7 mithraic grades

XVI/2008/2/Studie

176

SUMMARY

SevenMithraicGrades:

NarrativesoftheScholars’Knowledge:

AnInitiatoryorPriestlyHierarchy?

ThePotentialofNarrativeandCriticalTheoryintheStudyofReligionsThistextisacontributiontocriticalreflectionsonthewayshowknowledgeisproducedAle‰Chalupa*

intheacademicstudyofreligionsandontheepistemologicalandsocialconsequencesofthisknowledgeproduction.Myargumentrestsontheassumptionthatthenarrativeapproachcanpositivelycontributetocriticaltheorizingaboutanalyticalnarrativesconstructedbyscholarsofreligions.Idealwiththeparticularconnectionbetweencriticaltheoryandnar-Mithraismwasoneofmanyreligiouscultswhichproliferatedintheso-rativeanalysisasappliedtotheseanalyticalnarratives.Thecriticalpotentialofthenarrati-cietyoftheRomanEmpire.Theevidenceofitsexistencebeginstoappearveapproachshouldnotbesearchedforinitsfrequentlypresumedabilitytodiscoveramo-retruthfulversionofrealitybehindthenarrativeconstructions,butintheinquiryabout(1)inourhistoricalsources,ratherabruptly,inthelastquarterofthe1stcen-thespecificworldviewsinwhichscholarlynarrativesareembeddedand(2)theconsequen-turyCE.1TheoriginsofMithraismarestilldebated:theancientscalleditcesnarrativeshaveforsociallife.OnthisbasisandviadiscussingJonathanZ.Smith’stextMysteriesofMithras,or,becauseofitssupposedPersianorigins,Myste-onPeoplesTempleIre-interprettheHorkheimerianideaoftheinseparabilityoffactsandriesofthePersians.Thecontemporaryscholarlyconsensusis,however,normsasaninevitableconsequenceofarticulatinganalyticalnarratives.Iarguethatthesenarrativesserveasamodelforsociallifeandthushaveconsequencesforsociallifebecau-veryclosetotheopinionthatMithraisminitsWesternform,regardlessofseoftheirmediatingrolewhichcanbegraspedinthree,closelyinterwovendimensions:inpossiblepresenceofsomeauthenticPersianmotifs,isaproductofthemediatingaconceptualbaseforinterpretingtheworld,inmediatingaguidelineforarticu-Graeco-Romanworldandprobablyhadevolved(orhadbeencreated)latingmoraljudgmentsabouttheworld,inmediatingamodelforsocialaction.

shortlybeforeitsfirsttracesbecamevisibleinourarchaeologicalmaterial.2ThecultspreadquicklyacrosstheRomanworldandflourishedes-

Ústavreligionistiky

ELEONÓRAHAMAR

peciallyduringthe2ndand3rdcenturyCE,butitfinallyperishedaftersuc-Filozofickáfakulta

cessfulChristianizationoftheRomanEmpire.ThelastMithraic

Masarykovauniverzita

e-mail:[email protected]

ArnaNováka1

*

Abbreviationsusedinthefollowingtextare:AE=L’AnnéeÉpigraphique;ANRW=

60200Brno

HildegartTemporini–WolfgangHaase(eds.),AufstiegundNiedergangderrömischenWelt,Berlin–NewYork:WalterdeGruyter1974-;CIMRM=MaartenJ.Vermaseren(ed.),CorpusInscriptionumetMonumentorumReligionisMithriacaeI.-II.,Haag:Mar-tinusNijhoff1956-1960;EPRO=Étudespréliminairesauxreligionsorientalesdansl’empireromain.

1

AboutthisearlyphaseoftheexistenceofMithraismandtheevidencecomingdownfromthisperiodseeReinholdMerkelbach,Mithras,Königstein/Ts.:Hein1984,147-149;ManfredClauss,CultoresMithrae:DieAnhängerschaftdesMithras-Kultes,Stuttgart:FranzSteiner1992,251-252;id.,TheRomanCultofMithras:TheGodandHisMysteries,(transl.RichardGordon),Edinburgh:EdinburghUniversityPress2000,21-22;RichardGordon,“WhoWorshippedMithras?”,JournalofRomanArchaeology7,1994,459-474:460-462,467-468,470;RogerBeck,“TheMysteriesofMithras:ANewAccountofTheirGenesis”,JournalofRomanStudies88,1998,115-128:118-119.TheoldestMithraicmonumentscomeapproximatelyfromtheperiod75-125CE.

2

TheoncealmostuniversallyheldopinionthatMithraismisbesttointerpretasadirectcontinuationofgenuinePersianmysteries(cf.e.g.FranzCumont,TheMysteriesofMithras,[transl.ThomasJ.McCormack],NewYork:DoverPublications21956;GeoWidengren,“TheMithraicMysteriesintheGraeco-RomanWorld”,in:Lapersiaeilmondogreco-romano,Roma:AcademiaNazionaledeiLincei,Anno363[1966],Qua-derno76,433-456;id.,“ReflectionsontheOriginsoftheMithraicMysteries”,in:Pe-rennitas:StudiinonorediAngeloBrelich,Roma:Edizionidell’Ateneo–Ghezzano1980,645-668;LeroyR.Campbell,MithraicIconographyandIdeology,[EPRO11],Leiden:E.J.Brill1968:179)seemstobenowcompletelyabandoned.Eventhose178

Ale‰Chalupa

179

SevenMithraicGrades:AnInitiatoryorPriestlyHierarchy?

communitiesprobablydisappearedinthefirsthalfofthe5thcenturyCE

enigmaticinformation,whichmakestheirinterpretationextremelyproble-andinmostregionsprobablymuchsooner.3

matic.Therefore,comparedwithotheraspectsofMithraism,forexampleThesystemofsevenMithraicgradesbelongsamongthecharacteristicthecult’sarchitecture,iconographyorthesocialstructureofitsmember-Mithraicstructures,togetherwiththetauroctony(themainiconographicship,weareonlyimperfectlyinformedaboutthemeaningofMithraicgra-motifofthecult)andthemithraeum(itssacredarchitecture).4SomedesandtheirroleinMithraicreligiouslife.

roughlyanalogousgradesorratherculticofficescanbefoundinotherHel-Theaimofthisstudyistore-opentheproblemofMithraicgradesinthelenisticmysterycultsaswell,butincomparisonwiththesystemusedinlightofsomenewimportantdiscoveries,addresssomecrucialquestionsMithraismtheyhaveevidentlyneverreachedthecomparablelevelofcom-abouttheircharacterrecentlyraisedandformulateafinalstatementaboutplexity.5EventhoughtheexistenceofMithraicgradesisreliablyattestedtheirnature,evenifnecessarilyopentofurtherdiscussion.

bythecombinationofindependentsources(classicalliterature,Mithraicinscriptionsandiconographyetc.),theirstudyisconfoundedbymanydif-SevenMithraicGrades:WhatWeKnowaboutThem

ficulties.ThemaincomplicationarisesfromthefactthattheactualamountofevidencewehaveaboutthemisverysmallandsometimesyieldsveryAtthepresenttimeweknow,withalmostabsolutecertainty,thatMithraistscommonlyusedasequenceofthesesevengrades:Raven(Corax),Bridegroom(Nymphus),6Soldier(Miles),Lion(Leo),Persian(Perses),RunneroftheSun(Heliodromus)andFather(Pater).7AtthebeginningofscholarsstilldefendingtheassumptionthatmanyauthenticPersianmotifsfounditswayintoMithraismacknowledgethefactthatMithraismslowlyevolvedsomewherethe20thcenturytheywereknownonlysuperficially,mostlyfromisolatedinAsiaMinorinacreativehotbedofPersian,Greekandlocalreligiousideasandthe-referencesinclassicalauthors8andsporadicoccurrencesinepigraphicalreforemustbeseenasanewreligiousphenomenon(cf.e.g.RobertTurcan,Mithraettestimonies.Moreover,muchconfusionwascausedbythefactthatthena-lemithriacisme,Paris:LesBellesLettres21993,94-95;RichardGordon,“PerseisubmeofthesecondMithraicgradewas,duetodifferingreadingspreservedrupibusantri:ÜberlegungenzurEntstehungderMithrasmysterien”,in:MojcaVomer-Gojkoviã(ed.),Ptujvrimskemcesarstvu–Mitraizeminnjegovadoba,[ArchaeologiainJerome’smanuscripts,incorrectlyreconstructedandinsteadofthenowPoetoviensis2],Ptuj:PokrajinskiMuzejPtuj2001,289-301).Nevertheless,fromthegenerallyacceptedtitleNymphustheemendationsCryphius(Onewhoisbeginningofthe1980’sacompletelydifferentviewofMithraicoriginscametofashi-shrouded)or,exceptionally,Gryphus(Vulture)weresuggested.9Eventheon:theideathatMithraismaroseorwasevencreatedinItaly,mostprobablyinRomenumberofthegradesbecamethesubjectofsomescholarlycontroversi-orOstia(cf.e.g.MaartenJ.Vermaseren,“MithrasinderRömerzeit”,in:MaartenJ.Vermaseren[ed.],DieorientalischeReligionenimRömerreich,[EPRO93],Leiden:E.J.Brill1981,96-120:96-97;R.Merkelbach,Mithras…,75-77;M.Clauss,CultoresMithrae…,253-255;id.,TheRomanCult…,7).RogerBeck(“TheMysteriesofMithras…”)hasrecentlytriedtoreconciletheseopposingviewsinhisnewscenarioof6

AboutthetranslationofthenameofthisgradeseeR.Gordon,“Reality,EvocationandCommageniangenesisofMithraism.

BoundaryintheMysteriesofMithras”,JournalofMithraicStudies3,1980,19-99:48-3

SomescholarsmaintainthatMithraismvirtuallyceasedtoexistevenshortlybeforethe49.Iconsider

hisinterpretationandtranslationmuchmorepersuasivethan‘beechry-timewhentheTheodosianEdictshadbeenissued(cf.R.Turcan,“Lesmotivationdesalis’proposedbyReinholdMerkelbach(Mithras…,88-93).

l’intolérancechrétienneetlafinduMithriacismeauIVesiècleap.J-C.”,in:JanosHar-7

Wecertainlycannotentirelyexcludethepossibilitythatothergrades,orintermediatematta[ed.],ActesduVIIeCongrèsdelaFédérationInternationaledesAssociationsstagesofindividualgradesinthisstandardsequence,existedinsomeMithraiccom-d’ÉtudesClassiquesII.Budapest,3-8septembre1979,Budapest:AkadémiaiKiadómunities.Tomentionjustoneinstance,frescosandgraffitifromDuraEuroposcontain1984,209-226:222-223;LutherH.Martin,“RomanMithraismandChristianity”,Nu-elsewhereunattestedMithraictitles,e.g.antipater(CIMRM57and63),mellole-onmen36,1989,2-15:12).EberhardSauer(TheEndofPaganismintheNorth-Western(CIMRM63)orstere-otïs(CIMRM63).Seealson.12below.

ProvincesoftheRomanEmpire:TheExampleoftheMithrasCult,Oxford:TempusRe-8

TheonlysourcegivingthecompletesequenceisoneofJerome’sletters(Epistula[adparatum1996;id.,“NotJustSmallChange–CoinsinMithraea”,in:MarleenMartensLaetam]107.2).OtherclassicalauthorsreportingsomeinformationonMithraicgrades

–GuydeBoe[eds.],RomanMithraism:TheEvidenceoftheSmallFinds,Brussel:Mu-aree.g.Porphyry,Deabstinentia4.16;id.,Deantronympharum15-16;Tertullian,DeseumHetToreke2004,327-353),however,havinganalyzedcoinsdiscoveredinsomecoronamilitis15.3-4;id.,Depraescriptionehaereticorum40.4;id.,AdversusMarcio-mithraea,claimsthatinsomeregionsoftheRomanEmpireMithraiccommunitiesnem1.13;FirmicusMaternus,Deerroreprofanarumreligionum5.2;Ambrosiaster,couldstilloperateinthefirsthalfofthe5thcenturyCE.

Questionesveterisetnovitestamenti113.11.

4

R.Beck,TheReligionoftheMithrasCultintheRomanEmpire:MysteriesoftheUn-9

ForthemoredetailedinformationabouttheproblemsconnectedwiththeestablishmentconqueredSun,Oxford–NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress2006,7.

ofthecorrectreadingofJerome’stext,seeBruceM.Metzger,“St.Jerome’sTestimo-5

JaimeAlvar,Losmisterios:religiones“orientales”enelimperioromano,Barcelona:nyConcerningtheSecondGradeofMithraicInitiation”,AmericanJournalofPhilolo-Crítica2001,265.

gy66,1945,225-233.

