Search Results for: Mithras
A Mithraic brooch in the Ashmolean in Oxford
Last Saturday I was in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, browsing idly the Roman exhibits. Suddenly I realised that I was looking at a set of small finds, all of Empire-period deities; and I started looking much more closely to see if there was a representation of Mithras. And so there was! Sadly I had no […]
From my diary
From my diary
I spent some time this evening writing a page on the Mithraeum discovered at Lugo (ancient “Lucus Augusti” in Spain) in 2003. Found a few images online, mostly of the dig, but also of a rather splendid granite altar, about 3 feet tall. It was slightly frustrated to discover that the publication of the find […]
From my diary
Inscriptions containing the title “Pater Patratus”
At the moment I am looking at a mysterious Roman title, the Pater Patratus, of uncertain meaning. Yesterday I looked at the passage in Livy which gives us most information about it. Today I decided to look at inscriptional evidence. A search of the Clauss-Slaby database reveals only three inscriptions which use the title of “Pater Patratus”, […]
The office of “Pater patratus” in Roman religion
Yesterday I noted that the title pater patratus appears in some inscriptions connected with the cult of Mithras. All these inscriptions fall between 100-400 A.D. But the title is an ancient one, and we read of it as the title of the spokesman of a group of priests who acted rather like medieval heralds, but […]
A Mithraic Pope? The “Pater Patrum” or “Father of Fathers”
Among the nonsense that circulates on the web is an interesting claim, which may be found in the old online Catholic Encyclopedia, and spread into atheist literature via the medium of Joseph Wheless’ Forgery in Christianity.. It is perhaps most accessible today by means of the Christ Conspiracy by a certain Acharya S., a poor woman […]
The monument of Vettius Agorius Praetextatus
CIL VI, 1779 is a statue base. Blessedly, a photograph is online at BBAW here, which I borrow (right), together with a transcription and a German translation. I believe the monument may now be in the Capitoline museum in Rome. The statue which stood atop it has, alas, long since vanished, but on the base […]
From my diary
Roger Beck’s collection of essays, Beck on Mithraism, has arrived at my local library and I have taken possession of it. It will be interesting to look at, although I find that it is difficult to concentrate on any project while I am working at full pressure in my day-job. I’m still working through Manfred […]