Rome and the Mithraic Mysteries

The Roman Mithraism that so spread across the stretches of the empire was a fascinating instance of a Mystery Religion. At a time when people [in rome] were becoming disillusioned by an obviously impotent deity structure, Mithraism offered unto its adherents a sense of being in touch with an ancient arcane knowledge; by this time, all that was of oriental nature bore a great fascination - a fascination that even to this day is seen in the west. And it was less than coincidence that the later Christian Mysteries would furnish rites and understandings of the divine equally compelling to the populace throughout the Roman Provinces. By the first century C.E. Mithraism within the Empire had been spreading for several decades and by the beginning of the second century was firmly rooted within the Roman military circles. The particular synthesis that came to be known to the Romans as Mithraism owed many of it's aspects to it's earlier formations as were known to still be worhsipped within much of Anatolia, Armenia, and what was to become the Sassanid Empire. Although, the romanized version had a thick coating of Hellenic iconography, it's central tenets were wholly Mazdaic in origin; for instance, rendition of Mithras (as the Romans called him, as opposed to the Persian Mithra or Mihr) riding a chariot of the sun across the heavens, overseeing the world, which can be seen constantly upon numerous Roman monuments dedicated to the god, was a direct adoption of his protrayal within the Avesta. The Roman understand of Mithras as a warrior - a mediator between the eternal god of creation and the forces of evil - was also a direct adoption from the Avestan illustration of his duties. Indeed, unlike some have claimed that Mithras was linked to his Iranian origins by name only is a grave mistake. By the time the cult of Mithras had migrated to eastern Asia Minor, namely within Pontus and Cappadocia, and following the Macedonian triumph, the famous Mithraic scholar, Cumont, agrees Mithraism took on it's final forms, donning a Hellenic coat and a western visage. And it is this form that diffused throughout the Roman Empire. A primary aspect of Mithraic worship was that of the Mithraeum - that is, a grotto or cave, or as was more often the case, an underground crpyt with vaulted ceiling - represting the place of birth of Mithras. It was a tightly controlled structure insofar as the entrance of light was considered, clearly so as at key points in the liturgy control symbollic beams of light could be made to shine through. It was the place of initiation for new members into the religion and a place for members to congregate and pray together. It consisted of a narrow isle flanked on both sides by a broad raised bench on which the worshippers, rarely more than 50 in number, could kneel or recline. At one end stood the representation of Mithra slaying a bull with a raven watching from above; a dog and snake would be shown leaping into the bull's wound, and a scorpion would be shown at the bull's genitals. This symbolic icon would ubiquitously present in all Mithraeums found from the British isles to Rome. Also, this imagine of the Tauroctony would be surrouded by smaller images filled with mythical scenes or symbolic figures. The interepretation of the Tauroctony has long been a point of contention among scholars. It is known that the bull was a symbol in Zoroastrian lore, as is clearly found in the Avesta, a symbol of nature's fecundity; upon it's death from within it's corpse sprung out a myriad of vegitation that filled the world. Mithra's position within the Avesta as "lord of the pastures" could have been captured symbolically in this iconography as his causing the growth of the fields, just as does the sun, by killing the bull. Other scenes present within the images surrounding the Tauroctony are his springing for from a rock, shooting an arrow at a cliff to bring forth water, chasing the bull, feasting with his twelve apostles right before his ascension into the sky upon his chariot of the sun. As the Greek philosopher Porphyry relates to us, there was also a Mithraic rite utilizing honey which was connected to symbolism of great antiquity. He writes, "The Ancients moreover used to call the priestesses of Mother Earth Bees, in that they were initiates of the Terrene Goddess, and the Maid herself Bee-like. They also called the Moon the Bee, as Lady of Generation; and especially because [with the Magians] the Moon in exaltation is the Bull, and Bees are Ox-born - that is, souls coming into birth are Ox-born - and the God [Mithra] who steals the Bulls occulty signifies generation." There is a more astronomically based interpretation of the Tauroctony currently being championed by David Ulansey. His interpretation rests primarily on astronomical data and then it's application to the symbolic organization of the Tauroctony's images. The main crux of his analysis is that the organization of the Tauroctony's images symbollizes the Zodiac's precession from the age of the Taurus to the age of Pisces, and that during the constellation's precession, during the age of the Taurus, the organization of the Zodiac's constellations, namely, Canis Minor (dog), Hydra (snake), Corvus (raven), Scorpio (scorpion) and of course, that of Taurus the Bull, were alligned directly with their corresponding images within the Tauroctony. Considering the influence of Chaldaean astrology upon Mazdaism and as such upon Mithraism it is not difficult to reason that between the connexion of the Tauroctony's symbollic similarities with Avestan lore and the astrological significance of the organization of the imagery, that this was one of the many points at which Iranian mythology created a peculiar syncretism with one of the many influences that bore upon its travel west - namely that of Chaldaean astrology. There was also a ritual baptism of blood performed by Mithraists, where a bull was slain and whose blood was allowed to drip into a pit below, drenching an initiate. This ritual was believed to hold redemptive and regenerative powers; it is also known that during the Mithraic liturgy there was a communion of bread, sombolizing the body of Mithras and wine, which, has been recognized by cultures long the antecedents of Mithraism, as a symbol for blood and its power. There was a ritual sacrifice held during the vernal equinox. And, finally, Mithraists, like that of many other pagan faiths, celebrated December 25 as the birth period of their god. For the initiate there were seven levels to ascend: Corax (Raven), Nymphus (Male Bride), Miles (Soldier), Leo (Lion),

Perses (Persian), Heliodromus (Sun-runner), and Pater (Father), each associated with their own celestial body. Men and boys of all ages were allowed for initiation; although women were strictly forbidden. As one passed through each level, one had to undergo an ordeal, each filled with symbolic meaning, for instance, the Miles had to undergo a branding upon the forehead of the symbol of the cross, which symbolized the sun and an affirmation that only Mithras was his crown. One of the primary understandings of a Mithraist was that Mithras was his savior, mediator between the eternal god and the men below him, and through his salvation could be reached heaven - this, a direct adoption from the Avestan scriptures; it was his [the Mithraist's] understanding that through this salvation his soul would once again return to heaven, whence it had come when he was born into this world. Through prayer, following a strong moral code, and maintaining oneself pure, through such rituals as the baptism of blood, this could all be acheived.