26.12.2023
5 Dakika
Mithraism, a cult that found followers even before the spread of Christianity in the Roman Empire, is a mysterious subject of great interest as there are no written documents about it, the worship in underground temples is secretive and the cult has mysteriously disappeared. In Anatolia, one of the most important geographical regions where the Roman Empire established its supremacy, remains related to this mysterious belief have been discovered. In this article, we would like to introduce you to the remains of Mithraism found in Türkiye, one of the most fascinating elements of religious history. But first, let us give you some information about Mithraism.
Mithraism, one of the pagan religions of Rome, probably goes back to the Persian god Mithra, who originated from Hinduism. The god Mithra, whose name means "unification" or "mediation"," is depicted alongside other figures such as Helios and Sol and is associated with the sun and light, which goes back to the legacy of "sun worship." You could only join the cult after passing 12 trials, similar to many other cults. As Mithraism, like many other cults, accepted an afterlife, its promises of the "other world" played a role in the spread of the religion. The origin of the cult, which revolves around the scene in which Mithra, accompanied by other figures, kills a bull, is still disputed. As it was a secret organization, Mithraism, which has left no written sources, is usually known through temples built underground or in caves. Let's take a look at the Mithraic temple ruins discovered in Türkiye.
Doliche, located about 10 km northwest of Gaziantep, is an ancient city where two Mithraeum (cult rooms) were found in a cave. These cult rooms, which are among the most impressive finds of the ancient city, were laid out in the form of large squares inside the cave. In one of these cult rooms there is a relief depicting Mithra killing a bull, with the figure's head replaced by a cross, indicating that the relief was destroyed by Christians.
Near the Perge Ancient City, 18 km east of Antalya, a Mithraeum with a marble votive stele containing a relief with the canonical bull-slaying scene was excavated. The cult room with a vaulted entrance was probably built by carving into a rock face. The marble votive stele, which contains an inscription from the 2nd century AD, states that "Marcus Lucius Crispus hospitably offered a sacrifice to Helios Mithras with his children for the council and the public assembly of Perge."
In Arykanda, which lies within the borders of Antalya province and in the Lycian region, there is said to be a Mithraic temple on the acropolis consisting of two rectangular rooms. The inscription on the architrave of the temple indicates that the building was dedicated to the Roman emperor Septimus Severus and the Severus family. Unlike other temples, this one is not underground, which could indicate that the building did not need to be hidden, as Septimus Severus allowed the freedom of Mithraism.
Within the borders of Diyarbakır province, the Zerzevan Fortress contains the remains of an underground Mithraic temple from Roman times. The temple carved into the rock includes columns, niches, a beam motif on the east wall, a niche with a carved water basin connected to a wall by a channel and four symmetrically arranged places on the ceiling, which were probably used for animal sacrifice rituals.
