The Rise and Fall of the

Mithraic Mysteries
V. L. Stephens, M.A.

ho was Mithras and what are cave or cave-like Mithraeum and the generally

W the Mithraic Mysteries? Because

of the Roman penchant for
incorporating “foreign” ideas, Mithras was
present Tauroctony and other images, the
initiations, and the primary participants that
we can make any conclusions. In addition,
surely not a purely Roman creation. The name while, “the modern term ‘religion’ seems to be
of Mithras most likely derives from the Indo- incorrect in a Roman setting,”2 to participate
Iranian noun, mitra, that which binds, as in a mystery religion implies a binding
in a covenant.1 The term, “mysteries,” does obligation, a duty, and honor. Duty and
not necessarily imply that a new religion is honor were paramount in Roman civilization
mysterious: It implies that its members are although adherence to any one religion was
formally initiated. The term “mystery” derives not necessary. Mithraism itself, “…was neither
from the Greek mysterion, or secret rites. There static nor homogeneous… just as Christianity
was little written about the Mithraic Mysteries. varied from one region of the Roman Empire
It is only through the inferences drawn from the to the other, so too did Mithraism.” 3

Rosicrucian
Digest Mithras killing the bull. Dedicated by a public slave named Apronianus, treasurer of the municipality of Nersae. Marble, 172
ce. From the Mithraeum of Nersae (modern Nesce, Italy). Collection of the National Museum of Rome. Photo © 2006 by
No. 2
Marie-Lan Nguyen / Wikimedia Commons.
2010

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The Mithraeum and Tauroctony
The celebrations of the Mithraic
Mysteries were held in Mithraea (Mithraic
temples) found throughout the Roman
Empire at military outposts in Germany,
France, Spain, Hungary, Italy, Romania,
Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
All Mithraea share certain common
characteristics. They are all in or built
and decorated to represent caves, they are
all longer than they are wide with stone
benches on either side, and they all depict
the Tauroctony, or scene of Mithras slaying
the bull, at a prominent altar. Included are
the figure of Mithras wearing a Phrygian
hat and a cloak, the bull (often with its tail
in, or depicting, ears of wheat), the dog
and snake appearing to ingest the blood
of the slain bull, the scorpion biting at the
bull’s genitals, and the Sun, Moon, and stars
above or under Mithras’s cloak. Often there
is a raven perched on the bull’s back, two Frontispiece of the Rudolphine Tables by Johannes Kepler
torchbearers on either side representing light (1571–1630). Left to right are Hipparchus, Copernicus,
and dark, one with the torch up (Cautes) Tycho Brahe, and Ptolemy. Photo by Steve Nicklas, NOAA
Central Library.
and one with torch down (Cautopates), and
a goblet.
objects represent a set of constellations,
The actual origins, rites, and rituals of the e.g., Taurus (bull), Scorpio (scorpion),
Mithraic Mysteries are relatively unknown. Corvus (raven), Crater (goblet), Hydra
Plutarch, in his Life of Pompey, tells a story (snake), Canis Major or Minor (dog), and
that implies Mithras was an import from the that Mithras himself is represented by the
Cilician pirates, who were plundering cities constellation Perseus. The interpretations
on the coast, around 67 bce. 4 The wealthy of what these symbols represent and why
joined the pirates as professional thieves to these constellations are used, and not the
obtain places of honor for the satisfaction zodiacal constellations, have been a subject
of their ambitions.5 Porphyry, in his On of debate. The answer lies in the different
the Cave of the Nymphs, talks of the cave view between the ecliptic (the zodiac) and
(grotto) as a symbol of the cosmos with souls the celestial equator. Plato described these
coming into being and then ascending into two celestial circles as forming a cross. He
the immortal realm. 6 The cave also served also believed that the Creator endowed
as a symbol of all unseen powers since they these two circles with uniform, permanent,
are dark to our eyes and the essence of the and unchangeable motion,8 a philosophical
powers is, including those of the Primary and scientific concept believed throughout
Mover, invisible. the ancient world until the second century
David Ulansey, in The Origins of the bce, when Hipparchus of Nicaea witnessed
Mithraic Mysteries,7 hypothesizes that these a nova in the constellation Scorpio.