178

Ale‰Chalupa

179


communitiesprobablydisappearedinthefirsthalfofthe5thcenturyCE

enigmaticinformation,whichmakestheirinterpretationextremelyproble-andinmostregionsprobablymuchsooner.3

matic.Therefore,comparedwithotheraspectsofMithraism,forexampleThesystemofsevenMithraicgradesbelongsamongthecharacteristicthecult’sarchitecture,iconographyorthesocialstructureofitsmember-Mithraicstructures,togetherwiththetauroctony(themainiconographicship,weareonlyimperfectlyinformedaboutthemeaningofMithraicgra-motifofthecult)andthemithraeum(itssacredarchitecture).4SomedesandtheirroleinMithraicreligiouslife.

roughlyanalogousgradesorratherculticofficescanbefoundinotherHel-Theaimofthisstudyistore-opentheproblemofMithraicgradesinthelenisticmysterycultsaswell,butincomparisonwiththesystemusedinlightofsomenewimportantdiscoveries,addresssomecrucialquestionsMithraismtheyhaveevidentlyneverreachedthecomparablelevelofcom-abouttheircharacterrecentlyraisedandformulateafinalstatementaboutplexity.5EventhoughtheexistenceofMithraicgradesisreliablyattestedtheirnature,evenifnecessarilyopentofurtherdiscussion.

bythecombinationofindependentsources(classicalliterature,Mithraicinscriptionsandiconographyetc.),theirstudyisconfoundedbymanydif-SevenMithraicGrades:WhatWeKnowaboutThem

ficulties.ThemaincomplicationarisesfromthefactthattheactualamountofevidencewehaveaboutthemisverysmallandsometimesyieldsveryAtthepresenttimeweknow,withalmostabsolutecertainty,thatMithraistscommonlyusedasequenceofthesesevengrades:Raven(Corax),Bridegroom(Nymphus),6Soldier(Miles),Lion(Leo),Persian(Perses),RunneroftheSun(Heliodromus)andFather(Pater).7AtthebeginningofscholarsstilldefendingtheassumptionthatmanyauthenticPersianmotifsfounditswayintoMithraismacknowledgethefactthatMithraismslowlyevolvedsomewherethe20thcenturytheywereknownonlysuperficially,mostlyfromisolatedinAsiaMinorinacreativehotbedofPersian,Greekandlocalreligiousideasandthe-referencesinclassicalauthors8andsporadicoccurrencesinepigraphicalreforemustbeseenasanewreligiousphenomenon(cf.e.g.RobertTurcan,Mithraettestimonies.Moreover,muchconfusionwascausedbythefactthatthena-lemithriacisme,Paris:LesBellesLettres21993,94-95;RichardGordon,“PerseisubmeofthesecondMithraicgradewas,duetodifferingreadingspreservedrupibusantri:ÜberlegungenzurEntstehungderMithrasmysterien”,in:MojcaVomer-Gojkoviã(ed.),Ptujvrimskemcesarstvu–Mitraizeminnjegovadoba,[ArchaeologiainJerome’smanuscripts,incorrectlyreconstructedandinsteadofthenowPoetoviensis2],Ptuj:PokrajinskiMuzejPtuj2001,289-301).Nevertheless,fromthegenerallyacceptedtitleNymphustheemendationsCryphius(Onewhoisbeginningofthe1980’sacompletelydifferentviewofMithraicoriginscametofashi-shrouded)or,exceptionally,Gryphus(Vulture)weresuggested.9Eventheon:theideathatMithraismaroseorwasevencreatedinItaly,mostprobablyinRomenumberofthegradesbecamethesubjectofsomescholarlycontroversi-orOstia(cf.e.g.MaartenJ.Vermaseren,“MithrasinderRömerzeit”,in:MaartenJ.Vermaseren[ed.],DieorientalischeReligionenimRömerreich,[EPRO93],Leiden:E.J.Brill1981,96-120:96-97;R.Merkelbach,Mithras…,75-77;M.Clauss,CultoresMithrae…,253-255;id.,TheRomanCult…,7).RogerBeck(“TheMysteriesofMithras…”)hasrecentlytriedtoreconciletheseopposingviewsinhisnewscenarioof6

AboutthetranslationofthenameofthisgradeseeR.Gordon,“Reality,EvocationandCommageniangenesisofMithraism.

BoundaryintheMysteriesofMithras”,JournalofMithraicStudies3,1980,19-99:48-3

SomescholarsmaintainthatMithraismvirtuallyceasedtoexistevenshortlybeforethe49.Iconsiderhisinterpretationandtranslationmuchmorepersuasivethan‘beechry-timewhentheTheodosianEdictshadbeenissued(cf.R.Turcan,“Lesmotivationdesalis’proposedbyReinholdMerkelbach(Mithras…,88-93).

l’intolérancechrétienneetlafinduMithriacismeauIVesiècleap.J-C.”,in:JanosHar-7

Wecertainlycannotentirelyexcludethepossibilitythatothergrades,orintermediatematta[ed.],ActesduVIIeCongrèsdelaFédérationInternationaledesAssociationsstagesofindividualgradesinthisstandardsequence,existedinsomeMithraiccom-d’ÉtudesClassiquesII.Budapest,3-8septembre1979,Budapest:AkadémiaiKiadómunities.Tomentionjustoneinstance,frescosandgraffitifromDuraEuroposcontain1984,209-226:222-223;LutherH.Martin,“RomanMithraismandChristianity”,Nu-elsewhereunattestedMithraictitles,e.g.antipater(CIMRM57and63),mellole-onmen36,1989,2-15:12).EberhardSauer(TheEndofPaganismintheNorth-Western(CIMRM63)orstere-otïs(CIMRM63).Seealson.12below.

ProvincesoftheRomanEmpire:TheExampleoftheMithrasCult,Oxford:TempusRe-8

TheonlysourcegivingthecompletesequenceisoneofJerome’sletters(Epistula[adparatum1996;id.,“NotJustSmallChange–CoinsinMithraea”,in:MarleenMartensLaetam]107.2).OtherclassicalauthorsreportingsomeinformationonMithraicgrades

–GuydeBoe[eds.],RomanMithraism:TheEvidenceoftheSmallFinds,Brussel:Mu-aree.g.Porphyry,Deabstinentia4.16;id.,Deantronympharum15-16;Tertullian,DeseumHetToreke2004,327-353),however,havinganalyzedcoinsdiscoveredinsomecoronamilitis15.3-4;id.,Depraescriptionehaereticorum40.4;id.,AdversusMarcio-mithraea,claimsthatinsomeregionsoftheRomanEmpireMithraiccommunitiesnem1.13;FirmicusMaternus,Deerroreprofanarumreligionum5.2;Ambrosiaster,couldstilloperateinthefirsthalfofthe5thcenturyCE.

Questionesveterisetnovitestamenti113.11.

4

R.Beck,TheReligionoftheMithrasCultintheRomanEmpire:MysteriesoftheUn-9

ForthemoredetailedinformationabouttheproblemsconnectedwiththeestablishmentconqueredSun,Oxford–NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress2006,7.

ofthecorrectreadingofJerome’stext,seeBruceM.Metzger,“St.Jerome’sTestimo-5

JaimeAlvar,Losmisterios:religiones“orientales”enelimperioromano,Barcelona:nyConcerningtheSecondGradeofMithraicInitiation”,AmericanJournalofPhilolo-Crítica2001,265.

gy66,1945,225-233.

180

Ale‰Chalupa

181


uminSyriacontainingthenamesofsixMithraicgrades,13oneofthembe-ingNymphus;thisevidenceclosedtheongoingdiscussionaboutthenameofthesecondMithraicgradeinfavoroftheabove-mentionedtitle;14(2)thefloormosaicintheMithraeumofFelicissimusinOstia,15representingasequenceofsquaresextendingladder-likeupthecentralaisle,eachsquaredepictingthreesymbols,twoofthegradeandoneoftheplanet(fig.2);(3)dipintioftheacclamatorysentencesdiscoveredintheSantaPriscaMithraeuminRomementioningthenamesofallgrades,togetherwithaplanetarygodunderwhoseprotectioneachgradebelonged.16EspeciallythefindsfromRomeandOstiawereofcrucialimportance,fortheyhelpedtoestablishhithertounknownandinourliterarysourcescompletelyomittedconnectionbetweenthegradesandsevenplanets,moreoverinasequencethatispeculiarlyMithraicanddoesnotcorrespondtoanyotherplanetaryorderknownfromantiquity.17

TheoverallinterpretationofMithraicgradesandtheirsymbolicsignificanceisbeyondthescopeofthisstudy.18Nevertheless,onefactdeservesspecialattention:theconnectionofgradeswithplanetsandplanetarygodsFig.1Reversesideofcult-relieffromKonjic(CIMRM1896.3)evidentlyhadalegitimizingfunction,becauseitsuitablyexplainswhythe-TakenoverfromManfredClauss,TheRomanCultofMithras:TheGodandHisMysteries,Edinburgh:EdinburghUniversityPress2000,109,fig.69.

13

Korax(CIMRM63);nymphos(CIMRM63);strati-otïs(CIMRM57,59and63);le-ones,10usuallyinstigatedbythewell-knowncult-relieffromKonjic11(fig.1)(CIMRM57and63);Persïs(CIMRM

63);patïr(CIMRM63;includingpatïrpater-onthatdepictsonlysixpersons,someofthemwearinganimalmasksandthus

[CIMRM57]);theonlygradeabsentisHeliodromus.Cf.alsoE.D.Francis,“MithraicgraffitifromDura-Europos”,in:JohnHinnells(ed.),MithraicStudiesII,Manchester:demonstrablygradeholders,oroneofPorphyry’stexts,whichagaingivesManchesterUniversityPress1975,424-445:439-445.

someunusualnamesforMithraicinitiatesunattestedelsewhere.12

14

B.M.Metzger,“St.Jerome’sTestimony…”,226-227;R.Merkelbach,Mithras…,77,Threeveryimportantdiscoveriescontributeddecisivelytotheclarifica-n.2.

tionoftheseambiguities:(1)graffitifoundintheDuraEuroposmithrae-15

CIMRM299.

16

MaartenJ.Vermaseren–CarolusC.VanEssen,TheExcavationsintheMithraeumoftheChurchofSantaPriscainRome,Leiden:E.J.Brill1965,155-158,168-169.

17

R.L.Gordon,“FranzCumontandtheDoctrinesofMithraism”,in:JohnHinnells(ed.),10

WilliamJ.Phythian-Adams,“TheProblemofMithraicGrades”,JournalofRomanMithraicStudiesI,Manchester:ManchesterUniversityPress1975,215-248:229-230;Studies2,1912,52-64.

R.Beck,“MithraismsinceFranzCumont”,ANRWII.17.4,1984,2002-2115:2092;id.,11

CIMRM1896.3.

PlanetaryGodsandPlanetaryOrdersintheMysteriesofMithras,(EPRO109),Lei-12

Porphyry(Deabstinentia4.16)speaksabout‘Eagles’(aetoi)and‘Hawks’(hierakes),den:E.J.Brill1988,2.

butevidentlyinconnectionwiththehighestMithraicgradePater.Theexistenceof18

ForanintroductorydiscussionofMithraicgradesseee.g.MaartenJ.Vermaseren,Mi-ahypotheticalfemaleMithraicgrade‘Lioness’(leaina)(JonathanDavid,“TheExclu-thras:GeschichteeinesKultes,Stuttgart:Kohlhammer1965:113-126;R.Turcan,Mi-sionofWomenintheMithraicMysteries:AncientorModern?”,Numen47,2000,121-thra…,81-83;M.Clauss,TheRomanCult…,131-140.Foramoredetailedinterpreta-141:123-125,135-137)or‘Hyena’(hyaina)(ÎeljkoMiletiç,“TheNymphusGradeandtionseeIstvánTóth,“Mithramessecoronamsuam:BemerkungenüberdentheReverseoftheMithraicCultIconfromKonjic”,in:MojcaVomer-Gojkoviã[ed.],dogmatischen

HintergrundderInitiationsritenderMithrasmysterien”,ActaClassicaPtujvrimskemcesarstvu–Mitraizeminnjegovadoba,[ArchaeologiaPoetoviensis2],UniversitatisScientiarumDebreceniensis2,1966,73-79;id.,“DaslokaleSystemderPtuj:PokrajinskyMuzejPtuj,283-288:287),sometimesdefendedonthebasisofthismithraischenPersonifikationemimGebietvonPoetovio”,Arheolo‰kivestnik(Actaar-passage,isevidentlyfoundedonablatantmisinterpretationofPorphyry’stext(cf.Ale‰

chaeologica)28,1977,385-392(notalwaysentirelyconvincing);R.L.Gordon,“Re-Chalupa,“HyenasorLionesses?MithraismandWomenintheReligiousWorldoftheality,EvocationandBoundary…”;id.,“Mystery,MetaphoreandDoctrineintheMys-LateAntiquity”,Religio:Revueproreligionistiku13,2005,198-230:209-210;AlisonteriesofMithras”,in:JohnHinnells(ed.),StudiesinMithraism,Roma:«L’Erma»diB.Griffith,“CompletingthePicture:WomenandtheFemalePrincipleintheMithraicBretschneider1994,103-124;R.Merkelbach,Mithras…,77-133(highlyidiosyncra-Cult”,Numen53,2006,48-77:51-52).

tic);J.Alvar,Losmisterios…,262-275.

180

Ale‰Chalupa

181


uminSyriacontainingthenamesofsixMithraicgrades,13oneofthembe-ingNymphus;thisevidenceclosedtheongoingdiscussionaboutthenameofthesecondMithraicgradeinfavoroftheabove-mentionedtitle;14(2)thefloormosaicintheMithraeumofFelicissimusinOstia,15representingasequenceofsquaresextendingladder-likeupthecentralaisle,eachsquaredepictingthreesymbols,twoofthegradeandoneoftheplanet(fig.2);(3)dipintioftheacclamatorysentencesdiscoveredin

theSantaPriscaMithraeuminRomementioningthenamesofallgrades,togetherwithaplanetarygodunderwhoseprotectioneachgradebelonged.16EspeciallythefindsfromRomeandOstiawereofcrucialimportance,fortheyhelpedtoestablishhithertounknownandinourliterarysourcescompletelyomittedconnectionbetweenthegradesandsevenplanets,moreoverinasequencethatispeculiarlyMithraicanddoesnotcorrespondtoanyotherplanetaryorderknownfromantiquity.17

TheoverallinterpretationofMithraicgradesandtheirsymbolicsignificanceisbeyondthescopeofthisstudy.18Nevertheless,onefactdeservesspecialattention:theconnectionofgradeswithplanetsandplanetarygodsFig.1Reversesideofcult-relieffromKonjic(CIMRM1896.3)evidentlyhadalegitimizingfunction,becauseitsuitablyexplainswhythe-TakenoverfromManfredClauss,TheRomanCultofMithras:TheGodandHisMysteries,Edinburgh:EdinburghUniversityPress2000,109,fig.69.

13

Korax(CIMRM63);nymphos(CIMRM63);strati-otïs(CIMRM57,59and63);le-ones,10usuallyinstigatedbythewell-knowncult-relieffromKonjic11(fig.1)(CIMRM57and63);Persïs(CIMRM63);patïr(CIMRM63;includingpatïrpater-onthatdepictsonlysixpersons,someofthemwearinganimalmasksandthus

[CIMRM57]);theonlygradeabsentisHeliodromus.Cf.alsoE.D.Francis,“MithraicgraffitifromDura-Europos”,in:JohnHinnells(ed.),MithraicStudiesII,Manchester:demonstrablygradeholders,oroneofPorphyry’stexts,whichagaingivesManchesterUniversityPress1975,424-445:439-445.

someunusualnamesforMithraicinitiatesunattestedelsewhere.12

14

B.M.Metzger,“St.Jerome’sTestimony…”,226-227;R.Merkelbach,Mithras…,77,Threeveryimportantdiscoveriescontributeddecisivelytotheclarifica-n.2.

tionoftheseambiguities:(1)graffitifoundintheDuraEuroposmithrae-15

CIMRM299.

16

MaartenJ.Vermaseren–CarolusC.VanEssen,TheExcavationsintheMithraeumoftheChurchofSantaPriscainRome,Leiden:E.J.Brill1965,155-158,168-169.

