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Provincia

Mithras in Numidia

Numidia occupied a frontier and military landscape where Mithraic cults circulated through urban settlements and imperial infrastructure.

Evidence from Numidia illustrates the spread of Mithraic practices through military mobility, provincial administration and communication routes linking inland North Africa to the Mediterranean coast. The province preserves material associated with both frontier and urban environments.

Mithraic monuments of Numidia

See all Mithraic monuments in Numidia

Places in Numidia

 

Cuicul

Roman colonial city of Numidia, later known as Djémila, renowned for its exceptionally well-preserved late antique urban remains.

 

Castellum Tidditanorum

Settlement in inland Numidia associated with the mountainous region south of Cirta and the wider network of North Africa.

 

Cirta

Cirta, also known by various other names in antiquity, was the ancient Berber and Roman settlement which later became Constantina, Algeria.

 

Diana Veteranorum

Diana Veteranorum, today a village called Ain Zana, was an ancient Roman-Berber city in Algeria.

 

Icosium

Icosium was a Berber city that was part of Numidia which became an important Roman colony and an early medieval bishopric in the casbah area of actual Algiers.

 

Lambaesis

Lambaesis, Lambaisis or Lambaesa, is a Roman archaeological site in Algeria, 11 km southeast of Batna and 27 km west of Timgad, located next to the modern village of Tazoult.

 

Madauros

Madauros was a Roman-Berber city in Numidia, in present-day Algeria, renowned in antiquity as an important intellectual and educational centre of Roman North Africa.

 

Mascula

Mascula was an ancient Roman colonia in Numidia.

 

Rusicade

Skikda is a city in northeastern Algeria and a port on the Mediterranean.

 

Sidi Okba

Sidi Okba is a commune in the Biskra Province, Algeria.

 

Thagaste

Thagaste was a Roman-Berber city in present-day Algeria, now called Souk Ahras.

 

Thamugadi

Timgad was a Roman city in the Aurès Mountains of Algeria.

See all Mithraic places in Numidia

Inscriptions from Numidia

Mithraeum of Cirta

Speleum cum [sig]/nis et omamen[tis] / Publilius Ceion[ius] / Caecina Albinu[s v[ir] c[larissimus]].
Grote with statues and decorations, [by] Publilius Ceionius Caecina Albinus, the most distinguished man.

A cave with signs and ornaments, dedicated by Publilius Ceionius Caecina Albinus, a man of eminent standing.

Mithraeum of Tiddis

I[nvicto] M[ithrae] cultore/s de suo a s/olo / [a]edifi[c]arun[t].
The worshippers of Invictus Mithras built (this) from the ground up at their own expense.

Cultores Inscription from Tiddis

I[nvicto] M[ithrae] cultore/s de suo a s/olo // aedificarun[t].
To the Invincible Mithras, the worshippers built [this sanctuary] at their own expense, from the ground up.

Inscription by Numidius Decens from Lambaesis

Invicto d[eo] Mithrae d[ed[it]?] P. Numidi[us] / Decen[s].
To the unconquered god Mithras, P. Numidius Decens dedicated this.

Inscriptions of Valerius Maximianus at Lambaesis

Deo in/victo / Mithrae / sac[rum] / M. Val[erius] Maximianus / leg[atus] aug[usti] pr[o]pr[aetore].
Sacred to the unconquered god Mithras, (set up) by Marcus Valerius Maximianus, imperial legate with praetorian authority.

Altar from Lambaesis by Florus

D[eo] S[oli] I[nvicto] M[ithrae] / Val[erius] Florus / v[ir] p[erfectissimus] p[raeses] p[rovinciae] N[umidiae] M[ilitianae] / ex voto / posuit.
To the god Sol Invictus Mithras, Valerius Florus, a most perfect man, governor of the province of Numidia Militiana, placed [this] in accordance with a vow.

Inscription of Aphrodisius

Mithrae / Aphrodisius / Corneliorum / v[otum] s[olvit] l[ibens] a[nimo].
To Mithras, Aphrodisius Corneliorum willingly fulfilled his vow.

Altar from Lambaesis by Celsianus

Deo Soli / Invicto / Mithr[a]e / pro salute et / incolumitate / C[ai] Fabi Fabiani / Vetili Luciliani / leg[ati] Aug[usti] pr[o] pr[aetore] c[larissimi] v[iri] / Celsianus act[or] et not[arius] v[otum] l[ibens] a[nimo].
To the god Sol Invictus Mithras, for the health and safety of Gaius Fabius Fabianus Vetilius Lucilianus, legate of the Emperor with praetorian rank, a most distinguished man. Celsianus, his agent and secretary, willingly and gladly fulfilled his vow.

Altar from Ain-Zana

Iovi optimo / maximo luno/ni reginae Min/ervae sanctae / Soli Mithrae / Herculi Mar/ti Mercurio / genio loci di/is deabusque / omnibus M/arcus Aureli/us Decimus v[ir] p[erfectissimus] p[raeses] / p[rovinciae] N[umidiae] ex principe
pe/regrinorum / votum solvit.
To Jupiter Optimus Maximus, to Juno Regina, to Minerva the Holy, to Sol Mithras, to Hercules, to Mars, to Mercury, to the genius of the place, to all the gods and goddesses, Marcus Aurelius Decimus, a man of perfect rank, governor of the province of Numidia, formerly a chief of foreigners, fulfilled his vow.

Altar from Lambaesis by Aurelius Sabinus

Deo Sol[i] in/victo Mi/thrae / M. Aurel[ius] / M[arci] f[ilius] Sergi/s Carnu/nto Sabi/nus prae/fect[us] leg[ionis] / III aug[ustae] p[iae] v[indicis] / Maximi/nianae v[otum] s[olvit] l[ibens] m[erito].
To the invincible Sol god Mithras, Marcus Aurelius Sabinus, son of Marcus, enrolled in the Sergia tribe, [originally from] Carnuntum, prefect of the pious and vengeful legion III Augustus, [[devoted to Maximin]], has willingly and justly fulfilled his vow.

Inscription by Decimus from Lambaesis

Invicto deo Soli / Mithrae Decimus v[ir] p[erfectissimus] p[raeses] / p[rovinciae] Numidiae votum solvit / decentius feliciter.
To the invincible god Sol Mithras, Decimus, the most perfect man, governor of the province of Numidia, fulfilled his vow decently and happily.

Altar by Valerius Maximianus from Lambaesis

Soli / deo / invicto / Mithrae / sacrum / M. Valerius / Maximianus / leg(atus) Aug(usti) / pr(o) pr(actore).
Sacred to Sol, the unconquered god Mithras. Marcus Valerius Maximianus, imperial legate with propraetorian authority, dedicated this monument.

See all Mithraic inscriptions from Numidia

References

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