Ostia Antica Mithraeum at the Baths of Mithras

The Baths of Mithras at Ostia Antica, Rome's ancient port, had a Mithraeum (Temple of Mithras) installed underground in its service area in the early third century AD. Like most Mithraea, the building was designed to recall the cave in which Mithras killed the sacred bull and released the force of Eternal Life. Similarities in belief and worship led early Christians to target the Mithraea and destroy them. Christians later adapted these Baths to their use and wrecked the Mithraeum, smashing the statue. The current one is a reproduction. More information at: http://www.ostia-antica.org/regio1/17/17-2a.htm
This building is part of the prescribed content for the UK-based OCR examination board's A-Level in Classical Civilisation (paper CC6). Two of the most interesting finds from the building are the imagines clipeatae (portrait busts on circular mounts). These curious objects are displayed very badly in Ostia's Museum but I have created a webpage at www.romanbritain.freeserve.co.uk/imagclip.htm which explains a lot more.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Rome
• Ostia
• Antica
• Mithras
• Mithraeum
• Roman
• Baths