Mitreo d’Aosta

TNMM 791

In the centre of Aosta, on the edge of the busy Via Festaz, there is a recreational area known as ’Liliana Brivio’, which contains a site of archaeological interest. It corresponds to part of Insulae 51 and 52 of the Augusta Praetoria, which are still visible today, as well as a large part of Insula 59, located below the space between these two ancient blocks to the north and the Bramafam castle to the south.

Insula 59, located to the north-west of the Porta Principalis Dextera, was the subject of archaeological research by Silvana Finocchi in 1953. An important commercial and popular neighbourhood was revealed, consisting of large blocks of houses and tabernae, most of which can be dated to the middle of the 2nd century AD. The northern sector of this block, situated between two cardo cardini and a minor decumanus, is divided into two main areas consisting of dwellings with a courtyard to the side of the entrance, which was accessed through a vestibule open to the street. A small baths complex has also been identified, probably for the use of the inhabitants of the insula or the members of an artisans’ guild that had its headquarters here.

Traces of a mithraeum have also been found in this block, from which the famous bronze balteo (horse’s breastplate) has come, decorated in high relief with scenes of battles between Roman soldiers and barbarian tribes. This object is probably an ex voto offered to Mithras by a high-ranking Roman official and can be dated, on the basis of its style and components, to the 2nd century AD.

Of the mithraeum in Aosta, Bassani (2012) tells us that, on the basis of the few data available, it could have been pertinent to a domus, or at least accessible from it. "The cultic room was about 14.80 x 5 m long and was bordered by two masonry podiums [...] The main cultic area was located on the northern end: a sort of large niche was marked by two brick steps, only partly closed by one of the walls built during the renovations, while in front of them a small altar decorated with volutes was found: on it was placed the dedication to Mithras by a certain Antiochus Aug(usti servus). [...] The mithraeum continued to be in use until the end of the 3rd century A.D."

The mithraeum of Aosta has a dedication bearing the name Antiochus, i.e. Antiochus. According to the Accademia della Crusca, Burgio, A. (1992), this is a name of Greek origin. Very common in Syria in ancient times, it was also carried by some rulers of the Seleucid dynasty. The name we find in the dedication thus indicates a probable eastern origin, perhaps Syrian, of a person who, following the road to Gaul, had settled in Aosta.