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 Discovery of the Axial Precession taking approximately 2,150 years for the
precession through each of the twelve
Hipparchus had already begun
thirty-degree signs of the tropical (seasonal)
to notice the longitudinal shift in the
zodiac.10 Plato’s idea of the uniform,
star Spica in the Virgo constellation by
permanent, and unchangeable universal
comparing his observations with those
cross of the Creator had changed.
of Timocharis of Alexandria (third
century bce) and ancient Babylonian Today we refer to this axial precession
astronomical observations.9 He concluded in reference to the Ages of Humanity,
that the heavens were moving westward from the Golden Age of Leo and the
along the ecliptic at the rate of birth of the Orphic Phanes, through the
approximately one degree (or less) each silver age of Cancer and the Great Mother
century. He decided to prepare a new star goddess, to the present Age of Pisces (see
chart measuring the position of each star Table 1: The Ages of Humanity from 10,
according to latitude, i.e. the distance 500 bce11).The speed of axial precession
north or south of the celestial equator, changes over time, however, depending
and longitude, the angular distance on Earth’s rotation, and it is currently
east or west of a particular point. This speeding up (the precessional speed is
action created the first star chart with increasing which decreases the cycle
gridlines still in use today. As Hipparchus period).12 The Vernal Equinox during
prepared his star chart, he began to notice, the four-century advent of Mithraism
utilizing the older observations with his was in the constellation of Aries, the
own, a pivoting east/west change in the Ram, moving to the Age of Pisces, the
position of the north celestial pole star, an Fish. During the period of the Mithraic
observation that takes decades to ascertain. Mysteries, the constellation Perseus stood
This precession of the vernal equinox is just above Pisces, Aries, and Taurus. In
now known as the axial precession. He astrological thought, Perseus represents
calculated that a complete cycle occurred the third decanate of Aries (ruled by Mars)
approximately every 26,700 years. Today indicating a sub-ruler Jupiter, the primary
this complete cycle is referred to as the ritual god of the Romans. Perseus, or for
Great Year of approximately 25,800 years, our purposes, Mithras, is seen to be at

The Pleiades (M45, The Seven Sisters) open

cluster - infrared image from NASA’s Spitzer Space
Telescope. Approximately 5,200 years ago, the
Spring Equinox was near the bright star Aldebaran,
while the Fall Equinox was near the star Antares. At
that time, the Pleiades were almost on the equator.
Also, the most visible stars in every constellation in
the tauroctony were near the Equator. Recalling
Rosicrucian such an arrangement would have had great interest
Digest for Mithraists. Photo by John Stauffer. NASA /
No. 2 JPL-Caltech.
2010

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 TABLE 1: The Ages of Humanity from 10,500 bce13
Constellation Approximate Approximate
of Equinox Year Began Year End(s) Name of Age Events

10,500 bce The Golden

(Beginning of Stabilization of planetary
Leo, the Lion Age, Ruled by
(Sun) Holocene 8350 bce climate. Global warming,
Cronus or the sea levels rise
period) Orphic Phanes

The Age of the The Mother Goddess,

Cancer, the Great Mother, Neolithic revolution,
Crab (Moon) 8350 bce 6200 bce
the Silver Age, domestication of animals
Zeus and agriculture

Gemini, the The Age of Writing developed, trade

Twins Communication began, wheeled
6200 bce 4050 bce transportation, the
(Mercury) and Trade,
Heroic Age pantheon of deities

The Age of The Pyramids, copper and

Taurus, the Structure and tin smelted (bronze),
Bull (Venus) 4050 bce 1900 bce papyrus scrolls, the Ankh,
Eternity, The
Bronze Age bull deity in Egypt and
Crete

Akhnaton’s monotheism,
Aries, the The Age of War, Persian Mithraism,
Ram (Mars) 1900 bce 250 ce Courage, initiative, war,
Iron Age
and adventure. Romans as
“Sons of Mars,” iron swords

Pisces, the The Middle New religions, the rise of

250 ce 2400 ce Ages, The
Fish (Jupiter) Christianity, and Islam
Modern World
Aquarius, the
Water-Bearer 2400 ce 4550 ce The New Age Unknown
(Saturn)

the center of the precession and, hence, to approximate to the tropical year. Before
became the Primary Celestial Mover. this adjustment, an official date that was
recorded as happening in January was
When the Mithraic Mysteries were
actually falling in mid-autumn.14
born, astronomy and astrological beliefs
permeated Mediterranean religious Sometime near the end of the first
thought, and astrology was becoming an century Claudius Ptolemy was born.
art of synthesis, just as the mystery religions Ptolemy was born a Roman citizen of
of Rome were becoming syncretistic. Egypt and was a member of Alexandria’s
Probably because of the discovery by Greek society. He became a leading
Hipparchus, Julius Caesar reformed scientist publishing a variety of treatises.
the Roman calendar in 46 bce, with The most well-known down to the present
consultation from Sosignes of Alexandria, day are the extensive amalgamation of