17

R.L.Gordon,“FranzCumontandtheDoctrinesofMithraism”,in:JohnHinnells(ed.),10

WilliamJ.Phythian-Adams,“TheProblemofMithraicGrades”,JournalofRomanMithraicStudiesI,Manchester:ManchesterUniversityPress1975,215-248:229-230;Studies2,1912,52-64.

R.Beck,“MithraismsinceFranzCumont”,ANRWII.17.4,1984,2002-2115:2092;id.,11

CIMRM1896.3.

PlanetaryGodsandPlanetaryOrdersintheMysteriesofMithras,(EPRO109),Lei-12

Porphyry(Deabstinentia4.16)speaksabout‘Eagles’(aetoi)and‘Hawks’(hierakes),den:E.J.Brill1988,2.

butevidentlyinconnectionwiththehighestMithraicgradePater.Theexistenceof18

ForanintroductorydiscussionofMithraicgradesseee.g.MaartenJ.Vermaseren,Mi-ahypotheticalfemaleMithraicgrade‘Lioness’(leaina)(JonathanDavid,“TheExclu-thras:GeschichteeinesKultes,Stuttgart:Kohlhammer1965:113-126;R.Turcan,Mi-sionofWomenintheMithraicMysteries:AncientorModern?”,Numen47,2000,121-thra…,81-83;M.Clauss,TheRomanCult…,131-140.Foramoredetailedinterpreta-141:123-125,135-137)or‘Hyena’(hyaina)(ÎeljkoMiletiç,“TheNymphusGradeandtionseeIstvánTóth,“Mithramessecoronamsuam:BemerkungenüberdentheReverseoftheMithraicCultIconfromKonjic”,in:MojcaVomer-Gojkoviã[ed.],dogmatischenHintergrundderInitiationsritenderMithrasmysterien”,ActaClassicaPtujvrimskemcesarstvu–Mitraizeminnjegovadoba,[ArchaeologiaPoetoviensis2],UniversitatisScientiarumDebreceniensis2,1966,73-79;id.,“DaslokaleSystemderPtuj:PokrajinskyMuzejPtuj,283-288:287),sometimesdefendedonthebasisofthismithraischenPersonifikationemimGebietvonPoetovio”,Arheolo‰kivestnik(Actaar-passage,isevidentlyfoundedonablatantmisinterpretationofPorphyry’stext(cf.Ale‰

chaeologica)28,1977,385-392(notalwaysentirelyconvincing);R.L.Gordon,“Re-Chalupa,“HyenasorLionesses?MithraismandWomenintheReligiousWorldoftheality,EvocationandBoundary…”;id.,“Mystery,MetaphoreandDoctrineintheMys-LateAntiquity”,Religio:Revueproreligionistiku13,2005,198-230:209-210;AlisonteriesofMithras”,in:JohnHinnells(ed.),StudiesinMithraism,Roma:«L’Erma»diB.Griffith,“CompletingthePicture:WomenandtheFemalePrincipleintheMithraicBretschneider1994,103-124;R.Merkelbach,Mithras…,77-133(highlyidiosyncra-Cult”,Numen53,2006,48-77:51-52).

tic);J.Alvar,Losmisterios…,262-275.

182

Ale‰Chalupa

183


reweresevengrades(andnotmoreorless)andpossiblysetstheprogressofaninitiatethroughthehierarchyofsevengradesintoacosmological–

andnodoubtalsoasoteriological–perspective.

1.Raven(Corax)

SymbolsonthemosaicintheFelicissimusmithraeum:Raven,Cup,TheStaffcarriedbyMercury(Caduceus).Tutelaryplanet:Mercury.

OurinformationaboutravenscomespredominantlyfromtheinterpretationofMithraiciconography.Wehaveonlyoneliteraryremark,writtenbyaChristianauthorobviouslymockingpaganreligiousattitudes.19OnthebasisoficonographyitseemsthatonsomeoccasionsRavensactedasservantsassistingduringMithraicfeasts.20Whethertheydonnedravenmasksonthisoccasion,asissometimesclaimed,21remainsdubious.RichardGordonhighlightedraven’sconnectionwithdivinationandalsostressedotherambiguousorexceptionalpropertiesravensintheantiquitypurportedlyhad.22RavenobviouslyplayedsomeroleinMithrasmyth,becausethisbirdappearsinvariouscontextsonmanyiconographicscenesandculticobjects.23Ravenboneshavealsobeendiscoveredinsomemithraeaorintheirvicinity.24Duetotheirsometimescarefullyarrangeddis-posal25itispossibletoconcludethattheirburialwasdeliberateandcould19

Ambrosiaster,Quaestionesveterisetnovitestamenti113.11.

20

SeeespeciallyCIMRM42.13(DuraEuropos);CIMRM397(Rome);CIMRM1896.3

(Konjic).

21

Cf.F.Cumont,TheMysteriesofMithra…,152-154;M.Clauss,TheRomanCult…,133.

22

R.L.Gordon,“Reality,EvocationandBoundary…”,25-32.

23

SeeespeciallyCIMRM1584;CIMRM988;aclaymodelofaravenwasalsoperchedontherimoftheMainzVessel(seeIngeborgHuld-Zetsche,“DerMainzerKratermitdensiebenFiguren”,in:MarleenMartens–GuydeBoe(eds.),RomanMithraism:TheEvidenceoftheSmallFinds,Brussel:MuseumHetToreke2004,213-227:216-221andfig.10and12),thefactwhichpossiblyconnectsthisitemwiththecatasterismicmythexplainingtheoriginoftheRavenconstellation(cf.R.L.Gordon,“Reality,EvocationandBoundary…”,26-27).

24

MithraeuminGermanWiesloch(seeRichardGordon,“MithraeuminthevicusofWiesloch,Lkr.Rhein-Neckar(Baden-Württenberg),Germany”,<http://www.uhu.es/

ejms/archreports.htm>,[15.5.2008],ElectronicJournalofMithraicStudies1,2000,2;mithraeuminWalbrook(JohnD.Shepherd,TheTempleofMithras,London.ExcavationsbyW.F.GrimesandA.WilliamsatWalbrook,London:EnglishHeritage1998,214);mithraeuminTienen(AnLentacker–AntonErvynck–WimVanNeer,“TheSymbolicMeaningoftheCock.TheAnimalRemainsfromtheMithraeumatTienenFig.2MithraeumofFelicissimu,mosaicfloor

[Belgium]”,in:MarleenMartens–GuydeBoe[eds.],RomanMithraism:TheEviden-TakenoverfromManfredClauss,TheRomanCultofMithras:TheGodceoftheSmallFinds,Brussel:MuseumHetToreke2004,57-80:59).

andHisMysteries,Edinburgh:EdinburghUniversityPress2000,47,fig.9.

25

R.Gordon,“MithraeuminthevicusofWiesloch…”,3-4.

182

Ale‰Chalupa

183


reweresevengrades(andnotmoreorless)andpossiblysetstheprogressofaninitiatethroughthehierarchyofsevengradesintoacosmological–

andnodoubtalsoasoteriological–perspective.

1.Raven(Corax)

SymbolsonthemosaicintheFelicissimusmithraeum:Raven,Cup,TheStaffcarriedbyMercury(Caduceus).Tutelaryplanet:Mercury.

OurinformationaboutravenscomespredominantlyfromtheinterpretationofMithraiciconography.Wehaveonlyoneliteraryremark,writtenbyaChristianauthorobviouslymockingpaganreligiousattitudes.19OnthebasisoficonographyitseemsthatonsomeoccasionsRavensactedasservantsassistingduringMithraicfeasts.20Whethertheydonnedravenmasksonthisoccasion,asissometimesclaimed,21remainsdubious.RichardGordonhighlightedraven’sconnectionwithdivinationandalsostressedotherambiguousorexceptionalpropertiesravensintheantiquitypurportedlyhad.22RavenobviouslyplayedsomeroleinMithrasmyth,becausethisbirdappearsinvariouscontextsonmanyiconographicscenesandculticobjects.23Ravenboneshavealsobeendiscoveredinsomemithraeaorintheirvicinity.24Duetotheirsometimescarefullyarrangeddis-posal25itispossibletoconcludethattheirburialwasdeliberateandcould19

Ambrosiaster,Quaestionesveterisetnovitestamenti113.11.

20

SeeespeciallyCIMRM42.13(DuraEuropos);CIMRM397(Rome);CIMRM1896.3

(Konjic).

21

Cf.F.Cumont,TheMysteriesofMithra…,152-154;M.Clauss,TheRomanCult…,133.

22


23

SeeespeciallyCIMRM1584;CIMRM988;aclaymodelofaravenwasalsoperchedontherimoftheMainzVessel(seeIngeborgHuld-Zetsche,“DerMainzerKratermitdensiebenFiguren”,in:MarleenMartens–GuydeBoe(eds.),RomanMithraism:TheEvidenceoftheSmallFinds,Brussel:MuseumHetToreke2004,213-227:216-221andfig.10and12),thefactwhichpossiblyconnectsthisitemwiththecatasterismicmythexplainingtheoriginoftheRavenconstellation(cf.R.L.Gordon,“Reality,EvocationandBoundary…”,26-27).

24

MithraeuminGermanWiesloch(seeRichardGordon,“MithraeuminthevicusofWiesloch,Lkr.Rhein-Neckar(Baden-Württenberg),Germany”,<http://www.uhu.es/

ejms/archreports.htm>,[15.5.2008],ElectronicJournalofMithraicStudies1,2000,2;mithraeuminWalbrook(JohnD.Shepherd,TheTempleofMithras,London.ExcavationsbyW.F.GrimesandA.WilliamsatWalbrook,London:EnglishHeritage1998,214);mithraeuminTienen(AnLentacker–AntonErvynck–WimVanNeer,“TheSymbolicMeaningoftheCock.TheAnimalRemainsfromtheMithraeumatTienenFig.2MithraeumofFelicissimu,mosaicfloor

[Belgium]”,in:MarleenMartens–GuydeBoe[eds.],RomanMithraism:TheEviden-TakenoverfromManfredClauss,TheRomanCultofMithras:TheGodceoftheSmallFinds,Brussel:MuseumHetToreke2004,57-80:59).

andHisMysteries,Edinburgh:EdinburghUniversityPress2000,47,fig.9.

25

R.Gordon,“MithraeuminthevicusofWiesloch…”,3-4.

184

Ale‰Chalupa

185


havedeepersymbolicalmeaning,althoughwecanonlyspeculateaboutTheinitiationintothisgradeisdescribedinsomedetailinTertullian’smotivationsbehindthisbehaviour.

writingDecorona:

Areyounotashamed,fellowsoldiersofChrist,thatyouwillbefoundwanting,not2.Bridgegroom(Nymphus)

byhim,butbysomeSoldierofMithras?Athisinitiationinthecave,intheverycampofdarkness,acrownisofferedtothecandidateatthepointofasword,asifinimi-SymbolsonthemosaicintheFelicissimusmithraeum:Oillamp,Diatationofmartyrdom,andputonhishead;thenheisadmonishedtoputhishandupdem,(thirdsymbolisunrecognizable).Tutelaryplanet:Venus.

anddashitfromhisbrowontohisshoulders,asitmaybe,saying:‘MycrownisMithras!’30

BridgegroomisdoubtlessthemostmysteriousofMithraicgrades.Itisagainobviousthatthisgradewasmarkedwithmanyambiguities.26Thetitleitselfisanewlycoinedwordusedonly,asfarasweknow,inMithraicAlsosomescenesdepictedonthefrescoesfromtheS.MariaCapuaVe-contexts.Itrelatestoapersonthatdoesnotexistintherealworld:abrideteremithraeumresemblemilitaryrituals,31butitisuncertainhowfarweofmalesex.Weknowalmostnothingabouttheroleholdersofthisgradecanpressthisanalogy.FranzCumontclaimed,32onthebasisofanotherofplayedincult’sritualactivities.FirmicusMaternus,theChristianauthorofTertullian’stexts,33thatMithraic

‘Soldiers’werebrandedortattooedonthe4thcenturyCE,preservedthewordingoftheritualgreetingthatwastheirfacesduringinitiations,butthisinterpretationisnowgenerallyrejec-usedbyMithraistsonsomeoccasionsduringwhichBridgegroomwaspreted.34BesidesarathervagueguessthatMithraic‘Soldiers’somehowresent:“HailNymphus,hailNewLight!”27Sinceoneofthesymbolsattes-presentedthepersistenceofaninitiateinhisservicetothedeity35weknowtedonthefloormosaicfromtheFelicissimusmithraeumisadiadem,pos-almostnothingabouttheirroleinthecult’srituallifeandsymbolicmean-sibleequippedwithaveil(thecommonsymbolofthegoddessVenus),weingofthisgrade.

canspeculatethatthesewordswerepronouncedatsomequasi-nuptialce-remony,maybeatthemomentwhenthenewBridegroombecameunvei-4.Lion(Leo)

ledforthefirsttimebeforetheeyesoftheassembledMithraiccommunity.28Thesecondattestedsymbol,anoillamp,givessomereasonswhySymbolsonthemosaicintheFelicissimusmithraeum:Thunderbolt,MithraicBridegroomswerecalled‘Newlight’and,maybe,hintsattheirRattle(Sistrum),Fire-shovel.Tutelaryplanet:Jupiter.

ritualduties:illuminationofMithraic‘Caves’,eventhoughthisexplanati-Thelionsometimesappearsdepictedonthetauroctony,especiallyinonmustremain,again,speculative.

theRheinianprovinces,inagroupwithasnakeandcrater,36oronvariousutensilsfoundinmithraea.37OnsomeotherMithraicmonumentswecan3.Soldier(Miles)

SymbolsonthemosaicintheFelicissimusmithraeum:Lance,Helmet,PhotographsofWell-knownMithraicMonuments”,JournalofMithraicStudies2,Bull’sHind-quarter.29Tutelaryplanet:Mars.

1977,198-223:213-218).

30

Tertullian,Decorona15.3(EnglishtranslationRichardGordoninM.Clauss,TheRomanCult…,134-135).ForthedetailedanalysisofTertullian’stestimonyseeM.

26


Clauss,“MilesMithrae”,Klio74,1992,269-274;PerBeskow,“TertullianonMithras”,27

FirmicusMaternus,Deerroreprofanarumreligionum19.1(EnglishtranslationR.L.

in:JohnHinnells(ed.),StudiesinMithraism,Roma:«L’Erma»diBretschneider1994,GordoninM.Clauss,TheRomanCult…,134).

51-60:52-54.

28

R.L.Gordon,“Reality,EvocationandBoundary…”,52.

