Inscription of Mitreo Aldobrandini by Sextus

TNMM 568 ↔ CIMRM 233

Deum vetustate religione / in velo formatum et umore obnubi/latum marmoreum cum / throno omnibusq(ue) ornamentis / a solo omni impendio suo fecit / Sex(tus) Pompeius Maximus pater/ q(ui) s(upra) s(criptus) est/ et praesepia marmoravit p(edes) LXVII idem s(ua) p(ecunia).

II dio che una antica devozione aveva rappresentato (in pittura) sopra un velo, essendo annerito (o cancellato) dall’umidita, Sex. Pompeius Maximus l’ha fatto in marmo con il suo trono etc.

—Cumont

deum: it is not necessary to identify the god with Jupiter Coelus (Ahura Mazda), as Cumont does.
in velo tormatum: ct. CIL VI 444: bela domini.
throno: See Nos 223; 266.
praesepia: probably the side-benches, which have a marble revetment on the front-sides (Becatti).

The inscription informs us that a painting of Mithras on cloth had been damaged by moisture, and was replaced by ’father’ (pater) Sextus Pompeius Maximus by a marble depiction. In line 1 is a reference to ’ancient religion’, which may mean that the cloth was imported from the east, where the origins of Mithras lay. A throne is also mentioned, probably the structure set against the back wall, which may have been a combined altar and base. The abbreviation Q S S EST has been explained as qui sacerdos (or sacratus) Solis est: ’who was priest (or ordained as priest) of the Sun’. Another explanation is qui supra scriptus est: ’whose name is written above’. The praesepia, 68 feet long (20 metres) must be the podia, that is: two podia of 10 metres each. The most important objects found in the shrine are three small tufa altars, a small herm of Silenus (with traces of blue paint in his hair), and a marble relief of Silvanus.