mithraea

E725516

Mithraea are small, cave-like temples used in the Roman mystery cult of Mithras for secretive initiation rites and communal worship.

All labels observed (1)

Label Occurrences
mithraea canonical 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf religious building type ⓘ
temple type ⓘ
access restricted to initiates ⓘ
archaeologicalEvidence inscriptions ⓘ
sculptures ⓘ
wall paintings ⓘ
architecturalForm cave-like structure ⓘ
rectangular hall ⓘ
subterranean sanctuary ⓘ
associatedWith Roman soldiers ⓘ
imperial slaves and freedmen ⓘ
merchants ⓘ
capacity small congregations ⓘ
construction often built underground ⓘ
sometimes created by adapting existing rooms or cellars ⓘ
culture Ancient Roman religion ⓘ
declineCause Christianization of the Roman Empire ⓘ
distribution Eastern Roman Empire ⓘ
linked to: Byzantine Empire

Western Roman Empire ⓘ
feature altar at the end opposite the entrance ⓘ
iconographic program depicting Mithraic grades and symbols ⓘ
lamp niches ⓘ
low vaulted ceiling ⓘ
narrow central aisle ⓘ
niche for cult image ⓘ
raised benches along the sides ⓘ
ritual basins or fonts ⓘ
tauroctony relief of Mithras slaying the bull ⓘ
floruit 2nd century CE ⓘ
3rd century CE ⓘ
notableExampleLocation Dura-Europos ⓘ
London ⓘ
linked to: London, England

Ostia ⓘ
Rome ⓘ
religion Mithraism ⓘ
ritualPractice graded initiation system ⓘ
oath-taking ceremonies ⓘ
shared ritual meals ⓘ
symbolism evocation of a cave where Mithras killed the bull ⓘ
representation of the cosmos ⓘ
timePeriod 1st century CE to 4th century CE ⓘ
typicalLocation Roman Empire ⓘ
military forts ⓘ
ports and trade centers ⓘ
urban areas of Roman cities ⓘ
usedFor communal meals ⓘ
initiation rites ⓘ
mystery cult rituals ⓘ
worship of Mithras ⓘ

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Mithras → cultPlaces → mithraea ⓘ