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Mithras in Tarraconensis

Across Tarraconensis, Mithraic evidence appears in diverse urban, military and Mediterranean environments of Roman Hispania.

Material from Tarraconensis reveals the broad geographic diffusion of Mithraic cults across the largest province of Roman Hispania. From coastal cities to inland administrative centres, the corpus illustrates the movement of religious practices through the political and commercial networks of the western Mediterranean.

Mithraic monuments of Tarraconensis

 

Mitreo dels Munts

A possible Mithraic sanctuary attached to the luxurious Roman villa of Els Munts, near ancient Tarraco, whose interpretation remains disputed.

 

Mitreo de Lugo

The exploration of an old pazo, a manor house, near the Roman wall, in Lugo, led to the discovery of a Roman domus, which existed continuously from the beginnings of the Christian Era until the Late Empire.

 

Tauroctony from Santo Domingo de Silos

Mithras slaying the bull appears as the sign of Capricorn in a zodiacal sequence on the Pórtico del Cordero of the Abbey de Santo Domingo de Silos, Burgos, Spain.

 

Mitreo de Cabrera de Mar

The Roman villa of Can Molodell had a sanctuary that has been related to the cult of Mithras.

 

Lápida mitráica de San Juan de la Isla

The monument of San Juan de la Isla (Asturias) devoted to Mithras was preserved in the portico of the main church until 1843.

CIMRM 803

 

Signaculum of Caius Valerius Avitus

Bronze personal seal of a duovir of Tarraco and owner of the villa of Els Munts.

 

Ara of the Mithraeum of Lugo

Victorius Victorious, centurion of the Legio VII, erected the altar in honour of the Lugo garrison and of the Victorius Secundus and Victor, his freedmen.

 

Altar of Benifayó

This altar found in Benifaió, València, was erected by a slave called Lucanus.

CIMRM 807bis

 

Inscription of Tarragona

This fragment of the base of a statue from Tarragona, Spain, bears an inscription which appears to be dedicated to the invincible Mithras.

CIMRM 806

 

Plaque of Astorga

This slab dedicated to the invincible god, Serapis and Isis by Claudius Zenobius was found in 1967 in the walls of the city of Astorga, Spain.

 

Arula by Lucius Petreius of Cabrera de Mar

Small arula with mithraic inscription and dedication to Cautes from a garlic merchant.

See all Mithraic monuments in Tarraconensis

Places in Tarraconensis

 

[Santo Domingo de Silos]

Burgos is a city in the autonomous community of Castile and León in Spain.

 

Asturica Augusta

Astorga is a municipality and city of Spain located in the central area of the province of León, in the autonomous community of Castilla y León, 43 kilometres southwest of the provincial capital.

 

Augustobriga

Roman town founded on the site of the Celtiberian settlement of Arekorataz, beneath modern Muro de Ágreda in northern Hispania.

 

Baetulo

The area was populated by Iberians, but the origins of Baetulo date back to the 1st century BC, when the Romans founded the city on the Rosés hill. Baetulo was famous for its vineyards, which produced wine for export throughout the Empire.

 

Barcino

Barcelona is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. Founded as a Roman city, in the Middle Ages Barcelona became the capital of the County of Barcelona.

 

Benifaió

The Roman remains of Benifaió, or Benifayó in Spanish, are located on the outskirts of the city. Of particular interest is a rustic villa inhabited between the 1st and 4th centuries according to the numismatic and ceramic remains found.

 

Iluro

Ituro, now Cabrera de Mar, was an important trading town and the capital of the Laietani, an Iberian people, until Roman times.

 

La Isla

Colunga is a municipality in the Autonomous community of the Principality of Asturias, Spain.

 

Lucus Augusti

Today Lugo was the capital of the Capori tribe. It was conquered by Paullus Fabius Maximus and named Lucus Augustus in 13 BC after the positioning of a Roman military camp.

 

Tarraco

The capital of Hispania Tarraconensis, Tarraco is the oldest Roman settlement on the Iberian Peninsula.

