Mithraeum at Circus Maximus

ONE OF THE LARGEST SECRET Mithraic temples in Rome is hidden next to the famous Circus Maximus. Discovered in 1931 as part of Rome’s fascist-era building projects, the small subterranean space was once dedicated to the mystery cult of the god Mithras.

Although several mithraeums have been discovered throughout the ancient holding of the Roman Empire, including sites in London, and several in Germany, France, and Hungary, little is known about the actual religious practices of the movement’s followers. The Mithraic Mysteries emerged and gained popularity throughout Rome between the 1st and 4th centuries. The cult and religious sanctuaries were open only to initiates, and their rituals secret. The central imagery is of the god Mithras slaying a bull, a motif known as “tauroctony,” found in most if not all mithraeums. Some trace the origins of the cult to the Iranian god Mitra, based on statements made by 3-4th century AD philosopher Porphyry, but some question whether he actually knew what he was talking about. In any event, the cult died out at the end of 4th century as Christianity began to gain momentum. The mithraeum at Circus Maximus is open by appointment only, and you have to be with a tour — you can't just wander in on your own. The mithraea were usually underground structures that contains bench seating, where the faithful took place during the ceremonies. In the background, away from prying eyes, there was the representation of tauroctony. The structure of the Mithraeum at Circus Maximus also follows this rule. Our mitrhaeum was housed in several rooms of a Second Century AD public building, that probably was linked to the games which took place in the nearby Circus Maximus. You can notice a beautiful alabaster round on the marble floor.

The two marble bas-reliefs (one of which is beautiful and perfectly preserved) contain a complex symbology, also present in many other mitrhaea found in Rome and in Italy. We can recognize the usual tauroctony with Mithra, dressed in a Phrygian cap (to emphasize its oriental origin), that kills the primeval bull with a knife, helped by the two "dadofori" (torchbearers) Cautes and Cautopates. A dog and a snake are drinking the blood gushing from the bull's wound, while a scorpion stings the bull's testicles. From its tail an ear of corn comes (as a symbol of fertility). Finally, a crow holds with his beak a corner of the cloak of Mithra.

Due to the mysterious nature of that cult (the initiated were forbidden to disclose the ceremonies that took place there), we know only very little information about the rituals that took place in the mithraea, handed down by Christian apologists (which aimed to discredit the religion, which was a dangerous widespread competitor).

For example, we know that some rites were very similar to Christian ones: Mithra was born on December 25, the highest authority was the Pater (a figure very similar to the Catholic Pope). There were seven degrees of initiation, each of which was linked to a planet:

Corax (Crow) Nymphus (Chrysalis) Miles (Soldier) Leo (Lion) Perses (Persian) Heliodromus (Sun Messenger) Pater (Father)

According to a suggestive and recent theory, the symbolism related to the cult of Mithra is related with the discovery of the precession of the equinoxes. In fact, all the animals represented in the tauroctony have the corresponding constellation, that was on the celestial equator during the so-called Age of Taurus (when spring began with the sun in the constellation of Taurus). According to this interpretation, the god Mithra had so much power that he could upset even the immutable sphere of fixed stars.