Fresco de Luna en el Mitreo de Santa Maria Capua Vetere

The New Mithraeum

30 Apr 2010

Updated on May 2026

TNMM 193 ↔ CIMRM 184

Fresco on the East wall of the Mitreo di Santa Maria Capua Vetere.

In an arch-shaped frame the representation of Luna, seated in a biga. She is dressed in a green tunica, leaving the brownish back uncovered. Of the horses, which are driven with the aid of whip and reigns, the darkish one with drooping head is moving already, whereas the grey horse, turning its head towards the goddess, seems to be waiting a signal.

Related monuments

Mitreo di Santa Maria Capua Vetere

One of Roman Italy’s most important Mithraic sanctuaries, the Mithraeum at S. Maria Capua Vetere preserves a remarkable painted cycle of initiation scenes, offering rare visual evidence for the ritual life of Roman Mithaism.

Tauroctony from Santa Maria Capua Vetere

The main fresco of the Mithraeum of Santa Maria Capua Vetere portrays Mithras slaughtering a white bull.

Eros and Psyche

The Mithraeum of Santa Maria Capua Vetere includes a marble relief depicting a child Eros guiding Psyche through the dark.

Stars of the Mitreo de Santa Maria Capua Vetere

The vault of the Mithraeum in S. Capua Vetere is decorated with stars that have holes in their centers, which once held colorful glass decorations.

Fresco scene from Mitreo of Santa Maria Capua Vetere

Fresco showing a scene of initiation into the mysteries of Mithras in the Mithraeum of Santa Maria Capua Vetere.

A man is initiated into the Mysteries of Mithras

This is the first of several fresco scenes depicting the initiation of a new member in a mithraic community, in Capua Vetere.

Kneeling man from Santa Maria Capua Vetere

This scene from the frescoes of the Mitreo di Santa Maria Capua Vetere shows a kneeling, naked man surrounded by two other figures.

Aion fresco of Caputa Vetere

Minto has claimed that the time god Aion was painted on the corner of the north wall of the Mitreo de Santa Capua Vetere.

Prostrate figure fresco from Capua Vetere

Representation of a person lying prostrate on the ground between two other walking figures on the Mitreo of Santa Capua Vetere.

Initiation scene from Capua Vetere

Fresco depicting an initiation scene from the Mithraeum of Capua Vetere.

Fresco fragment from Capua

Fresco showing a mystagogus pressing down the shoulders of a kneeling myste, attended by a third figure in Phrygian cap, from the initiation sequence of the Mithraeum of Capua.