Autel of Straton from Kreta — The New Mithraeum

The New Mithraeum

25 Sep 2023

Updated on Jun 2026

TNMM 640 ↔ CIMRM 2260

Straton, son of Straton, consecrated this small sandstone altar to Helios Mithras. It was found in Kreta, Moesia Inferior, near Nicopolis ad Istrum, today’s Bugaria.

Main inscription

Στράτω/ν Στράρω/νος άνέθη[κεν] / τὸ[ν] βωμὸν / Ἡλίῳ Μίθρᾳ.

Straton, son of Straton, consecrated the altar to Helios Mithras.

References

CIMRM 2260; IG-Bulg II 595; cf IG-Bulg V 5195

Bricault; Roy (2021) Les cultes de Mithra dans l’Empire romain.

Related monuments

Mithraeum at Kreta

Mithraic sanctuary excavated in a quarry at Kreta near Nikopol, Moesia Inferior, carved into the rock and including a small niche with a sandstone tauroctony relief, a base, and several altars.

Tauroctony from Kreta

Sandstone tauroctony relief from the Mithraeum at Kreta (Крета), depicting Mithras within a vaulted grotto accompanied by the torchbearers, Sol and Luna.

Stone base from rock sanctuary at Kreta

Sandstone base with a hollow at the back from the rock sanctuary at Kreta, Moesia Inferior, probably supporting a cult statue.

Altar of Marcus Sikis Dossis from Kreta

Sandstone altar with patera from the rock sanctuary at Kreta, Moesia Inferior, bearing a Greek inscription dedicating an altar to Helios Mithras by Marcus Sikis Dossis.

Altar with uncertain dedication from Kreta

Sandstone altar with patera from the rock sanctuary at Kreta, Moesia Inferior, bearing a Greek inscription of uncertain reading, possibly a thanksgiving to Mithras.

Uninscribed altars from Kreta

Eight uninscribed sandstone altars from the rock sanctuary at Kreta, Moesia Inferior.