31

Cf.M.J.Vermaseren,MithriacaI:TheMithraeumatS.MariaCapuaVetere,Leiden:29

IamwellawareofthefactthatthisidentificationisverycontroversialandhasneverE.J.Brill1971,especiallyplatesXXII-XXIII,XXV-XXVI,XXVIII.

been,asfarasIknow,proposedinconnectionwithFelicissimusmosaic.Themajority32

FranzCumont,TheMysteriesofMithras…,157.

ofscholarsseeinthisitemeitherasoldier’ssling-bag(e.g.M.Clauss,TheRoman33

Tertullian,Depraescriptionehereticorum40.

Cult…,134)oraPhrygiancap(R.Merkelbach,Mithras…,85,95).Nonetheless,the34

P.Beskow,“BrandingintheMysteriesofMithras?”,in:UgoBianchi(ed.),Mysteriaverysimilarobjectssometimesappearonthemonumentsdepictingtheso-called‘Obe-Mithrae,(EPRO80),Leiden:E.J.Brill1979,487-501.

isanceoftheSun’andinsomeinstancesistheobjectMithraswieldsconclusively35

M.Clauss,“MilesMithrae…”,270-271.

abull’shind-quarter(cf.e.g.CIMRM390[Roma,Barberinimithraeum];CIMRM650

36

Seee.g.CIMRM1083(Nida/Heddernheim);CIMRM1292(Osterburken);CIMRM

[Nersae];CIMRM1295.5d[Osterburken];CIMRM1430.C5[Virunum];foradetailed1283(Neunheim);CIMRM1306(Fellbach).

discussionandfurtherevidenceseeRichardL.Gordon–JohnHinnells,“SomeNew37

Seee.g.CIMRM988.

184

Ale‰Chalupa

185


havedeepersymbolicalmeaning,althoughwecanonlyspeculateaboutTheinitiationintothisgradeisdescribedinsomedetailinTertullian’smotivationsbehindthisbehaviour.

writingDecorona:

Areyounotashamed,fellowsoldiersofChrist,thatyouwillbefoundwanting,not2.Bridgegroom(Nymphus)

byhim,butbysomeSoldierofMithras?Athisinitiationinthecave,intheverycampofdarkness,acrownisofferedtothecandidateatthepointofasword,asifinimi-SymbolsonthemosaicintheFelicissimusmithraeum:Oillamp,Diatationofmartyrdom,andputonhishead;thenheisadmonishedtoputhishandupdem,(thirdsymbolisunrecognizable).Tutelaryplanet:Venus.

anddashitfromhisbrowontohisshoulders,asitmaybe,saying:‘MycrownisMithras!’30

BridgegroomisdoubtlessthemostmysteriousofMithraicgrades.Itisagainobviousthatthisgradewasmarkedwithmanyambiguities.26Thetitleitselfisanewlycoinedwordusedonly,asfarasweknow,inMithraicAlsosomescenesdepictedonthefrescoesfromtheS.MariaCapuaVe-contexts.Itrelatestoapersonthatdoesnotexistintherealworld:abrideteremithraeumresemblemilitaryrituals,31butitisuncertainhowfarweofmalesex.Weknowalmostnothingabouttheroleholdersofthisgradecanpressthisanalogy.FranzCumontclaimed,32onthebasisofanotherofplayedincult’sritualactivities.FirmicusMaternus,theChristianauthorofTertullian’stexts,33thatMithraic‘Soldiers’werebrandedortattooedonthe4thcenturyCE,preservedthewordingoftheritualgreetingthatwastheirfacesduringinitiations,butthisinterpretationisnowgenerallyrejec-usedbyMithraistsonsomeoccasionsduringwhichBridgegroomwaspreted.34BesidesarathervagueguessthatMithraic‘Soldiers’somehowresent:“HailNymphus,hailNewLight!”27Sinceoneofthesymbolsattes-presentedthepersistenceofaninitiateinhisservicetothedeity35weknowtedonthefloormosaicfromtheFelicissimusmithraeumisadiadem,pos-almostnothingabouttheirroleinthecult’srituallifeandsymbolicmean-sibleequippedwithaveil(thecommonsymbolofthegoddessVenus),weingofthisgrade.

canspeculatethatthesewordswerepronouncedatsomequasi-nuptialce-remony,maybeatthemomentwhenthenewBridegroombecameunvei-4.Lion(Leo)

ledforthefirsttimebeforetheeyesoftheassembledMithraiccommunity.28Thesecondattestedsymbol,anoillamp,givessomereasonswhySymbolsonthemosaicintheFelicissimusmithraeum:Thunderbolt,MithraicBridegroomswerecalled‘Newlight’and,maybe,hintsattheirRattle(Sistrum),Fire-shovel.Tutelaryplanet:Jupiter.

ritualduties:illuminationofMithraic‘Caves’,eventhoughthisexplanati-Thelionsometimesappearsdepictedonthetauroctony,especiallyinonmustremain,again,speculative.

theRheinianprovinces,inagroupwithasnakeandcrater,36oronvariousutensilsfoundinmithraea.37OnsomeotherMithraicmonumentswecan3.Soldier(Miles)

SymbolsonthemosaicintheFelicissimusmithraeum:Lance,Helmet,PhotographsofWell-knownMithraicMonuments”,JournalofMithraicStudies2,Bull’sHind-quarter.29Tutelaryplanet:Mars.

1977,198-223:213-218).

30

Tertullian,Decorona15.3(EnglishtranslationRichardGordoninM.Clauss,TheRomanCult…,134-

135).ForthedetailedanalysisofTertullian’stestimonyseeM.

26


Clauss,“MilesMithrae”,Klio74,1992,269-274;PerBeskow,“TertullianonMithras”,27

FirmicusMaternus,Deerroreprofanarumreligionum19.1(EnglishtranslationR.L.

in:JohnHinnells(ed.),StudiesinMithraism,Roma:«L’Erma»diBretschneider1994,GordoninM.Clauss,TheRomanCult…,134).

51-60:52-54.

28

R.L.Gordon,“Reality,EvocationandBoundary…”,52.

31

Cf.M.J.Vermaseren,MithriacaI:TheMithraeumatS.MariaCapuaVetere,Leiden:29

IamwellawareofthefactthatthisidentificationisverycontroversialandhasneverE.J.Brill1971,especiallyplatesXXII-XXIII,XXV-XXVI,XXVIII.

been,asfarasIknow,proposedinconnectionwithFelicissimusmosaic.Themajority32

FranzCumont,TheMysteriesofMithras…,157.

ofscholarsseeinthisitemeitherasoldier’ssling-bag(e.g.M.Clauss,TheRoman33

Tertullian,Depraescriptionehereticorum40.

Cult…,134)oraPhrygiancap(R.Merkelbach,Mithras…,85,95).Nonetheless,the34

P.Beskow,“BrandingintheMysteriesofMithras?”,in:UgoBianchi(ed.),Mysteriaverysimilarobjectssometimesappearonthemonumentsdepictingtheso-called‘Obe-Mithrae,(EPRO80),Leiden:E.J.Brill1979,487-501.

isanceoftheSun’andinsomeinstancesistheobjectMithraswieldsconclusively35

M.Clauss,“MilesMithrae…”,270-271.

abull’shind-quarter(cf.e.g.CIMRM390[Roma,Barberinimithraeum];CIMRM650

36

Seee.g.CIMRM1083(Nida/Heddernheim);CIMRM1292(Osterburken);CIMRM

[Nersae];CIMRM1295.5d[Osterburken];CIMRM1430.C5[Virunum];foradetailed1283(Neunheim);CIMRM1306(Fellbach).

discussionandfurtherevidenceseeRichardL.Gordon–JohnHinnells,“SomeNew37

Seee.g.CIMRM988.

186

Ale‰Chalupa

187


identifyhumanfigureswithalionhead.38ThesedepictionsleadsomecentlydiscoveredmithraeuminSyrianHawarti,wherewecanseelionsscholarstoconcludethatMithraic‘Lions’donnedlionmasksonsometearingapartsmallhumanfiguresofblackcolor.45

occasionsaswell.39Inantiquity,lionswereseenasanimalscloselyconnectedwithfireandheat.40Itseemsthatthispropertywastypicalalsofor5.Persian(Perses)

Mithraic‘Lions’,sinceoneofthesignsrelatedtothisgrade,attestedontheFelicissimusmosaic,isafire-shovel.Wealsoknow,thankstoPorphy-SymbolsonthemosaicintheFelicissimusmithraeum:PersianDaggerry,thatMithraistssaw‘Lions’tobeso‘hot’thattheymusthavebeenpu-

(Akinakes),MoonSickle,Star,Plough.46Tutelaryplanet:Moon.

rifiedbyhoneyinsteadofwater:

AboutMithraic‘Persians’weknownexttonothing.OnepassageinPorphyry’stextmentionsthat“[w]hen…they[i.e.Mithraists]offerhoneySointheLionmysteries,whenhoneyispouredinsteadofwaterforpurificationontothePersianaspreserveroffruits,itisitspreservativepowerstheytreatthehandsoftheinitiates,theyareexhortedtokeepthempurefromeverythingdist-symbolically.”47Thisgradeseemstobesomehowconnectedwiththefer-ressing,harmfulandloathsome;andsinceheisaninitiateoffire,whichhasaca-tility,butaboutitsroleinMithraicritualsandfurthersymbolismrelatedtotharticeffect,theyuseonhimaliquidrelatedtofire,rejectingwaterasinimicaltoit.

Theyusehoneyaswelltopurifythetonguefromallguilt.41

it,wecanonlyspeculate.

Yetanotherimportantpieceofinformationwhichcanbededucedfrom6.RunneroftheSun(Heliodromus)

abovecitedtextisthatMithraic‘Lions’werecloselyconnectedwithmoralissuesandtheycanthusbeseenasmoralguardiansofMithraiccom-SymbolsonthemosaicintheFelicissimusmithraeum:Seven-rayedmunities.Thisinterpretationseemstobecorroboratedbytheroletheyper-Crown,Whip,Torch.Tutelaryplanet:Sun.

formedduringMithraicrituals:theywereincenseburnersandpurifiers.42

Inantiquity,thiswordwasusedextremelyrarelyoutsideoftheMithra-Ononeacclamatoryinscriptionfromthemithraeumdiscoveredundertheiccontext,eventhoughitisnotcompletelyunknown.48ItseemstomeanchurchofSantaPriscainRomewecanread:“Receivetheincense-bur-

“runneroftheSun”or“onewhoproceedsliketheSun”,whichisinper-ners,Father,receivetheLions,HolyOne,throughwhomweofferincen-fectagreementwiththeknownfactthatthisgradestoodundertheprotec-se,throughwhomweareourselvesconsumed!”43Thismotifisprobablytionofthisparticularplanet.ThereisalsoanintriguingpossibilitythatelaboratedalsoontheinscriptionfromDuraEuroposmithraeum,whichMithraistshadinmindalsosomethingmorespecific:averyrarekindofcontainthephrase“fierybreath,whichisfortheMagitoothelustrationofIndianbirdwhichwasbelievedtofollowtheSun’sjourneyacrossthesky,holy[men]”,44oronthewallpainting,nodoubtidiosyncratic,fromthere-knownfromtheCyranides,alateantiqueencyclopediaofmagicalandoc-cultlore.49TheMithraiciconographyindicatesthatholdersofthisgradeservedassurrogatesoftheSungodinsomerituals,especiallyduringthe

‘SacredRepast’betweenMithrasandSolwhichfollowedthebull’ssacri-fice.50OneofthescenesdepictedontheMainzvessel,theso-called‘Pro-38

Seee.g.CIMRM125(Rusicadae);CIMRM1896.3(Konjic).

39

E.g.F.Cumont,TheMysteries…,152-153;M.J.Vermaseren,Mithras…,113.

40


41

Porphyry,Deantronympharum15(citedaccordingtoArethusaeditiontranslationin45

RichardL.Gordon,“TrajetsdeMithraenSyrieromaine”,Topoi11,2001,77-136:109-M.Clauss,TheRomanCult…,135).

111.

42

Cf.JoannaBird,“IncenseinMithraicRitual:TheEvidenceoftheFinds”,in:Marleen46

Theidentificationofthissymbolisproblematic.Somescholarsseeinitratherasick-Martens–GuydeBoe(eds.),RomanMithraism:theEvidenceoftheSmallFinds,le(cf.M.Clauss,TheRomanCult…,136),butIpersonallyconsideraploughmuchBrussel:MuseumHetToreke,191-199.

morecrediblealternative(cf.alsoJ.Alvar,Losmisterios…,272).

43

M.J.Vermaseren–C.C.VanEssen,TheExcavations…,224-232,lines16-17:Accipe47

Porphyry,Deantronympharum15(CitedaccordingtoArethusaEditiontranslationinthuricremospateraccipesancteLeones,/perquosthuradamus,perquosconsumimurM.Clauss,TheRomanCult…,136).

ipsi.

48

ForexamplesseeR.L.Gordon,“Mystery,MetaphoreandDoctrine…”,110-111.

44

MichaelI.Rostovtzeffetal.,TheExcavationatDura-Europos:PreliminaryReportof49

Cyranides3.15;firsttimesuggestedbyR.L.Gordon(“Mystery,MetaphoreandDoct-theSeventhandEighthSeasons(1934-4,1934-5),NewHaven:YaleUniversityPressrine…”,111-112).

1939,127,no.865.EnglishtranslationR.L.Gordon,“Reality,EvocationandBoun-50

Seee.g.CIMRM641(FianoRomano);CIMRM1083(Nida/Heddernheim);CIMRM

dary…”,36.

1137(Rückingen);CIMRM1275(Ladenburg).AbouttheMithraicfeastsgenerallysee186

Ale‰Chalupa

187


identifyhumanfigureswithalionhead.38ThesedepictionsleadsomecentlydiscoveredmithraeuminSyrianHawarti,wherewecanseelionsscholarstoconcludethatMithraic‘Lions’donnedlionmasks

onsometearingapartsmallhumanfiguresofblackcolor.45

occasionsaswell.39Inantiquity,lionswereseenasanimalscloselyconnectedwithfireandheat.40Itseemsthatthispropertywastypicalalsofor5.Persian(Perses)

Mithraic‘Lions’,sinceoneofthesignsrelatedtothisgrade,attestedontheFelicissimusmosaic,isafire-shovel.Wealsoknow,thankstoPorphy-SymbolsonthemosaicintheFelicissimusmithraeum:PersianDaggerry,thatMithraistssaw‘Lions’tobeso‘hot’thattheymusthavebeenpu-

(Akinakes),MoonSickle,Star,Plough.46Tutelaryplanet:Moon.

rifiedbyhoneyinsteadofwater:

AboutMithraic‘Persians’weknownexttonothing.OnepassageinPorphyry’stextmentionsthat“[w]hen…they[i.e.Mithraists]offerhoneySointheLionmysteries,whenhoneyispouredinsteadofwaterforpurificationontothePersianaspreserveroffruits,itisitspreservativepowerstheytreatthehandsoftheinitiates,theyareexhortedtokeepthempurefromeverythingdist-symbolically.”47Thisgradeseemstobesomehowconnectedwiththefer-ressing,harmfulandloathsome;andsinceheisaninitiateoffire,whichhasaca-tility,butaboutitsroleinMithraicritualsandfurthersymbolismrelatedtotharticeffect,theyuseonhimaliquidrelatedtofire,rejectingwaterasinimicaltoit.