 

Thirmarum

Thirmarum is recorded as a findspot for Mithraic material in Tarraconensis.

 

Toletum

Toledo is the repository of more than 2000 years of history.

See all Mithraic places in Tarraconensis

Inscriptions from Tarraconensis

Lápida mitráica de San Juan de la Isla

Ponit Inv/icto Deo / Au[gu]sto. Po/nit lebien/s Fronto / aram Invi/cto Deo Au/[gu]sto. F[ronto] Leveiu/s ponit, pr[a]e/sedente p[a]/[t]rem patr[um] / [c]um leon[ibus]/ M[onumentum] [h[oc]].
Erects it to the Unconquered God Augustus. Erects, willingly, Fronto, the altar to the Unconquered God Augustus. Fronto Leveius, erect this monument which presides over the father of fathers with the lions.

Signaculum of Caius Valerius Avitus

C(ai) Valeri Aviti / Augus / tobri / ga.
(Property) of Gaius Valerius Avitus, (from) Augustobriga.

Ara of the Mithraeum of Lugo

Deo / Inuic[to] Mithrae / G[aius] Victorius Vic/torinus [centurio] L[egionis] VII G[emina] / Antonianiae P[iae] F[elicis] / in honorem sta/tionis lucensis / et Victoriorum / Secundi et Vic/toris lib[ertorum] suor/um aram po/suit libenti animo [hedera].
To the undefeated Mithras, Gaius Victorius Victorinus, centurion of Legio VII Gemina Antoniania Pia Felix in honor of the statio at Lucus Augusti and of the Victorius Secundus and Victor, his freedmen, placed this altar willingly.

Altar of Benifayó

Invicto / Mithrae / Lucanus / Ser[vus].
To the invincible Mithras the slave Lucanus.

Inscription of Tarragona

[--- Invi]cto Mithra[e]….
To the invincible Mithras.

Plaque of Astorga

Invicto Deo / Serapidi et / Isidi / Cl[audius] Zenobius / Proc[urator] Aug[usti].
To the Unconquered God, to Serapis, and to Isis. Claudius Zenobius, Imperial Procurator.

Arula by Lucius Petreius of Cabrera de Mar

K[auti] d[eo] / L[ucius] Petre/ius Vic/tor ali/arius / d[eo] K[auti] M[ithrae] / v[otum] s[olvit] l[ibens] m[erito].
To the god Cautes / Lucius Petreius Victor, garlic merchant, to the god Cautes Mithra, has fulfilled his promise willingly and in due form.

Cilindric arula from Cabrera de Mar

K[auti] v[otum] s[olverunt] / Successus / Elaine / Caesaris
For Cautes. Successus and Elaine, Caesar's slaves, fulfilled their promise.

Altar with inscription from Baetulo

K[auti] deo / L[ucius] Valer[ius] Monteius / v[otum] s[olvit] l[ibens] m[erito].
To the god Cautes. Lucius Valerius Monteius fulfilled his promise willingly and properly.

Slab of Cornelio from Trillo

[C(aius)?] Cor(nelius) Aucu/diq(um) C(ai) lib(ertus).
Gaius Cornelius, of the Aucudici, freedman of Gaius.

Inscription of Mamilius Capitolinus from Astorga

I(ovi) O(ptimo) M(aximo) / Soli Invicto Libero / Patri Genio Praetor(ii) / Q(uintus) Mamil(ius) Capitolinus / iurid(icus) per Flaminiam / et Umbriam et Picenum / leg(atus) Aug(usti) per Asturiam et / Gallaeciam dux Leg(ionis) VII G(eminae) P(iae) Fe(licis) / praef(ectus) aer(arii) Sat(urni) pro salute / sua et suorum.
To Jupiter Best and Greatest, to Sol Invictus, to Liber Pater, and to the Genius of the Praetorium. Quintus Mamilius Capitolinus, juridicus of Flaminia, Umbria and Picenum; imperial legate in Asturia and Gallaecia; commander of Legio VII Gemina Pia Felix; prefect of the Treasury of Saturn, for his own welfare and that of his family.

References

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