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 Andreas Cellarius and Johannes van Loon, Harmonia macrocosmica, 1660–61. Chart showing signs of the zodiac and the
solar system with world at the center, following the Ptolemaic System.

astronomical knowledge, the Almagest, the minds of all Roman soldiers. Discovering
Geography, and the astrological synthesis of the precession of the equinoxes meant
the Quadripartitim, or Tetrabiblos. knowing how to ascend through the newly
Astrology and astronomy had wide identified layout of the cosmos.
influence in the Greco-Roman period. The
stars and planets were the immortal deities, The Roman Military
as they had been for millennia. With the The Marian Reform (named for Gaius
discovery of the axial precession, a new god Marius) in 107 bce eventually transformed
had appeared possessing a world-shaking the Roman Republic into the Roman
power to move the heavens themselves. Empire.15 Marius proposed a restructuring
This all-powerful god, Mithras, the Sol of the organization of the soldiers in the
Invictus, had control over the cosmos and Roman armies. The armies had consisted
therefore would automatically have power of landowners only, who had to bring their
over the astrological forces determining life own horses and armaments. The theory
on Earth. Mithras’s control of the Universe was that landowners would be more apt to
meant that, with the appropriate homage, defend their own homes. Marius wanted
he possessed the ability to guarantee the to change the army to include state-paid,
Rosicrucian
Digest soul a safe journey through the celestial state-armed, and state-trained legions of
No. 2 spheres after death, something on the professional soldiers from the landless, i.e.
2010

Page 6
the capite censi. The Marian Reform was a of translators, librarians, and encyclopedists,
strategy to strengthen Rome in response to listed the seven grades of initiation into
the threat from the Germanic Cimbri and the Roman Mithraic Mysteries (see Table
Teutonic tribes. 2, Mithraic Initiation). Initiation is a form
of sympathetic magic and has long been
Eventually, as the Empire settled into
an aspect of religion with ritual objects
the Pax Romana, a period coinciding with
the Mithraic Mysteries, the consolidation designed to affect the environment of people
of the military took place and moderation through correspondences. At the end of their
in the expansion of the Empire became initiation, the initiates of Mithras would
the goal. Mercenaries from other lands shake hands with the Pater, the highest-
were hired to guard the far-flung borders. ranking member, and meals were held as a
However, martial concerns had to be sacramental feast in honor of Mithras, the
addressed because war with one power or Sol Invictus, the unconquered sun.
another was a way of life for the Romans. Almost from the beginning, initiation
This “Roman peace” was not intended into the mysteries seems to have been
to end war; it was intended to create an limited to males16 and was popular
atmosphere of non-resistance. among the military (as suggested by the
Mithraea at military sites). Mithraism
Stoicism was a predominant philosophy
promised knowledge that was hidden from
during this period. In stoicism, self-control
outsiders. It is known that the Roman
and the strength to endure misfortune were
society typically was not particularly
important human attributes, especially for
spiritual, but Romans were ritualists and
the military. It has been suggested that the
formalists to the core. As in all hierarchies
Mithraic initiations involved three ordeals
(from the Greek for the leaders of sacred
to be endured: heat, cold, and hunger.
rites), the members were above, below,
Roman stoics sought to live in harmony
or on the same level as other members. A
with that which was out of their control,
i.e. a non-resistance to the will of the hierarchy is a system of order, something
universal mover. For the Roman soldier very important in the Roman world.
this was personified by Mithras/Perseus. The Romans celebrated the seven-day
Soldiers sought a respite from the worries Saturnalia during the time many believe
of constant warfare. Because most Mithraea to be the birth of Mithras, near December
could only hold thirty to forty people, the 23. Saturnalia was introduced around
seven-step Mithraic initiation process may 217 bce, in the hopes of building morale
have been very selective. The Mithraic after the Roman military defeat by the
mysteries sought to provide the means for Carthaginians at Lake Trasimenus.17 It
the highly trained, duty-bound officers to was a time to “eat, drink, and be merry,” a
envision the opportunities for salvation. breaking of their system of order, a reversal
The cave-like Mithraea were built to of roles between masters and slaves, and a
represent the cosmos where their salvation holiday for the Roman soldiers. The ropes
could be found through the theurgy of the that bound the statue of Saturn in Rome
Mithraic Mysteries. for the rest of the year, were removed;
and everyone wore the pileus, a conical,
Initiation into the Mithraic Mysteries brimless, felt hat, also known as the
During the fourth century ce, St. liberty cap or Phrygian cap,18 the symbol
Jerome, the Roman Catholic patron saint of the highest level of Mithraic initiation.