Theyusehoneyaswelltopurifythetonguefromallguilt.41

it,wecanonlyspeculate.

Yetanotherimportantpieceofinformationwhichcanbededucedfrom6.RunneroftheSun(Heliodromus)

abovecitedtextisthatMithraic‘Lions’werecloselyconnectedwithmoralissuesandtheycanthusbeseenasmoralguardiansofMithraiccom-SymbolsonthemosaicintheFelicissimusmithraeum:Seven-rayedmunities.Thisinterpretationseemstobecorroboratedbytheroletheyper-Crown,Whip,Torch.Tutelaryplanet:Sun.

formedduringMithraicrituals:theywereincenseburnersandpurifiers.42

Inantiquity,thiswordwasusedextremelyrarelyoutsideoftheMithra-Ononeacclamatoryinscriptionfromthemithraeumdiscoveredundertheiccontext,eventhoughitisnotcompletelyunknown.48ItseemstomeanchurchofSantaPriscainRomewecanread:“Receivetheincense-bur-

“runneroftheSun”or“onewhoproceedsliketheSun”,whichisinper-ners,Father,receivetheLions,HolyOne,throughwhomweofferincen-fectagreementwiththeknownfactthatthisgradestoodundertheprotec-se,throughwhomweareourselvesconsumed!”43Thismotifisprobablytionofthisparticularplanet.ThereisalsoanintriguingpossibilitythatelaboratedalsoontheinscriptionfromDuraEuroposmithraeum,whichMithraistshadinmindalsosomethingmorespecific:averyrarekindofcontainthephrase“fierybreath,whichisfortheMagitoothelustrationofIndianbirdwhichwasbelievedtofollowtheSun’sjourneyacrossthesky,holy[men]”,44oronthewallpainting,nodoubtidiosyncratic,fromthere-knownfromtheCyranides,alateantiqueencyclopediaofmagicalandoc-cultlore.49TheMithraiciconographyindicatesthatholdersofthisgradeservedassurrogates

oftheSungodinsomerituals,especiallyduringthe

‘SacredRepast’betweenMithrasandSolwhichfollowedthebull’ssacri-fice.50OneofthescenesdepictedontheMainzvessel,theso-called‘Pro-38

Seee.g.CIMRM125(Rusicadae);CIMRM1896.3(Konjic).

39

E.g.F.Cumont,TheMysteries…,152-153;M.J.Vermaseren,Mithras…,113.

40


41

Porphyry,Deantronympharum15(citedaccordingtoArethusaeditiontranslationin45

RichardL.Gordon,“TrajetsdeMithraenSyrieromaine”,Topoi11,2001,77-136:109-M.Clauss,TheRomanCult…,135).

111.

42

Cf.JoannaBird,“IncenseinMithraicRitual:TheEvidenceoftheFinds”,in:Marleen46

Theidentificationofthissymbolisproblematic.Somescholarsseeinitratherasick-Martens–GuydeBoe(eds.),RomanMithraism:theEvidenceoftheSmallFinds,le(cf.M.Clauss,TheRomanCult…,136),butIpersonallyconsideraploughmuchBrussel:MuseumHetToreke,191-199.

morecrediblealternative(cf.alsoJ.Alvar,Losmisterios…,272).

43

M.J.Vermaseren–C.C.VanEssen,TheExcavations…,224-232,lines16-17:Accipe47

Porphyry,Deantronympharum15(CitedaccordingtoArethusaEditiontranslationinthuricremospateraccipesancteLeones,/perquosthuradamus,perquosconsumimurM.Clauss,TheRomanCult…,136).

ipsi.

48

ForexamplesseeR.L.Gordon,“Mystery,MetaphoreandDoctrine…”,110-111.

44

MichaelI.Rostovtzeffetal.,TheExcavationatDura-Europos:PreliminaryReportof49

Cyranides3.15;firsttimesuggestedbyR.L.Gordon(“Mystery,MetaphoreandDoct-theSeventhandEighthSeasons(1934-4,1934-5),NewHaven:YaleUniversityPressrine…”,111-112).

1939,127,no.865.EnglishtranslationR.L.Gordon,“Reality,EvocationandBoun-50

Seee.g.CIMRM641(FianoRomano);CIMRM1083(Nida/Heddernheim);CIMRM

dary…”,36.

1137(Rückingen);CIMRM1275(Ladenburg).AbouttheMithraicfeastsgenerallysee188

Ale‰Chalupa

189


cessionoftheSun-runner’(fig.4),allowsustoconcludethatHeliodromusSevenMithraicGrades:QuestionsRaised

wassomehowconnectedwiththeyearlysolarcycleandperformedsomeritualswhichacknowledgedastronomicallyimportantperiodslikesolsti-ForaverylongtimeitwasgenerallyacceptedthatallMithraistswerecesorequinoxes.51WecanonlyspeculateabouttheroleofHeliodromiinobligatedtoundergo,atleastintheory,sevensuccessiveinitiationsandotherritualsrepresentedonMithraiciconography,e.g.inthe‘Sol’sObei-thusgraduallyascendfromthelowestgrade‘Raven’tothehighest‘Fasance’52orinthe‘PactofFriendship’(thehandshakebetweenMithrasandther’.56However,in1990theGermanscholarManfredClaussthoroughlySol),53butitseemsveryprobablethattheytookovertheSungod’sroleinvestigatedandquestionedthisassumption.Inhisopinion,theMithraichereaswell.

systemofsevengradesdoesnotreflectaninitiatorybutapriestlyhierarchy.57‘Rankandfile’Mithraiststhereforewerenotexpectedtobeinitia-7.Father(Pater)

tedseventimes.Suchaprocedurewouldhavebeenrathertediousandwouldhaverequiredsubstantialfinancialresourcesandspecialknowled-SymbolsonthemosaicintheFelicissimusmithraeum:PhrygianCap,getheyneitherhadnorwerewillingtoobtain.TheysatisfiedthemselvesStaff,Dagger(orSickle),SacrificialBowl(Patera).Tutelaryplanet:Sa-withonlyoneobligatoryinitiation,whichguaranteedtheiradmissionintoturn.

aMithraiccommunityandgavethemrighttoparticipateinculticbanquetsMithraicFatherswereindisputableleadersofthecommunityandwat-andotherritualactivities.

chedovermost,ifnotall,religiousandadministrativeactivities.Theypro-AccordingtoClauss,itisimpossibletoarguesolelyonthebasisofJe-vidednecessaryreligiousexpertiseonvariousaspectsofMithraicideolo-rome’stextthatallMithraistshadtheobligationtoundergosevensucces-gy,e.g.ontheastrologicalelements54orsecretknowledgeaboutthesiveinitiations.However,takingintoaccountthattheepigraphicallyattes-

(seemingly)paradoxicalnatureoftheuniverseandprocessestakingplacetedtermgradus58togetherwiththefloormosaicsintheOstianmithraeuminit.FromthereadingofmanyMithraicinscriptionsitisalsoobviousthatofFelicissimusarecompletelyconsistentwiththisview,heconsidersthistheysupervisedthesettingupofvotiveofferingstoMithras.55Inrituals,proposalanacceptablestartingpointforanyfurtherdiscussion.59Never-theyperformedtheroleofgod’searthlyrepresentative,especiallyduringtheless,afterhisminuteanalysisofthesocialstructureoftheMithraicthe‘SacredRepast’,amythicalmodelforthecommonmealofallMi-Mysterieshewasabletoestablishthatonlyabout170Mithraistsoutofthethraists.Inallprobabilitytheyalsosupervisedtheperformanceofinitiato-totalsumof1058(ca.15%),whoweknowbyname,mentionedanygra-ryritualslikethosedepictedonthewall-paintingfromtheSantaMariaCa-de.60Inhisopinion,itisratherstrangethatsuchagreatnumberofMi-puaVeteremithraeumortheMainzVessel(theso-called’ArcheryofthethraistsdecidedtowithholdinformationabouttheirinitiatorystatusinFather’;seefig.3)andthuscontrolledtheinitiates’progressandadvance-theirdedications,especiallywhentheyotherwisemeticulouslyregisteredmentinthecult’shierarchy.

theirsocialstandingormilitaryranks.61

56

E.g.F.Cumont,TheMysteriesofMithras…,152;M.J.Vermaseren,Mithras…,113;R.Merkelbach,

Mithras…,109;WalterBurkert,AncientMysteryCults,Cambridge,J.P.Kane,“TheMithraicCultMealinitsGreekandRomanEnvironment”,in:JohnMA:HarvardUniversityPress1985,42.

Hinnells(ed.),MithraicStudiesII,Manchester:ManchesterUniversityPress1975,57

M.Clauss,“DiesiebenGradesdesMithras-Kultes”,ZeitschriftfürPapyrologieund313-351.

Epigraphik82,1990,183-194;cf.alsoid.,CultoresMithrae…,275-277;id.,TheRo-51

R.Beck,“Ritual,Myth,Doctrine,andInitiationintheMysteriesofMithras:NewEvi-manCult…,131-133.CertaindoubtswhethertheMithraicsystemofsevengradeswasdencefromaCultVessel”,JournalofRomanStudies90,2000,145-180:154-167;id.,reallyrelevanttoallinitiatesandnotonlytothedistinctivepriestlyclasswereraised

“FourMen,TwoSticksandaWhip:ImageandDoctrineinaMithraicRitual”,in:Har-alreadybeforeManfredClaussbyConcettaAloeSpada(“Illeonellagerarchiadeigra-veyWhitehouse–LutherH.Martin(eds.),TheorizingReligionsPast:Archaeology,dimitriachi”,in:UgoBianchi[ed.],MysteriaMithrae,[EPRO80],Leiden:E.J.BrillHistory,andCognition,WalnutCreek:AltaMiraPress2004,87-103:90-95.

1979,639-648:641),butshedidnotpursuitthisideaanyfurther.Cf.alsoM.J.Ver-52

Seee.g.CIMRM1292.5d(Osterburken);CIMRM1430(Virunum);CIMRM2190(Bu-maseren,Mithras…,113.

charest)etc.

58

CIMRM887;L.Apronius/Chrysoma/lus/obgradumper/sicum/dedicavit.

53

seee.g.CIMRM1430(Virunum);CIMRM1584(Poetovio)etc.

59

M.Clauss,“DiesiebenGrade…”,184.

54

CIMRM708.

60

Ibid.,185.Someindividualsmademorethanonededication.

55

E.g.CIMRM333;AE1979:no.425.

61

M.Clauss,CultoresMithrae…,276.

188

Ale‰Chalupa

189


cessionoftheSun-runner’(fig.4),allowsustoconcludethatHeliodromusSevenMithraicGrades:QuestionsRaised

wassomehowconnectedwiththeyearlysolarcycleandperformedsomeritualswhichacknowledgedastronomicallyimportantperiodslikesolsti-ForaverylongtimeitwasgenerallyacceptedthatallMithraistswerecesorequinoxes.51WecanonlyspeculateabouttheroleofHeliodromiinobligatedtoundergo,atleastintheory,sevensuccessiveinitiationsandotherritualsrepresentedonMithraiciconography,e.g.inthe‘Sol’sObei-thusgraduallyascendfromthelowestgrade‘Raven’tothehighest‘Fasance’52orinthe‘PactofFriendship’(thehandshakebetweenMithrasandther’.56However,in1990theGermanscholarManfredClaussthoroughlySol),53butitseemsveryprobablethattheytookovertheSungod’sroleinvestigatedandquestionedthisassumption.Inhisopinion,theMithraichereaswell.

systemofsevengradesdoesnotreflectaninitiatorybutapriestlyhierarchy.57‘Rankandfile’Mithraiststhereforewerenotexpectedtobeinitia-7.Father(Pater)

tedseventimes.Suchaprocedurewouldhavebeenrathertediousandwouldhaverequiredsubstantialfinancialresourcesandspecialknowled-SymbolsonthemosaicintheFelicissimusmithraeum:PhrygianCap,getheyneitherhadnorwerewillingtoobtain.TheysatisfiedthemselvesStaff,Dagger(orSickle),SacrificialBowl(Patera).Tutelaryplanet:Sa-withonlyoneobligatoryinitiation,whichguaranteedtheiradmissionintoturn.

aMithraiccommunityandgavethemrighttoparticipateinculticbanquetsMithraicFatherswereindisputableleadersofthecommunityandwat-andotherritualactivities.

chedovermost,ifnotall,religiousandadministrativeactivities.Theypro-AccordingtoClauss,itisimpossibletoarguesolelyonthebasisofJe-vidednecessaryreligiousexpertiseonvariousaspectsofMithraicideolo-rome’stextthatallMithraistshadtheobligationtoundergosevensucces-gy,e.g.ontheastrologicalelements54orsecretknowledgeaboutthesiveinitiations.However,takingintoaccountthattheepigraphicallyattes-

(seemingly)paradoxicalnatureoftheuniverseandprocessestakingplacetedtermgradus58togetherwiththefloormosaicsintheOstianmithraeuminit.FromthereadingofmanyMithraicinscriptionsitisalsoobviousthatofFelicissimusarecompletelyconsistentwiththisview,heconsidersthistheysupervisedthesettingupofvotiveofferingstoMithras.55Inrituals,proposalanacceptablestarting

pointforanyfurtherdiscussion.59Never-theyperformedtheroleofgod’searthlyrepresentative,especiallyduringtheless,afterhisminuteanalysisofthesocialstructureoftheMithraicthe‘SacredRepast’,amythicalmodelforthecommonmealofallMi-Mysterieshewasabletoestablishthatonlyabout170Mithraistsoutofthethraists.Inallprobabilitytheyalsosupervisedtheperformanceofinitiato-totalsumof1058(ca.15%),whoweknowbyname,mentionedanygra-ryritualslikethosedepictedonthewall-paintingfromtheSantaMariaCa-de.60Inhisopinion,itisratherstrangethatsuchagreatnumberofMi-puaVeteremithraeumortheMainzVessel(theso-called’ArcheryofthethraistsdecidedtowithholdinformationabouttheirinitiatorystatusinFather’;seefig.3)andthuscontrolledtheinitiates’progressandadvance-theirdedications,especiallywhentheyotherwisemeticulouslyregisteredmentinthecult’shierarchy.

theirsocialstandingormilitaryranks.61

56

E.g.F.Cumont,TheMysteriesofMithras…,152;M.J.Vermaseren,Mithras…,113;R.Merkelbach,Mithras…,109;WalterBurkert,AncientMysteryCults,Cambridge,J.P.Kane,“TheMithraicCultMealinitsGreekandRomanEnvironment”,in:JohnMA:HarvardUniversityPress1985,42.

