The Mithraic evidence documented in Roman Britannia is closely associated with military environments, frontier installations and the northern limits of imperial occupation. The province preserves several well-known mithraea and inscriptions connected to soldiers and officials stationed along the frontiers of the Roman world.
Mithraic monuments of Britannia
London Mithraeum
The Mithraeum of London, also known as the Walbrook Mithraeum, was contextualised and relocated to its original site in 2016.
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Mithraeum of Inveresk
The Mithraeum of Inveresk, south of Musselburgh, East Lothian, is the first found in Scotland, and the earliest securely dated example from Britain.
Mithraeum of Carrawburgh
The temple of Mithras of Carrawburgh, Brocolita, disclosed three main stages of development, the second exhibiting two reconstructions.
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Mithraeum of Housesteads
The Housesteads Mithraeum is an underground temple, now burried, discovered in 1822 in a slope of the Chapel Hill, outside of the Roman Fort at the Hadrian's Wall.
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Mithras rock-born from Housesteads
A naked Mithra emerges from the cosmic egg surrounded by the zodiac, as always carrying a torch and a dagger.
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Arimanius from York
The statue of Arimanius/Ahriman was found in 1874 under the city wall of York during the construction of the railway station.
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Altar of Carrawburgh by Antonius Proculus
One of the three altars to Mithras found at the Mithraeum of Carrawburgh fort.
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Tauroctonia de Walbrook
The image of Mithras killing the bull, found near Walbrook, is surrounded by a Zoadiac circle.
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Mithraeum of Caernarfon
The Mithraeum of Caernarfon, in Walles, was built in three phases during the 3rd century, and destroyed at the end of the 4th.
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Mithraeum of Rudchester
The Mithraeum of Rudchester was discovered in 1844 on the brow of the hill outside the roman station.
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Denarius depicting Mithras rock-birth of St. Albans
The mithraic denarius of St. Albans dates from the 2nd century.
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Tauroctony from York
This stone in basso relief of Mithras killing the bull was found 10 foot underground in Micklegate York in 1747.
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Brothers attested in Britannia
Provinces of Britannia
Britannia inferior
Along the northern frontier of Roman Britain, Britannia inferior preserves important evidence linked to military and frontier communities.
Britannia superior
Britannia superior preserves a substantial body of Mithraic evidence associated with military sites and urban centres of Roman Britain.
Places in Britannia
Borcovicium
Housesteads Roman Fort is the remains of an auxiliary fort on Hadrian's Wall, at Housesteads, Northumberland, England, south of Broomlee Lough.
Brocolita
Brocolitia, also called Procolita or Brocolita, was an auxiliary settlement on Hadrian's Wall. This site is now known as Carrawburgh.
Burham
Burham is a village and civil parish in the borough of Tonbridge and Malling in Kent, England.
Camulodunum
Camulodunum, modern Colchester, was among the earliest coloniae established in Britannia after the Roman conquest.
Coria
Coria developed as a major military and civilian centre near Hadrian’s Wall at modern Corbridge in northern Britannia.
Eboracum
Eboracum was a fort and later a city in the Roman province of Britannia. Two Roman emperors died in Eboracum: Septimius Severus in 211 AD, and Constantius Chlorus in 306 AD.
Eburacum
Eburacum, modern York, served as one of the principal administrative and military centres of northern Britannia.
Epiacum
The hill fort of Epiacum, known today as Whitley Castle, occupied a strategic upland position south of Hadrian’s Wall.
Inscriptions from Britannia
Arimanius from York
Altar of Carrawburgh by Antonius Proculus
Tauroctonia de Walbrook
Denarius depicting Mithras rock-birth of St. Albans
Mithras-Sol Altar from the Carrawburgh
Altar with openwork of Inveresk
Tabula ansata of Lucius from Bremenium
Dionysus group marble of London
Altar of Inveresk with a griffin
Altar of Carrawburgh by Aulus Cluentius
Inscripton of Justus from Caerleon
Altar of Castlesteads
References
- Attilio Mastrocinque (2017) The Mysteries of Mithras. A Different Account
- Mariana Egri (2020) The Archaeology of Mithraism. New Finds and Approaches to Mithras-Worship
- Philippe Roy (2021) Les cultes de Mithra dans l’Empire romain
- Římský kult boha Mithry. Atlas lokalit a katalog nálezů I










