Altar by Paterna from Rheder

TNMM 2148 ↔ CIMRM 1034

Altar found at Rheder near Bonn. Bonn, Rheinisches Landesmuseum.

L.H. 0.015–0.017.

D(eo) i(nvicto) M(ithrae) Fir/mino vo/tum refe/ret Ius/tini Pat/erna / v . . .

Firmino: pro salute Firmini (Hettner, Catal., 71).

The Rheder altar has attracted particular attention in modern discussions concerning women and Mithraism. Chalupa (2005) identified it as the strongest epigraphic evidence for a woman making a dedication directly to Mithras, noting that Paterna is the only securely attested female dedicator whose inscription explicitly names Deus Invictus Mithras. Nevertheless, he cautioned that the text does not demonstrate that she was initiated into the mysteries. Griffith (2006) likewise considered the monument an important indication that women could participate in Mithraic devotional practices, while stressing that it cannot be used as evidence for the regular admission of women into Mithraic communities.