Hinnells(ed.),MithraicStudiesII,Manchester:ManchesterUniversityPress1975,57

M.Clauss,“DiesiebenGradesdesMithras-Kultes”,ZeitschriftfürPapyrologieund313-351.

Epigraphik82,1990,183-194;cf.alsoid.,CultoresMithrae…,275-277;id.,TheRo-51

R.Beck,“Ritual,Myth,Doctrine,andInitiationintheMysteriesofMithras:NewEvi-manCult…,131-133.CertaindoubtswhethertheMithraicsystemofsevengradeswasdencefromaCultVessel”,JournalofRomanStudies90,2000,145-180:154-167;id.,reallyrelevanttoallinitiatesandnotonlytothedistinctivepriestlyclasswereraised

“FourMen,TwoSticksandaWhip:ImageandDoctrineinaMithraicRitual”,in:Har-alreadybeforeManfredClaussbyConcettaAloeSpada(“Illeonellagerarchiadeigra-veyWhitehouse–LutherH.Martin(eds.),TheorizingReligionsPast:Archaeology,dimitriachi”,in:UgoBianchi[ed.],MysteriaMithrae,[EPRO80],Leiden:E.J.BrillHistory,andCognition,WalnutCreek:AltaMiraPress2004,87-103:90-95.

1979,639-648:641),butshedidnotpursuitthisideaanyfurther.Cf.alsoM.J.Ver-52

Seee.g.CIMRM1292.5d(Osterburken);CIMRM1430(Virunum);CIMRM2190(Bu-maseren,Mithras…,113.

charest)etc.

58

CIMRM887;L.Apronius/Chrysoma/lus/obgradumper/sicum/dedicavit.

53

seee.g.CIMRM1430(Virunum);CIMRM1584(Poetovio)etc.

59


54

CIMRM708.

60

Ibid.,185.Someindividualsmademorethanonededication.

55

E.g.CIMRM333;AE1979:no.425.

61


190

Ale‰Chalupa

191


Moreover,therearesomeotherdiscrepancies.Thedistributionofgra-thatbesidesthemtherewasarelativelysmallgroupofgradeholders,desthatcanbeconnectedwiththenameofanyknownMithraistisrathera‘priestlyclass’ofthecult:

irregular:onlytwogradesareattestedprofusely(Pater:122,Leo:41),an-DieüberwiegendeMehrzahlderMitgliederbegnügtesichmiteinerEinweihunginotherthreeonlysporadically(Corax:5,MilesandPerses:1)andtwoaredenKult,engagiertesichdarüberhinausfinanziellandemBauderHeiligtümerwiecompletelyabsentfromourepigraphicalsources(NymphusandHeliodro-anihrerAusgestaltungdurchAltäre,ReliefsundStatuen…VondiesergroßenGrup-mus).62YetanotherdiscrepancycanbefoundintheregionaldistributionpeläßtsicheineMinderheitabheben.SiebrachtedasEngagementauf,sichdersi-ofthegrades.Fully70,6%ofgradeattestationscomesfromItalyalonecherlichlangwierigenProzedurderstufenweisenInitiationindiesiebenGradezuun-terziehen,umdanndieOpfer,denKultvollzugunddieDeutungderKultlegende(Romeherselfcontributessome37,6%),13,5%fromtheDanubianpro-durchführenzukönnen.DiesesEngagementwarvorallemdortvorhanden,wodervinces,4,1%fromUpperandLowerGermaniaandtherest(11,8%)fromMithras-Kultlängerverankertwar,alsoinRomundItalien.68

otherprovincesoftheRomanEmpire.IfweconsiderthetotalsumofallMithraicdedications,thefollowingpatternofdistributionappears:Italy34,1%(Rome12,8%),theDanubianprovinces43,8

%,UpperandLowerTheseargumentsdeserveseriousconsideration,sincetheyaregroundedGermania10,2%andotherRomanprovinces11,9%.63ManfredClaussinaverycarefulandmeticulousanalysisoftheepigraphicevidenceun-explainsthisregionaldiversity(especiallytheoverrepresentationofRomedertakenbyoneoftheleadingexpertsinthefield,andcontradict,soitap-andItaly)inlightofhisconclusionthattheMysteriesofMithrasorigina-pears,ouroldandwell-establishedunderstandingofsevenMithraiciniti-tedinItaly,mostprobablyinRomeorOstia,fromwheretheyonlysubse-atorygrades.Thediscussionhasendedwithoutaconclusiveanswer.SomequentlyspreadintootherpartsoftheRomanEmpire.64Thecustomofin-scholarsexpressedtheirobjectionstoClauss’sconclusions,69butothers,asdicatingimmediategradeswasthusmoredeeplyrootedintheseregionsitseems,implicitlyacceptedthepossiblecorrectnessofhisargumenta-andmembershipinthecultcouldevenbecomepartofreligioustraditionstion.70Nevertheless,fromthetimewhenClauss’sconclusionswereorigi-ofsomefamilies.65Thisconclusionisalsofurthersupportedbythefactnallypublishedsomenewimportantevidencehascometolight,whichthatMithrasistheonlydeitywhosenameappearsininscriptionsmoreof-couldconsiderablyenrich(thoughcertainlynotpermanentlysolve)ourtenmisspelledthaninitscorrectform.66Thisstateofaffairsisagaintypi-discussionaboutthecharacterofMithraicgrades.

calfortheDanubianandRhineanprovinces,wherefournamesofMithrasoutoffivearewrittenincorrectly,whereasinItalythisratioisreversed.

TheCharacterofSevenMithraicGrades:ADiscussion

ThisfactatteststheexistenceofaratherrudimentaryformoftheMysteriesoutsideItalyandcastsseriousdoubtonthetheorythataseriesofse-Thefirstquestionthatmustbeansweredis:wereMithraicgradesasys-venstrenuousinitiationswasobligatorytoallmembersofthecult.67

temofseveninitiatorystageslinkedtogetherinaladder-likeway,endingThesedisproportionsandirregularitiesledManfredClausstothecon-inahighestandfinalone,oronlyisolatedpriestlyfunctionsunrelatedtoclusionthatthegreatmajorityofMithraistswereinitiatedonlyonceandeachother?ManfredClaussiscertainlyrightinoneregard:wejustcannotsimply‘deduce’theexistenceofaninitiatoryladderfromJerome’stestimonyalone.Nonetheless,theveryfactthatbothpiecesofevidencewhich62


63

Ibid.,188-189.

64

Ibid.,189-190;M.Clauss,CultoresMithrae…,253-255;id.,TheRomanCult…,7-8.

68


ButseethecriticalremarksinR.L.Gordon,“Whoworshipped…”,467-468;id.,“Per-69

E.g.ReinholdMerkelbach,“PriestergradeindenMithras-Mysterien?”,Zeitschriftfürseisubrupibus…”,292.

PapyrologieundEpigraphik82,1990,195-197;R.L.Gordon,“Whoworshipped…”,65


465-467;R.Beck,“TheMysteriesofMithras”,in:JohnS.Kloppenborg–StephenG.

66

Cf.M.Clauss,CultoresMithrae…,278.Inmorethan120inscriptions,wheretheWilson(eds.),VoluntaryAssociationsintheGraeco-RomanWorld,London–Newgod’snameisgiveninanunabbreviatedform,wecanfindnolessthan18erroneousYork:Routledge,176-185:180-181.

readings,e.g.Mythrae=CIMRM1830;Minitrae=CIMRM1776;Motre=CIMRM

70

E.g.FritzMitthof,“DerVorstandderKultgemeindendesMithras.EineSammlungund1700;Metras=CIMRM1443;Mytrhe=CIMRM1243;Mytrae=CIMRM1303a1367;UntersuchungderinschriftlichenZeugnisse”,Klio74,1992,279-290;GernotPiccotti-Mithre=CIMRM1976;Meteri=CIMRM1892;Methrae=CIMRM522;Mitre=

ni,MithrastempelinVirunum,Klagenfurt:VerlagdesGeschichtsvereinesfürKärntenCIMRM206.

1994,34;M.Martens,“TheMithraeuminTienen…”,45;cf.alsoR.Turcan,Mithra…,67


81-83.

190

Ale‰Chalupa

191


Moreover,therearesomeotherdiscrepancies.Thedistributionofgra-thatbesidesthemtherewasarelativelysmallgroupofgradeholders,desthatcanbeconnectedwiththenameofanyknownMithraistisrathera‘priestlyclass’ofthecult:

irregular:onlytwogradesareattestedprofusely(Pater:122,Leo:41),an-DieüberwiegendeMehrzahlderMitgliederbegnügtesichmiteinerEinweihunginotherthreeonlysporadically(Corax:5,MilesandPerses:1)andtwoaredenKult,engagiertesichdarüberhinausfinanziellandemBauderHeiligtümerwiecompletelyabsentfromourepigraphicalsources(NymphusandHeliodro-anihrerAusgestaltungdurchAltäre,ReliefsundStatuen…VondiesergroßenGrup-mus).62Yetanother

discrepancycanbefoundintheregionaldistributionpeläßtsicheineMinderheitabheben.SiebrachtedasEngagementauf,sichdersi-ofthegrades.Fully70,6%ofgradeattestationscomesfromItalyalonecherlichlangwierigenProzedurderstufenweisenInitiationindiesiebenGradezuun-terziehen,umdanndieOpfer,denKultvollzugunddieDeutungderKultlegende(Romeherselfcontributessome37,6%),13,5%fromtheDanubianpro-durchführenzukönnen.DiesesEngagementwarvorallemdortvorhanden,wodervinces,4,1%fromUpperandLowerGermaniaandtherest(11,8%)fromMithras-Kultlängerverankertwar,alsoinRomundItalien.68

otherprovincesoftheRomanEmpire.IfweconsiderthetotalsumofallMithraicdedications,thefollowingpatternofdistributionappears:Italy34,1%(Rome12,8%),theDanubianprovinces43,8%,UpperandLowerTheseargumentsdeserveseriousconsideration,sincetheyaregroundedGermania10,2%andotherRomanprovinces11,9%.63ManfredClaussinaverycarefulandmeticulousanalysisoftheepigraphicevidenceun-explainsthisregionaldiversity(especiallytheoverrepresentationofRomedertakenbyoneoftheleadingexpertsinthefield,andcontradict,soitap-andItaly)inlightofhisconclusionthattheMysteriesofMithrasorigina-pears,ouroldandwell-establishedunderstandingofsevenMithraiciniti-tedinItaly,mostprobablyinRomeorOstia,fromwheretheyonlysubse-atorygrades.Thediscussionhasendedwithoutaconclusiveanswer.SomequentlyspreadintootherpartsoftheRomanEmpire.64Thecustomofin-scholarsexpressedtheirobjectionstoClauss’sconclusions,69butothers,asdicatingimmediategradeswasthusmoredeeplyrootedintheseregionsitseems,implicitlyacceptedthepossiblecorrectnessofhisargumenta-andmembershipinthecultcouldevenbecomepartofreligioustraditionstion.70Nevertheless,fromthetimewhenClauss’sconclusionswereorigi-ofsomefamilies.65Thisconclusionisalsofurthersupportedbythefactnallypublishedsomenewimportantevidencehascometolight,whichthatMithrasistheonlydeitywhosenameappearsininscriptionsmoreof-couldconsiderablyenrich(thoughcertainlynotpermanentlysolve)ourtenmisspelledthaninitscorrectform.66Thisstateofaffairsisagaintypi-discussionaboutthecharacterofMithraicgrades.

calfortheDanubianandRhineanprovinces,wherefournamesofMithrasoutoffivearewrittenincorrectly,whereasinItalythisratioisreversed.

TheCharacterofSevenMithraicGrades:ADiscussion

ThisfactatteststheexistenceofaratherrudimentaryformoftheMysteriesoutsideItalyandcastsseriousdoubtonthetheorythataseriesofse-Thefirstquestionthatmustbeansweredis:wereMithraicgradesasys-venstrenuousinitiationswasobligatorytoallmembersofthecult.67

temofseveninitiatorystageslinkedtogetherinaladder-likeway,endingThesedisproportionsandirregularitiesledManfredClausstothecon-inahighestandfinalone,oronlyisolatedpriestlyfunctionsunrelatedtoclusionthatthegreatmajorityofMithraistswereinitiatedonlyonceandeachother?ManfredClaussiscertainlyrightinoneregard:wejustcannotsimply‘deduce’theexistenceofaninitiatoryladderfromJerome’stestimonyalone.Nonetheless,theveryfactthatbothpiecesofevidencewhich62


63

Ibid.,188-189.

64

Ibid.,189-190;M.Clauss,CultoresMithrae…,253-255;id.,TheRomanCult…,7-8.

68


ButseethecriticalremarksinR.L.Gordon,“Whoworshipped…”,467-468;id.,“Per-69

E.g.ReinholdMerkelbach,“PriestergradeindenMithras-Mysterien?”,Zeitschriftfürseisubrupibus…”,292.

PapyrologieundEpigraphik82,1990,195-197;R.L.Gordon,“Whoworshipped…”,65


465-467;R.Beck,“TheMysteriesofMithras”,in:JohnS.Kloppenborg–StephenG.

