The Temple Of Mithras - Hadrians Wall.

The building was excavated in 1950 and found to be of two periods. The first building of the early third century was only 26 feet long and could not have held more than 10 or 12 men. One of its most interesting features was a small bunker for pine cones which had been carbonised by careful roasting and when burned in this state would have given off a strong pine aroma, clearly a ritual stimulant. The temple was soon enlarged to 36 feet during the later third century and to this was added a square apse which held a Mithraic relief. Benches supported by timber wattling stood on each side of the nave and on these the participants reclined. The next stage was a thorough remodelling of the interior. The introduction of posts suggests a change in the roof structure. The narthex was now fitted with an ordeal pit lined with stone and sunk into the floor, coffin like, where initiates could be subjected to heat and cold while lying entombed. In the fourth stage the ordeal pit was replaced by a bench and wood flooring put down in the nave as if the trials were no longer as rigorous as before. The building was destroyed by fire and deliberately wrecked in the troubles at the end of the third century. A new temple was erected on the old foundations differing only at the apse end. The side benches were shorter and it was in this form that the temple was finally abandoned, but not before suffering desecration. This destruction is dated by the archaeologist Ian Richmond to AD 324 when the struggle between Mithraism and Christianity had political aspects. Of the three alters found at Carrawburgh, the one situated on the left is the most interesting. It bears an inscription on the lower half above which is a half length representation of Mithras himself. He is shown with a radiate halo around his head, and this has been pierced so that a torch placed behind the figure would let its light shine through the radiate crown into the semi-darkness of the temple. The three alters were set up by prefects from the nearby fort; Aulus Cluentius Habitus, Lucius Antonius Proculus and Marcus Simplicus Simplex. This is clear evidence of the high status of the followers of Mithras and the money and influence which was available to the cult. The original alters are now in the University museum in Newcastle and copies of the alters are on site. Interestingly, very close to this temple is a well dedicated to the Celtic water-nymph Coventina. Little can be seen here now but over twelve thousand Roman coins and other offerings have been recovered from the site. One can only speculate as to the reasons or otherwise for locating the temple of Mithras so close to a native shrine.

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• mithras
• mithraic
• temple
• hadrians
• wall
• roman
• army
• gladiator

[LadyAislinn69]

always a pleasure....

[carolinesimone]

excellent Graeme

[neolithicfarmer]

thats really interesting