeoPlatonic names for the Spheres, etc.
Astrology and Religion Among the Greeks and Romans, Franz Cumont
Another work by the first Mithraic scholar, Franz Cumont. This book, written in 1912, contains information that is still fascinating and valuable today. An enjoyable look at the cosmological ideals from which Mithraism grew.
Cults of the Roman Empire, Robert Turcan
Overview of the Mystery Religions that flourished in the Roman Empire. Good information on Mithraism, as well as related Mysteries such as those of Isis and the Magna Mater.
The Ancient Mysteries: A Sourcebook, Marvin W. Meyer
An extremely useful volume of primary source material, compiling writings by ancient authors on the Mysteries. Includes "The Mithras Liturgy" as well as many interesting Mithraic inscriptions.
Religious of Rome: A History, Mary Beard, John North, and Simon Price
One of the best-researched books on Roman religion ever written. This work gives an incredible detail to the religious world in which Mithraism thrived. This book covers the entire timeline of Roman Paganism. A great deal of primary Mithraic information is also included as well, making it a valuable resource.
Religious of Rome: A Sourcebook, Mary Beard, John North, and Simon Price
Incredible primary resource information to fill out the volume above. This work has some amazing ancient texts that are not available elsewhere. Much more useful information on Mithraism is included, as well as other documents which give a great overview on how ancient religious sects operated in the day to day world. Great info - such as the dues/treasury records for the members of an ancient religious society.
Jesus Christ: Sun of God, David Fideler
Probably the easiest single volume for the understanding of the cosmic ideals behind Mithraism. There is a wonderful section on the cosmology behind Mithraism, and the Mithraic Mysteries are treated extremely well. There is some Christian material as well, an attempt to show a link between ancient cosmology and Christianity. A fascinating and informative read.
Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to an Ancient Faith, Peter Clark
Franz Cumont was the first to link Mithraism to worship in ancient Persia, most specifically the religion of Zoroastrianism. Certainly the name Mithra is found in Zoroastrian scriptures. The extent of the connection between Persian worship of Mithra and the Classical Mysteries of Mithras is much debated. Some link certainly does exist, however, and many Mithraists approach Mithraism from a Zoroastrian point of view.
The Zoroastrian Faith: Tradition and Modern Research, Solomon A. Nigosian
A study of how the Persian religion of Zoroaster (which included reverence for Mithra) has influenced the largest religions of the modern world. An interesting study of the development of religion, and a continuation of reverence for Mithra in his most ancient Persian form.
Zoroastrians: Their Beliefs and Practices, Mary Boyce
This book, now re-issued with a new introduction by Mary Boyce, is the first attempt to trace the continuous history of the faith from the time it was preached by Zoroaster down to the present day-a span of about 3,500 years.