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Mithras in Africa

The evidence from Roman Africa reflects the implantation of Mithraic cults within prosperous urban centres of the western Mediterranean.

The Mithraic evidence documented in Roman Africa is concentrated primarily in urban environments connected to commerce, administration and imperial infrastructure. The material illustrates the western diffusion of the cult across North Africa, particularly within cities integrated into the economic and maritime networks of the Roman Mediterranean.

Mithraic monuments of Africa

See all Mithraic monuments in Africa

Provinces of Africa

 

Africa Proconsularis

Africa Proconsularis formed one of the principal urban and administrative centres of Roman North Africa where Mithraic cults circulated through prosperous civic networks.

 

Numidia

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

 

Tripolitania

Tripolitania connected the southern Mediterranean coast to caravan routes and maritime exchange networks of Roman North Africa.

Places in Africa

 

Cuicul

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

 

Carthago

Roman Carthage was an important city in ancient Rome, located in modern-day Tunisia.

 

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.

 

Gholaia

The frontier site of Gholaia formed part of the defensive and logistical system of the Limes Tripolitanus in the Libyan desert.

 

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.

 

Leptis Magna

Leptis or Lepcis Magna, also known by other names in antiquity, was a prominent city of the Carthaginian Empire and Roman Libya at the mouth of the Wadi Lebda in the Mediterranean.

 

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.

 

Oea

Oea was an ancient city in modern-day Tripoli, Libya, founded by the Phoenicians in the 7th century BC. It became a Roman-Berber colony in the second half of the 2nd century BC.

See all Mithraic sites in Africa

Inscriptions from Africa

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.

Frescoes from the tomb of Aelius Magnus and Aelia Arisuth in Oea

D[is] M[anibus] s[acrum] / Aelia Arisuth / vixit annus / sexaginta plus minus. // Quae lea iacet.
Sacred to the gods of the dead. Aelia Arisuth lived sixty years, more or less. She lies here.

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.

Plaque of Meknès

Pro salute et incolumitate imp[eratoris] Caesaris / L[ucii] Aeli[i] Aurel[ii] Commodi Pii invicti feli/cis Herculis Romani imperioque / eius Aur[elius] Nectorega [centurio] vex[illariorum] Britt[onum] / Volubili agentium sua pecunia / invicto posuit et d[e]d[icavit].
For the salvation and safeguard of the Emperor Caesar Augustus, Lucius Aelius Aurelius Commodus, pious, invincible, happy, Roman Hercules, and under his imperium, Aurelius Nectoreca, centurion of the Breton vexillation stationed at Volubilis, at his own expense, for the Invincible, has deposited and dedicated.

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.

See all Mithraicinscriptions from Africa

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