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Monumentum

Mithraeum of Dura Europos

The most emblematic of the Syrian Mithraea was discovered in 1933 by a team led by the Russian historian Mikhaïl Rostovtzeff.
  • Franz Cumont poses in front of the main altar at the Mithraeum of Dura Europos

    Franz Cumont poses in front of the main altar at the Mithraeum of Dura Europos
    Yale University 

  • Plano de la primera reconstrucción del Mitreo de Dura-Europos, a partir del 210 d.C.

    Plano de la primera reconstrucción del Mitreo de Dura-Europos, a partir del 210 d.C. 

  • Vista general del emplazamiento del Mitreo de Dura Europos

    Vista general del emplazamiento del Mitreo de Dura Europos 

  • Plano del primer Mitreo de Dura-Europos (168 d.C.). El santuario estaba limitado a la zona <em>A</em>.

    Plano del primer Mitreo de Dura-Europos (168 d.C.). El santuario estaba limitado a la zona A. 

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  • CIMRM 34

    CIMRM 34
    Vermaseren's Corpus 

  • CIMRM 34-2

    CIMRM 34-2
    Vermaseren's Corpus 

  • First tauroctony from Dura Europos

    First tauroctony from Dura Europos
    CIMRM 

  • First tauroctony from Dura Europos

    First tauroctony from Dura Europos
    CIMRM 

  • First tauroctony from Dura Europos

    First tauroctony from Dura Europos
    CIMRM 

  • Sol and Mithras sharing a meal, Dura Europos

    Sol and Mithras sharing a meal, Dura Europos 

  • Detail of fresco Mithras Hunting from Dura Europos

    Detail of fresco Mithras Hunting from Dura Europos 

  • Detail of fresco Mithras Hunting from Dura Europos

    Detail of fresco Mithras Hunting from Dura Europos 

  • Fresque du Mithraeum de Dura Europos. La chasse de Mithra à cheval.

    Fresque du Mithraeum de Dura Europos. La chasse de Mithra à cheval. 

  • One of the tauroctony reliefs from Dura Europos

    One of the tauroctony reliefs from Dura Europos
    CIMRM 

  • Left 'Magi' from Dura Europos

    Left 'Magi' from Dura Europos
    Clark Hopkins 

  • Right 'Magi' from Dura Europos

    Right 'Magi' from Dura Europos
    Clark Hopkins 

  • Fresco on top of the main altar of Dura Europos.

    Fresco on top of the main altar of Dura Europos.
    Yale University 

  • Inscription from Dura Europos Mithraeum

    Inscription from Dura Europos Mithraeum
    Dr. Michael J. Fuller 

  • Graffiti of Kamerios in Dura Europos

    Graffiti of Kamerios in Dura Europos
    Yale University Press 

  • Column with inscription Dura Europos

    Column with inscription Dura Europos
    Yale University Press 

  • Inscription in column at Dura Europos

    Inscription in column at Dura Europos
    Yale University Press 

  • Dipinto to the Lions and Perses from Dura Europos

    Dipinto to the Lions and Perses from Dura Europos
    Yale University 

  • Layout of the main altar of Dura Europos

    Layout of the main altar of Dura Europos
    CIMRM 

  • View of the main altar of Dura Europos

    View of the main altar of Dura Europos
    Michael J. Fuller 

  • View of the main altar of Dura Europos

    View of the main altar of Dura Europos
    Michael J. Fuller 

  • Engraved column by Maximus of Dura Europos

    Engraved column by Maximus of Dura Europos
    The New Mithraeum / Laurent Bricault 

  • Saturnus from Dura Europos.

    Saturnus from Dura Europos.
    CIMRM 

  • Jupiter and giants from Dura Europos

    Jupiter and giants from Dura Europos
    CIMRM 

  • Saturnus from Dura Europos.

    Saturnus from Dura Europos.
    CIMRM 

  • Banquet scene, and Cautes and Cautopates from Dura Europos.

    Banquet scene, and Cautes and Cautopates from Dura Europos.
    CIMRM 

  • CIMRM 

  • Frescos around the main niche of Dura Europos mithraeum.

    Frescos around the main niche of Dura Europos mithraeum.
    CIMRM 

 
The New Mithraeum
20 May 2007
Updated on Jun 2024

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In February 1934 a Mithraeum was discovered on the N.W. side inside the rampart of Dura-Europos (Es-Sâlihiyeh) between gate 24 and 23. After the excavations it was transported to New Haven, Gallery of Fine Arts of Yale University.

’When the Mithraeum was founded in about 168 A.D. (see inscr. No. 39) it consisted of three apartments. Room A (L. 4.65 Br. 5.80), the Mithras shrine, was entered by an axial door through a partition separating it from a central chamber B (L. 5.75 Br. 3.50), originally a house diwan, that opened into a courtyard D to the south, and a small chamber C. (L. 3.50
…

Related monuments

First Tauroctony relief of Dura Europos

One of the reliefs of the Dura Europos tauroctonies includes several characters with their respective names.

Sol and Mithras fresco of Dura Europos

Sol watches Mithras as he gazes Mithras gazes up to heaven while sharing the sacred meal.

Mithras hunting from Dura Europos

In this fresco from Dura Europos, Mithras is represented as a hunter accompanied by the lion and the serpent.

Main Tauroctony relief from Dura Europos

The main relief of Mithras killing the bull from the Mithraeum of Dura Europos includes three persons named Zenobius, Jariboles and Barnaadath.

 

Frescoes of 'Magis' from Dura Europos

Some scholars have speculated that the scrolls both figures hold in their hands represent Eastern doctrines brought to the Western world.

Fresco with tauroctony and seven cypresses

This enigmatic fresco on top of the main tauroctony shows Mithras killing the bull, accompanied by Cautes and Cautopates, surrounded by burning altars and cypress trees.

Inscription on the restoration of the Mithraeum of Dura Europos

Antonius Valentinus, centurio, made this plaque for the salut des empereurs Septimus Severus and Marcus Aurelius.

Graffiti to Kamerios from Dura Europos Mithraeum

The text mentions a certain Kamerios, described as immaculate miles.

 

Column with inscription from Dura Europos

The inscription pays homage to the emperor, probably Caracalla, to Mithras, the fathers, the petitor and the syndexioi.

Dipinto in red letters from Dura Europos

This short dipinto pays homage to the Lions and the Persians, the 4th and 5th Mithraic degrees.

Scratched words of Kamerios

'Hail to Kamerios the Pater' can be read on one of the walls of the mithraeum at Dura Europos.

Inscription to Tourmasgade of Dura Europos

This inscription by a certain Ioulianos, found at the entrance to the Dolichenum at Dura Europos, bears an inscription to Zeus Helios Mithras et Tourmasgade.

 

Altars of Dura Europos

Three plaster altars within the main altar of the Mithraeum of Dura Europos, two of them with traces of fire and cinders.

Engraved column by Maximus of Dura Europos

A certain Maximus from the Legio IV Scythica engraved his name in one of the columns of the Mithraeum of Dura Europos.

CIMRM 42

Around the relief with Mithras as a bullkiller, a number of scenes from the Mithras Iegend have been painted in the Mithraeum of Dura Europos.

CIMRM 48

Around the niche of the Dura Europos Mithraeum fragments of a series of small paintings set in a semicircular band of panels were found.

 
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