66

Cf.M.Clauss,CultoresMithrae…,278.Inmorethan120inscriptions,wheretheWilson(eds.),VoluntaryAssociationsintheGraeco-RomanWorld,London–Newgod’snameisgiveninanunabbreviatedform,wecanfindnolessthan18erroneousYork:Routledge,176-185:180-181.

readings,e.g.Mythrae=CIMRM1830;Minitrae=CIMRM1776;Motre=CIMRM

70

E.g.FritzMitthof,“DerVorstandderKultgemeindendesMithras.EineSammlungund1700;Metras=CIMRM1443;Mytrhe=CIMRM1243;Mytrae=CIMRM1303a1367;UntersuchungderinschriftlichenZeugnisse”,Klio74,1992,279-290;GernotPiccotti-Mithre=CIMRM1976;Meteri=CIMRM1892;Methrae=CIMRM522;Mitre=

ni,MithrastempelinVirunum,Klagenfurt:VerlagdesGeschichtsvereinesfürKärntenCIMRM206.

1994,34;M.Martens,“TheMithraeuminTienen…”,45;cf.alsoR.Turcan,Mithra…,67


81-83.

192

Ale‰Chalupa

193


giveMithraicgradesinanykindofstructuredorder,Jerome’sletterandClauss’sopinion,Iampersonallyinclinedtobelievethatthisdispropor-theFelicissimusmosaic,seemtobeincompleteagreement,isprobablytionisrathercompatiblewiththeviewthatgradeswereverticallystructu-highlysignificant.Thiscompletematchspeaksstronglyinfavoroftheas-red,initiatoryandmandatoryforallinitiatesthanwiththeconceptofpri-sumptionthatthereindeedwassomekindofestablishedhierarchyinestlyhierarchyrepresentedonlybyfeweliteMithraistsheproposes.

whichthesegradeswereunderstoodandrealized.

Clauss’sargumentthattherareattestationsofMithraicgradesintheepi-AlsothemeaningoftheattestedtermgradusisinperfectaccordwithgraphicalevidencemustindicatethattheyarepriestlyofficesisseriouslythesuccessivenatureofMithraicgrades.Themostpersuasiveargumentflawedinoneimportantaspect:hedoesnottakeintoaccountsufficientlyforthefinalacceptanceoftheverticallyintegratedconceptofMithraicproblemsconnectedwithkeepingrecordsofaflexiblesystemofgradesongradesis,however,theircloseconnectionwiththeplanetsandplanetaryinscriptionsmeanttobepermanent.Claussstudiedalmostexclusivelyde-gods.InthePtolemaicmodelofthecosmostheuniversecanbeseenasadicationsmadeinstoneor(lessoften)inmetal.Butinthissystemofper-hollowspherewiththeEarthinitscenter.Theuniverseisseparatedintomanentcommemorationandrecording,namesandsocialstatusofadedi-twomainregions,sublunarandsuperlunar.Thesuperlunarregionstret-canthadadifferentrelevancethanhiscurrentpositioninaninitiatorychesfromtheMoonupwardandcanbefurtherdividedintoeightspheres:hierarchythatwasboundtochangeinthefuture.Onceaninscriptionwassevenofthemconsistofplanets,fromtheMoonclosesttotheEarthuptofinalized,theexecutionofanysubsequentchangesbecame,duetothepro-thefarthestSaturn.Theeighthandhighestsphereisthesphereofthefixedpertiesofmediausuallyused,extremelyproblematic.Therelevanceofstars.ItseemsthatMithraismwas,atleastinitssoteriologicalcomponent,Clauss’sobservationthatwedonothaveanyconclusiveepigraphicevi-especiallypreoccupiedwiththedestinyofthehumansoulfromthemodenceofasinglemoment,whentheholderofonegradeappearsisalsoat-mentitdescendedfromthesphereofthefixedstarsintophysicalexisten-testedastheholderofadifferentone,72canthusbesuccessfullyquestio-ceandeventuallyreturnedbackafterthedeathanddissolutionofitsmor-ned.Thatthesituationcouldlookverydifferentlywhensomeotherkindtalbody.Thisdescentofhumansoulstotheearthandtheirascentbackofmediumwasusedcanbeseenfromtheprovisionalarchaeologicalre-couldbeonlyundertaken(accordingtocontemporaneousviews)throughportoftheexcavationsinDuraEuroposmithraeum,whereastaggeringtheplanetaryspheresthatseparatedtheeighthandhighestspherefromtheamountofgraffiti,probablycommemoratinginitiationsintovariousgra-Earth.ItisthereforeplausibleenoughtoclaimthatwhenMithraistsindi-des,wasdiscovered.73Unfortunately,wecanonlysaythatthismoremun-viduallywentthroughthehierarchicalsequenceofgradestiedupwithpla-daneaspectofthecommemorationoftheseimportanteventsinthelivesnetsandtheirtutelarydivinities,theyrealizedandreenactedthedestinyofofinitiateshadonlylittlechancetobepreservedinthematerialscharac-humansoulsgenerally.ThisopinionseemstobeconfirmedbyPorphyry’steristicoftheDanubianorRhineanprovinces.

descriptionoftheMysteriesandthearchitectureoftheirmeetingplaces:Itisprobablynotfortuitous,too,thattheMithraicgradesmostoftenmentionedoninscriptionsmadeinpermanentmaterialsarethoseofLeoSimilarly,thePersianscalltheplaceacavewheretheyintroduceaninitiatetothe(Lion)andPater(Father),becausetheyapparentlyhadaspecialpositionmysteries,revealingtohimthepathbywhichsoulsdescendandgobackagain.ForintheMithraicinitiatoryhierarchy.Weknowthat

Mithraistswhohadrea-EubulustellsusthatZoroasterwasthefirsttodedicateanaturalcaveinhonourtochedatleastthefourthgradeofLeowereconsideredtobe‘fullyinitiated’

Mithras,thecreatorandfatherofall;itwaslocatedinthemountainsnearPersiaandhadflowersandsprings.ThiscaveboreforhimtheimageoftheCosmoswhichMi-

(metechontesmystai),incontrasttothe‘attendants’(hypïretountasmys-thrashadcreated,andthethingswhichthecavecontainedbytheirproportionatear-tai),initiatesintothethreelowestgradesfromCoraxtoMiles,rangement,providedhimwithsymbolsoftheelementsandclimatesoftheCosmos.

AfterZoroasterothersadoptedthecustomofperformingtheirritesofinitiationinca-

[t]here[inMithraism],inordertodemonstrateourkinshipwithanimalsallegorical-vesandgrottoswhichwereeithernaturalorartificial.71

ly,theyareaccustomedtoimageusbymeansofanimals.Thustheycallthosewhoareinitiatedintotheirrites‘Lions’,women‘Hyenas’,andtheattendants‘Ravens’.

AndwithrespecttotheFathers[thesameistrue];fortheyarecalled‘Eagles’andAlsotheveryfactthatsomegradesareattestedmorefrequentlythanotherscanbehighlysignificantinthisregard.ButcontrarytoManfred72

M.Clauss,“DiesiebenGrade…”,183andn.5.

71

Porphyry,Deantronympharum6(EnglishtranslationR.Beck,TheReligionofthe73

SeeM.I.Rostovtzeffetal.,PreliminaryReport…,118;E.D.Francis,“MithraicGraf-MithrasCult…,16).

fiti…”,440-441.

192

Ale‰Chalupa

193


giveMithraicgradesinanykindofstructuredorder,Jerome’sletterandClauss’sopinion,Iampersonallyinclinedtobelievethatthisdispropor-theFelicissimusmosaic,seemtobeincompleteagreement,isprobablytionisrathercompatiblewiththeviewthatgradeswereverticallystructu-highlysignificant.Thiscompletematchspeaksstronglyinfavoroftheas-red,initiatoryandmandatoryforallinitiatesthanwiththeconceptofpri-sumptionthatthereindeedwassomekindofestablishedhierarchyinestlyhierarchyrepresentedonlybyfeweliteMithraistsheproposes.

whichthesegradeswereunderstoodandrealized.

Clauss’sargumentthattherareattestationsofMithraicgradesintheepi-AlsothemeaningoftheattestedtermgradusisinperfectaccordwithgraphicalevidencemustindicatethattheyarepriestlyofficesisseriouslythesuccessivenatureofMithraicgrades.Themostpersuasiveargumentflawedinoneimportantaspect:hedoesnottakeintoaccountsufficientlyforthefinalacceptanceoftheverticallyintegratedconceptofMithraicproblemsconnectedwithkeepingrecordsofaflexiblesystemofgradesongradesis,however,theircloseconnectionwiththeplanetsandplanetaryinscriptionsmeanttobepermanent.Claussstudiedalmostexclusivelyde-gods.InthePtolemaicmodelofthecosmostheuniversecanbeseenasadicationsmadeinstoneor(lessoften)inmetal.Butinthissystemofper-hollowspherewiththeEarthinitscenter.Theuniverseisseparatedintomanentcommemorationandrecording,namesandsocialstatusofadedi-twomainregions,sublunarandsuperlunar.Thesuperlunarregionstret-canthadadifferentrelevancethanhiscurrentpositioninaninitiatorychesfromtheMoonupwardandcanbefurtherdividedintoeightspheres:hierarchythatwasboundtochangeinthefuture.Onceaninscriptionwassevenofthemconsistofplanets,fromtheMoonclosesttotheEarthuptofinalized,theexecutionofanysubsequentchangesbecame,duetothepro-thefarthestSaturn.Theeighthandhighestsphereisthesphereofthefixedpertiesofmediausuallyused,extremelyproblematic.Therelevanceofstars.ItseemsthatMithraismwas,atleastinitssoteriologicalcomponent,Clauss’sobservationthatwedonothaveanyconclusiveepigraphicevi-especiallypreoccupiedwiththedestinyofthehumansoulfromthemodenceofasinglemoment,whentheholderofonegradeappearsisalsoat-mentitdescendedfromthesphereofthefixedstarsintophysicalexisten-testedastheholderofadifferentone,72canthusbesuccessfullyquestio-ceandeventuallyreturnedbackafterthedeathanddissolutionofitsmor-ned.Thatthesituationcouldlookverydifferentlywhensomeotherkindtalbody.Thisdescentofhumansoulstotheearthandtheirascentbackofmediumwasusedcanbeseenfromtheprovisionalarchaeologicalre-couldbeonlyundertaken(accordingtocontemporaneousviews)throughportoftheexcavationsinDuraEuroposmithraeum,whereastaggeringtheplanetaryspheresthatseparatedtheeighthandhighestspherefromtheamountofgraffiti,probablycommemoratinginitiationsintovariousgra-Earth.ItisthereforeplausibleenoughtoclaimthatwhenMithraistsindi-des,wasdiscovered.73Unfortunately,wecanonlysaythatthismoremun-viduallywentthroughthehierarchicalsequenceofgradestiedupwithpla-daneaspectofthecommemorationoftheseimportanteventsinthelivesnetsandtheirtutelarydivinities,theyrealizedandreenactedthedestinyofofinitiateshadonlylittlechancetobepreservedinthematerialscharac-humansoulsgenerally.ThisopinionseemstobeconfirmedbyPorphyry’steristicoftheDanubianorRhineanprovinces.

descriptionoftheMysteriesandthearchitectureoftheirmeetingplaces:Itisprobablynotfortuitous,too,thattheMithraicgradesmostoftenmentionedoninscriptionsmadeinpermanentmaterialsarethoseofLeoSimilarly,thePersianscalltheplaceacavewheretheyintroduceaninitiatetothe(Lion)andPater(Father),becausetheyapparentlyhadaspecialpositionmysteries,revealingtohimthepathbywhichsoulsdescendandgobackagain.ForintheMithraicinitiatoryhierarchy.WeknowthatMithraistswhohadrea-EubulustellsusthatZoroasterwasthefirsttodedicateanaturalcaveinhonourtochedatleastthefourthgradeofLeowereconsideredtobe‘fullyinitiated’

Mithras,thecreatorandfatherofall;itwaslocatedinthemountainsnearPersiaandhadflowersandsprings.ThiscaveboreforhimtheimageoftheCosmoswhichMi-

(metechontesmystai),incontrasttothe‘attendants’(hypïretountasmys-thrashadcreated,andthe

thingswhichthecavecontainedbytheirproportionatear-tai),initiatesintothethreelowestgradesfromCoraxtoMiles,rangement,providedhimwithsymbolsoftheelementsandclimatesoftheCosmos.

AfterZoroasterothersadoptedthecustomofperformingtheirritesofinitiationinca-

[t]here[inMithraism],inordertodemonstrateourkinshipwithanimalsallegorical-vesandgrottoswhichwereeithernaturalorartificial.71

ly,theyareaccustomedtoimageusbymeansofanimals.Thustheycallthosewhoareinitiatedintotheirrites‘Lions’,women‘Hyenas’,andtheattendants‘Ravens’.

AndwithrespecttotheFathers[thesameistrue];fortheyarecalled‘Eagles’andAlsotheveryfactthatsomegradesareattestedmorefrequentlythanotherscanbehighlysignificantinthisregard.ButcontrarytoManfred72

M.Clauss,“DiesiebenGrade…”,183andn.5.

71

Porphyry,Deantronympharum6(EnglishtranslationR.Beck,TheReligionofthe73

SeeM.I.Rostovtzeffetal.,PreliminaryReport…,118;E.D.Francis,“MithraicGraf-MithrasCult…,16).

fiti…”,440-441.