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 It is possible that the feasts and initiations sacrifice his physical power to Mithras.
into the Mithraic mysteries occurred at The final initiation into the lesser
different times during the year, however, mysteries of Mithras was that of Adept.
perhaps they began in the mid-spring after The symbol of the Lion represented the
the heliacal setting of Taurus (the slaying stoic concept of the Demiurge, where the
of the bull) when the Sun was moving to Soldier will become the “Good Leader,”
its hottest. The Tauroctony symbolized or Ariomanus, through trial by fire. This
the “...final death of winter, symbolized by will allow him to help those below him in
the bull, and the approach of summer.”19 reaching salvation.
All members progressed through the first Those who advanced into the greater
four ranks representing spiritual progress. mysteries became Perses with the harpe
Not everyone proceeded to the three dagger as its symbol. Perseus removed
higher ranks. Medusa’s head with the mythological harpe
Some possible meanings of the dagger, an adamantine sword, borrowed
symbols in the initiations can be gleaned from Hermes. Every year in August, we
from a reading of the currently available can view the Perseid meteor showers that
literature on the Mysteries. Those who appear to be coming from Perseus’s sword
had completed the first initiation, the as he stands on the white road of the
Raven, were the servers at the ritual meals. Milky Way. This symbolizes the rescuer
The Raven symbolizes the rational rising reborn from the ashes. The sixth initiation
of the spirit in service. The Nymphus brought the soldier to Heliodromus, or
of the second initiation symbolizes Sun-courier, where he stood with Mithras,
subservience in the ritual marriage of the Sol Invictus as the Sun and Mithras
the initiate to Mithras. During the third moved in their course. The final initiation
initiation, the Soldier was presented with was symbolized by the curved knife and
a crown balanced on a sword, which he Phrygian cap and was that of the Pater,
must refuse stating that Mithras is his the matured, disciplined father, who could
crown. This symbolizes that although he show the way to freedom and liberty from
wishes to attain glory for himself he will fear of the cycle of life and death.

TABLE 2: Mithraic Initiation

Grade of Associated Associated
Initiation Title Symbol Planet Constellation
Lesser Mysteries
1 Corax The Crow Mercury Corax, the Raven
2 Nymphus Male Bride Venus Taurus, the Bull
3 Miles Soldier Mars Aries, the Sword
4 Adept Lion Jupiter Leo, the Lion
Greater Mysteries
5 Perses The Harpe Dagger Moon
Rosicrucian 6 Heliodromus Sun-courier Sun
Digest
No. 2
7 Pater Curved knife, Phrygian Cap Saturn
2010

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 Mithraic relief with the Tauroctony scene. Monumental Cemetery, Pisa. Photo © 2010 by
LoneWolf 1976 / Wikimedia Commons.

The Apparent Demise of the Mithraic During the first four centuries ce,
Mysteries many changes were taking place in the
Roman Empire that would mark the
Roman religion in general was not apparent demise of the Mithraic Mysteries.
based on any central belief, but on a The first century experienced the ministry
mixture of varied rituals and traditions of Jesus and rise of the Christian religion.
that had been assembled over the years The second century saw the end of the Pax
from a number of sources: “To the Romana, the building of Hadrian’s Wall
Romans, religion was less a spiritual in Britain and Ptolemy’s astronomical
experience than a contractual relationship and astrological Almagest and Tetrabiblos.
between mankind and the forces which With the advent of the “Crisis in the third
were believed to control people’s existence century,”21 the Roman Empire was beset
and well-being.”20 One of the most by civil war, foreign invasion, the plague,
important aspects of Roman religion was and economic depression. Clement of
the synthesis of whatever mystery religion, Alexandria was developing a Christian
god or goddess, or idea that arrived Platonism and the Romanized Egyptian
in Rome. It remains difficult to know stoic, Plotinus, established Neo-Platonism
what the Mithraic Mysteries included proclaiming that Aristotle and Plato were
but the evidence suggests that they of the same mind, the same nous. In the
had incorporated many of the mystery fourth century, Constantine became the
religions of antiquity and personages from first Christian Roman Emperor. The
throughout their Empire. The Romans first Council of Nicaea was held in 325
created a religion around the secret ce, establishing a consensus of concepts
knowledge of a god that granted salvation for state establishment of the Christian
from their fate as embodied in the stars Church. Theodosius I banned all pagan
and planets. religions from the Empire by 395 ce,

