Pompeii - Religious Life

The history of Roman religion is said to begin with Varro's Human and Divine Antiquities (47 bc), of which the second half, 16 books on Divine Antiquities, codified for the first time Roman religious institutions: priests, temples, festivals, rites, and gods.

The emphasis of scholars has generally been on the public festivals and institutions. For the regal period archaeology casts some light, for example on the extent of Greek influence in the area; namely the principal festivals.

For the republic, archaeological evidence of temples, remains important especially from the mid-4th or 3rd down to the 1st cent. bc. It becomes possible to produce a diachronic history of the changes to the public cults of the city of Rome, e.g. the introduction of the cult of Magna Mater (204 bc; see Cybele; philhellenism), the suppression of the Bacchanalia (186 bc), the creation in Italy and the provinces of Roman citizen-colonies whose religious institutions were modelled on those of Rome, and the increasing divine aura assumed by dynasts of the late republic.

The Augustan ‘restoration’ of religion there was a move to incorporate the Emperor himslef into the narrative. Augustus built major new temples in the city (Apollo; Mars Ultor), which expressed his relationship to the divine. This Augustan system remained fundamental to the public religious life of Rome to the end of antiquity. The religious life of the city also became increasingly cosmopolitan under the empire, with a flourishing of associations focused on gods both Roman and foreign. Outside Rome, civic cults of the Greek east continued to offer a sense of identity to Greeks under Roman rule

Mystery Religions

A mystery religion that was not openly promulgated publicly. As well as Mithra there was Isis and her husband Osiris Isis and Demeter and Persephone. What many have these have in common is a death and a resurrection

The Cult of Mithras

Temples of many Gods in the cities that people were free to worship. It built community. It was polytheistic - you could worship many Gods. Jupiter, Juno, Mars, Minerva are the well-known Roman names for the Greek Gods. Nothing of Christianity was known

The first temples of Mithra were found in the suburbs of the Frankfurt and the Danube from Romans - may be coming from Ostia (there were sixteen temples) or some other Roman port. But the origins may go back many centuries earlier maybe from an Indian-Iranian God Mithra or the Vedic God Mitra. Mithras offered some form of salvation.

The followers of Mithra included soldiers, tax officials, freedmen. These were all middle class men (no women). May be because lower men could afford the subscriptions.

The myth of Mithra is him killing the bull. No literary sources written by the followers. There are some accounts written by Christians but they are likely to be hostile.

From what we know the ceremonies are very brutal - ordeals - connections to learning and revelations - strong connection with astrology

The Mithra would meet in caves or styled as caves and are relatively small - No more 20 -40 men and by definition would be dark. The temples people world have been used to would have been in the open air. So it might have been sinister to many which would have attracted some and out off others. There were seven steps that the followers would need up to progress through - based on astrology (seven planets) and it is possible that these steps included completing rather brutal ordeals. Although the initiations would have been voluntary. There are many pictures depicting the scenes. As you progressed through the stages you would move on from the Raven level to Lion and then Pater. These would be symbolized by Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn

The cult image Mithras killing the bull surrounded by the raven, serpent (evil) scorpion, dog (revered) - a scene of Creation (cosmos) is on view to all the followers in the temple. It is symbolic perhaps of creation but also the introduction of evil upon creation

Communal meal . There were benches are side of the temple - and dining was a common theme in this and other cult religions and Christianity itself