The End of Paganism in the North-Western Provinces of the Roman Empire: The example of the Mithras cult 0860548163, 9780860548164
The decline of Mithraism in the fourth century AD is used as a case-study for understanding the end of other classes of
214 90 81MB
English Pages 128 Year 1996
Table of contents :
Contents......Page 4
Introduction......Page 7
Mithraism. A Brief Introduction to the Cult......Page 10
Chronology and Interpretation of the Dating Evidence......Page 13
Iconoclasm and Intentional Damage to Inscriptions......Page 40
The Sinking of Cult Objects : Mithraic Finds from Rivers......Page 46
The Deposition of Stone Monuments in Wells......Page 48
Fire-Raising......Page 49
The Desecration of Mithraea by Deposition of Human Remains and the Question of Mithraic Martyrs (?)......Page 51
Destroyers and Motives......Page 54
Iconoclasm in the Middle Ages ? The Speed of Decay and the Date of Destruction of Temples and Monuments of Mithras......Page 65
Alternative Explanations for Destruction and Abandonment of Mithraea......Page 72
The Reliability of the Latest Testimonies for Mithraic Worship and the Changing Nature of Paganism......Page 76
Mithraism and Christian Reuse of Pagan Sanctuaries......Page 78
The Christian Attitude Towards Mithraism and the Similarities between the Two Religions......Page 79
The Mysteries of Mithras, the Most Hated Cult and the First Victim of the Christian Persecution of Paganism ?......Page 82
Appendix 1: Further Fourth Century Pagan Dedications in Britain ?......Page 84
Appendix 2: A List of Partially or Completely Excavated Temples of Mithras......Page 85
Map 1: Excavated Mithraea in the north-western parts of the Roman Empire......Page 87
Map 2: Coins found inside Mithraea......Page 88
Appendix 3: Coin Series of Several Mithraea......Page 90
Bibliography......Page 95
Illustrations......Page 111
Figures......Page 115
Geographic Index......Page 126