Page 9
 including the Mithraic Mysteries,
and Christianity became the official
state religion of the Roman Empire.
In The Origins of the Mithraic
Mysteries, David Ulansey states, “The
Mithraic mysteries ended as a religion
of soldiers, based on an ideology of
power and hierarchy.”22 What then
was the spiritual truth that created
Mithras, the last god of the mystery
religions? What made him worthy
of homage? During Medieval times,
Anselm of Canterbury believed that
truth was rightness perceptible only to
the mind, the ontological argument
for the Supreme Being. According to
Ralph M. Lewis, “The first principle
of truth [is] personal assurance and
confidence...”23 The primordial
tradition that brought the concept of
space and time, the mysteries of the
cycle of life and death, including the
traditions brought forward in the now
darkened Mithraic Mysteries, remains
Emperor Constantine and the Council of Nicaea burning Arian
alive in our religions, philosophies, books. Drawing on vellum, ca. 825 in the Capitolare Library,
mysticism, and in our sciences. Vercelli, a compendium of canon law produced in northern Italy.

3 Pvdens. “Mithras Sol Invictus—An Initiate’s

Guide,” (The Roman Military Research Society,
2008). Available at http://www.romanarmy.net/
ENDNOTES mithras.htm.
4Plutarch, “Pompey,” Lives (New York: The
1 Hans-Peter Schmidt, “Mithra i: Mithra in Old
Modern Library, 2001), vol 2, 88.
Indian and Mithra in Old Iranian,” Encyclopaedia
Iranica (New York: Columbia University, 2006). 5 Ibid. “So that now there embarked with these
Available at http://www.iranica.com/articles/ pirates men of wealth and noble birth and superior
mithra-i. abilities, as if it had been a natural occupation to
2 gain distinction in.”
Clive Hewett, “Roman Religion: An
Introduction,” (The Roman Military Research 6 Porphyry, “On the Cave of the Nymphs” (De
Society, 2010). Available at http://www. antro nympharum) in The Ancient Mysteries: A
romanarmy.net/relintro.htm. Sourcebook of Sacred Texts, ed. Marvin W. Meyer
Rosicrucian
Digest
No. 2
2010

Page 10
(Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, start date of the Holocene period the Aquarian
1999), 210–11. Age does not begin until 2400 ce. The beginning
7 and ending of the “Ages of Humanity” is highly
David Ulansey, The Origins of the Mithraic
controversial.
Mysteries: Cosmology and Salvation in the Ancient
14 “Julian calendar” in Astronomy Encyclopedia, ed.
World (New York: Oxford University Press, 1991).
8
Sir Patrick Moore (New York: Oxford University
Plato, Timaeus and Critias (New York: Penguin Press, 2002), 210.
Books, 1979), 49. “He then took the fabric and
15 Plutarch, “Caius Marius,” Lives (New York: The
cut it down the middle into two strips, which he
placed crosswise at their middle points to form Modern Library, 2001), vol 1, 549–584.
a shape like the letter X; he then bent the ends 16 David Jonathan, “The Exclusion of Women
round in a circle and fastened them to each other in the Mithraic Mysteries: Ancient or Modern?”
opposite the point at which the strips crossed, to Numen 47(2), (2000): 121–141. There is some
make two circles, one inner and one outer. And he evidence that women were not altogether
endowed them with uniform motion in the same or dogmatically excluded from the Mithraic
place, and named the movement of the outer Mysteries.
circle after the nature of the Same, of the inner
after the nature of the Different.” 17Shawn Landis, “The Roman Saturnalia,” (Suite
9 “Hipparchus.” Encyclopedia Britannica (Chicago: 101.com, November 20, 2007). Available at
http://roman-history.suite101.com/article.cfm/
William Benton, 1957).
the_roman_saturnalia.
10 “Precession” in Astronomy Encyclopedia, ed. 18James Yates, “Pileus,” A Dictionary of Greek and
Sir Patrick Moore (New York: Oxford University
Roman Antiquities, ed. William Smith (London:
Press, 2002), 218–19.
John Murray, 1875).
11 The Holocene Period from around 10,500 bce 19 Ulansey, 20.
is the geological epic that includes the present. It is
the period of civilization when the climate changes 20 “Roman Religion,” Illustrated History of the
began to stabilize and became more regional. Roman Empire, http://www.roman-empire.net/
12 A.L. Berger, “Obliquity and precession for the religion/religion.html.
last 5 million years.” Astronomy and Astrophysics, 21 Kelley L. Ross, “Crisis of the Third Century,”
51 (1976): 127. Rome And Romania, 27 bc–1453 ad, http://www.
13 There are approximately 2,150 years between friesian.com/romania.htm#crisis-1.
the ages. Although the Aquarian Age is believed 22 Ulansey, 125.
to have already begun, or will be beginning soon,
by using the 10,500 bce generally agreed upon 23 Lewis, Ralph M., “Truth, What is it?”

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