194

Ale‰Chalupa

195


‘Hawks’.ThepersonwhoisinitiatedintothegradeofLionisinvestedinallsortsofmetimesattheendofthe2ndcenturyCEandhasneverbecomeparticu-animalforms.74

larlywidespread.76

Turcan’slineofargumentation,however,doesnotseemtobeentirelyInitiatesintothe‘liminal’gradeofLeowerethusmorestronglymoti-persuasive.Itmustbeadmittedthattheregionaldisproportionintheap-vatedtorecordinpermanentinscriptionsthisimportantwatershedintheirpearanceofgradescausessomeproblems,but,again,thismaybeexplai-culticstatusthanwereholdersoflessergrades.Aninitiationintothehigh-nedonthegroundsofregionaldifferencesintheuseofepigraphyandse-estMithraicgrade,thatofPater,canbethenunderstoodasacompletionlectionofinformationdeemedimportantenoughtobetransmittedandoftheultimatereligiousgoaloftheMysteries,probablycloselyconnectedcommemoratedinthisway.Nonetheless,theexistenceofgradesseemstowiththefuturepostmortem‘salvation’ofaninitiate.Takenallthisintobenowattestedalsoamongthe

MithraistsinVirunum,theregionalcenterconsideration,thefactthatothergradesexceptLeoandPaterareonlyra-oftheRomanprovinceNoricum.Sixindividualsontheso-calledalbumrelyattestedonpermanentinscriptionsdoesnotseemtobeparticularlyfromVirunum,77ametalplaqueregisteringthemembershipofoneofthesurprising.

localMithraiccommunities,ismarkedwiththewordPATERorlettersThecrucialpieceofevidenceaboutthenatureofMithraicgradesco-PAT(inallprobabilitytheabbreviationofthesametitle).78Alsosomefi-mes,however,fromaliteralreadingoftheabove-mentionedpassagefromguralmonumentsindicatethattheconceptofgradeswasnotcompletelyPorphyry’sphilosophicaltreatyDeabstinetia.Aswecansee,speakinglimitedtoRomeandOstia.PersonswithravenandlionheadsappearonabouttheinnerdivisionofMithraicmembership,PorphyryusesthewordthecultrelieffromKonjic79andaraven-headedpersonadministeringa

‘initiates’(mystai),not‘priests’(hiereis),aswewouldexpectifClauss’sspitwiththepiecesofmeattotherecliningMithrasandSolduringafeastconclusionswerecorrect.75InallprobabilitythisfactcannotbeexplainedisstillvisibleonthefrescofromDuraEuroposmithraeum.80Wecanthe-asaproblemofterminology:thedistinctionbetweenpriestsandinitiatesreforetentativelyarguethatthesystemofsevenMithraicgradeswaspro-wascertainlyquitecommoninantiquityandPorphyrycouldhavenoteditbablyusedinmany,ifnotmost,Mithraiccommunities,81butbecauseofitsifhehadfounditappropriate.Buthedidnotandthetermusedbyhimthuselusivecharacteritisverydifficulttoprovetheirpresencebythemeansofprovidesuswithyetanotherimportantpieceofevidencestronglysuppor-archaeology.

tingtheviewthatsevenMithraicgradeswereinitiatoryandnotpriestly.

Butthesescatteredandinconclusivepiecesofevidencestilldonotdis-ButevenifweaccepttheviewthatMithraicgradeswereinitiatoryandproveanothertenetofTurcan’sargument:hisclaimthattheintroductionhierarchicallystructured(asIthinktheywere),onequestionstillremainsunanswered:weretheyuniversal?IsitnotpossiblethatthiscomplexandsophisticatedsystemwasinrealityentertainedonlyinsomeMithraic76

RobertTurcan,“HiérarchiesacerdotaletastrologiedanslesmystèresdeMithra”,in:RitaGyselen(ed.),Lasciencedescieux:sages,magesetastrologues,(ResOrientalescommunities,especiallyinmoredevelopedandculturedregionsorinRo-12),Leuven:PeetersPublishers1999,249-261.

meandOstia?Andwhenwasthissystemcreatedorintroduced?WereMi-77

AE1994,1334.Bystrangeironyoffate,thisimmenselyimportantpieceofevidencethraicgradespresentinMithraicreligiousideologyfromtheverybegin-registeringnamesof98VirunumMithraistswasdiscoveredexactlyintheveryyearningsofthecult,ormusttheybeseen,rather,asalateandregionally(seeG.Piccottini,Mithrastempel…,9)whenthemostdetailedandprofoundsociolo-gicalanalysisofMithraicmembership(M.Clauss,CultoresMithrae…)waspublished.

localizedinnovationthatfoundonlylimitedacceptanceinmoredistantThefactthatsixPatresareattestedonthismonumentwouldhaveprobablychangedprovinces?Infact,thisisexactlythepositionsuccinctlyarguedbyRobertnoneofClauss’smainconclusionsaboutthecharacterofMithraicgrades.Neverthe-Turcan,whoseesintheconnectionoftheMithraicgradeswiththesevenless,thissituationcanverywelldemonstratethefactthattherelativelylowrationofplanets–verycentralin

mypreviousreasoning–alateandrelativelymar-gradesattestedinDanubianprovincesmustnotbenecessarilyexplainedintermsoftheirgeneralscarcity.Inreality,thedisproportionbetweenRomeandprovincesalongginalembellishmentofOstianandRomanMithraists,whichappearedso-theDanubeRivercouldbe,albeitpartially,causedbythefactthatonlyminimumofevidenceattestingtheirpresenceheresurvived.

78

G.Piccottini,Mithrastempel…,35-36.

79

CIMRM1896.3.

74

Porphyry,Deabstinetia4.16(CitedaccordingtoEnglishtranslationinMaryBeard–

80

CIMRM42.13.

JohnNorth–SimonPrice,ReligionsofRomeII:ATextbook,Cambridge:Cambridge81

R.Beck,TheReligionoftheMithrasCult…,72;R.L.Gordon,“InstitutionalizedRe-UniversityPress1998,311).

ligiousOptions:Mithraism”,in:JörgRüpke(ed.),ACompaniontoRomanReligion,75

R.L.Gordon,“Whoworshipped…”,466.

Malden–Oxford:BlackwellPublishing2007,392-405:399.

194

Ale‰Chalupa

195


‘Hawks’.ThepersonwhoisinitiatedintothegradeofLionisinvestedinallsortsofmetimesattheendofthe2ndcenturyCEandhasneverbecomeparticu-animalforms.74

larlywidespread.76

Turcan’slineofargumentation,however,doesnotseemtobeentirelyInitiatesintothe‘liminal’gradeofLeowerethusmorestronglymoti-persuasive.Itmustbeadmittedthattheregionaldisproportionintheap-vatedtorecordinpermanentinscriptionsthisimportantwatershedintheirpearanceofgrades

causessomeproblems,but,again,thismaybeexplai-culticstatusthanwereholdersoflessergrades.Aninitiationintothehigh-nedonthegroundsofregionaldifferencesintheuseofepigraphyandse-estMithraicgrade,thatofPater,canbethenunderstoodasacompletionlectionofinformationdeemedimportantenoughtobetransmittedandoftheultimatereligiousgoaloftheMysteries,probablycloselyconnectedcommemoratedinthisway.Nonetheless,theexistenceofgradesseemstowiththefuturepostmortem‘salvation’ofaninitiate.TakenallthisintobenowattestedalsoamongtheMithraistsinVirunum,theregionalcenterconsideration,thefactthatothergradesexceptLeoandPaterareonlyra-oftheRomanprovinceNoricum.Sixindividualsontheso-calledalbumrelyattestedonpermanentinscriptionsdoesnotseemtobeparticularlyfromVirunum,77ametalplaqueregisteringthemembershipofoneofthesurprising.

localMithraiccommunities,ismarkedwiththewordPATERorlettersThecrucialpieceofevidenceaboutthenatureofMithraicgradesco-PAT(inallprobabilitytheabbreviationofthesametitle).78Alsosomefi-mes,however,fromaliteralreadingoftheabove-mentionedpassagefromguralmonumentsindicatethattheconceptofgradeswasnotcompletelyPorphyry’sphilosophicaltreatyDeabstinetia.Aswecansee,speakinglimitedtoRomeandOstia.PersonswithravenandlionheadsappearonabouttheinnerdivisionofMithraicmembership,PorphyryusesthewordthecultrelieffromKonjic79andaraven-headedpersonadministeringa

‘initiates’(mystai),not‘priests’(hiereis),aswewouldexpectifClauss’sspitwiththepiecesofmeattotherecliningMithrasandSolduringafeastconclusionswerecorrect.75InallprobabilitythisfactcannotbeexplainedisstillvisibleonthefrescofromDuraEuroposmithraeum.80Wecanthe-asaproblemofterminology:thedistinctionbetweenpriestsandinitiatesreforetentativelyarguethatthesystemofsevenMithraicgradeswaspro-wascertainlyquitecommoninantiquityandPorphyrycouldhavenoteditbablyusedinmany,ifnotmost,Mithraiccommunities,81butbecauseofitsifhehadfounditappropriate.Buthedidnotandthetermusedbyhimthuselusivecharacteritisverydifficulttoprovetheirpresencebythemeansofprovidesuswithyetanotherimportantpieceofevidencestronglysuppor-archaeology.

tingtheviewthatsevenMithraicgradeswereinitiatoryandnotpriestly.

Butthesescatteredandinconclusivepiecesofevidencestilldonotdis-ButevenifweaccepttheviewthatMithraicgradeswereinitiatoryandproveanothertenetofTurcan’sargument:hisclaimthattheintroductionhierarchicallystructured(asIthinktheywere),onequestionstillremainsunanswered:weretheyuniversal?IsitnotpossiblethatthiscomplexandsophisticatedsystemwasinrealityentertainedonlyinsomeMithraic76

RobertTurcan,“HiérarchiesacerdotaletastrologiedanslesmystèresdeMithra”,in:RitaGyselen(ed.),Lasciencedescieux:sages,magesetastrologues,(ResOrientalescommunities,especiallyinmoredevelopedandculturedregionsorinRo-12),Leuven:PeetersPublishers1999,249-261.

meandOstia?Andwhenwasthissystemcreatedorintroduced?WereMi-77

AE1994,1334.Bystrangeironyoffate,thisimmenselyimportantpieceofevidencethraicgradespresentinMithraicreligiousideologyfromtheverybegin-registeringnamesof98VirunumMithraistswasdiscoveredexactlyintheveryyearningsofthecult,ormusttheybeseen,rather,asalateandregionally(seeG.Piccottini,Mithrastempel…,9)whenthemostdetailedandprofoundsociolo-gicalanalysisofMithraicmembership(M.Clauss,CultoresMithrae…)waspublished.

localizedinnovationthatfoundonlylimitedacceptanceinmoredistantThefactthatsixPatresareattestedonthismonumentwouldhaveprobablychangedprovinces?Infact,thisisexactlythepositionsuccinctlyarguedbyRobertnoneofClauss’smainconclusionsaboutthecharacterofMithraicgrades.Neverthe-Turcan,whoseesintheconnectionoftheMithraicgradeswiththesevenless,thissituationcanverywelldemonstratethefactthattherelativelylowrationofplanets–verycentralinmypreviousreasoning–alateandrelativelymar-gradesattestedinDanubianprovincesmustnotbenecessarilyexplainedintermsoftheirgeneralscarcity.Inreality,thedisproportionbetweenRomeandprovincesalongginalembellishmentofOstianandRomanMithraists,whichappearedso-theDanubeRivercouldbe,albeitpartially,causedbythefactthatonlyminimumofevidenceattestingtheirpresenceheresurvived.

78

G.Piccottini,Mithrastempel…,35-36.

79

CIMRM1896.3.

74

Porphyry,Deabstinetia4.16(CitedaccordingtoEnglishtranslationinMaryBeard–

80

CIMRM42.13.

JohnNorth–SimonPrice,ReligionsofRomeII:ATextbook,Cambridge:Cambridge81

R.Beck,TheReligionoftheMithrasCult…,72;R.L.Gordon,“InstitutionalizedRe-UniversityPress1998,311).

ligiousOptions:Mithraism”,in:JörgRüpke(ed.),ACompaniontoRomanReligion,75

R.L.Gordon,“Whoworshipped…”,466.

Malden–Oxford:BlackwellPublishing2007,392-405:399.

196

Ale‰Chalupa

197


Fig.3ArcheryoftheFather,MainzVessel

Fig.4TheProcessionoftheSun-Runner,MainzVessel

TakenoverfromIngeborgHuld-Zetsche,“DerMainzerKratermitdenTakenoverfromIngeborgHuld-Zetsche,“DerMainzerKratermitdensiebenFiguren”,in:MarleenMartens–GuydeBoe(eds.),

siebenFiguren”,in:MarleenMartens–GuydeBoe(eds.),

RomanMithraism:TheEvidenceoftheSmallFinds,


Brussel:MuseumHetToreke2004,222,fig.14.


ofthesegradeshappenedinfactverylate,attheendofthe2ndcenturyCE.

paradigminthe‘ArcheryofMithras’,86aniconographicmotif(andnoMostofthemonumentsmentionedabovefalleasilyintothetimespanpro-doubtalsoanimportantelementinMithrassacrednarrative)appearingve-posedbyTurcanorintotheperiodafterit.Fortunately,thereisyetanot-ryoftenonthesidescenesflankingthetauroctony.87

herpieceofevidencetobediscussed:theMainzVessel.82Thislargeear-Thesecondscene,‘TheprocessionoftheSun-Runner’(fig.4),showsthenwarewinecrater,aremarkablerepresentativeoftheso-called‘snakeatrainoffourpersons.Thefirstoneinthefrontiswearingabreast-plate.

vessels’(Schlangengefässe),83wasfoundbrokenandceremoniallyburiedThesecondandthefourthpersonsareholdingsticks,buteachindifferentundertheflooroftheMainzmithraeum.84Itdepictsonitsbodytwosepa-direction:thesecondpersonholdshisstickturneddownward,thefourthrateritualscenesinwhichsevenpersonsparticipate.

upward.InthemiddleofthemisyetanotherpersonyieldingawhipandThefirstscene,‘ArcheryoftheFather’(fig.3),showsaseatedbeardedwearingatiarawithsevenrays,atypicalheaddressoftheRomandeitymanwithaPhrygiancaponhisheadaiminganarrowatanotherman,whoSol.Theinterpretationofthissceneiscomplicated.Forthemajorityofisnakedandproportionallysmaller.Heiscoveringhisfacewitharmsscholarsitisutterlyconfusing.Inmyopinion,themostpersuasiveinter-crossed,interrororintheactofcompletesubmission.Thethirdpartici-pretationproposedsofaristhatofRogerBeck,88whoseesinthisproces-pantstandsbehindtheneophyte,handsinarhetoricalgesture.Itisgene-sionthesymbolicreenactmentofthetwomovementsoftheSun,dailyrallyagreedthatthisscenedepictsaninitiation85andthatithasamythical(westwardacrossthesky)andyearly(eastwardacrossthebandofzodia-calsigns),89closelyconnectedwiththeinnerstructureofthemithraeumas

‘theimageoftheCosmos’.90

82

Aboutthisextremelyimportantfindwhichprofoundlyincreasedourknowledgeofso-measpectsofMithraismseeespeciallyHeinzG.Horn,“DasMainzerMithrasgefäß”,86

E.g.R.Merkelbach,“DasMainzerMithrasgefäß…”,2-5;R.Beck,“Ritual,Myth,MainzerArchäologischeZeitschrift1,1994,21-66;R.Merkelbach,“DasMainzerMi-Doctrine…”,150.

thrasgefäß”,ZeitschriftfürPapyrologieundEpigraphik108,1995,1-6;R.Beck,“Ri-87

Seee.g.CIMRM1225(Mogontiacum);CIMRM1283.2(Neunheim);CIMRM

tual,Myth,Doctrine…”;I.Huld-Zetsche,“DerMainzerKrater…”.

1292.5a(Osterburken);1533(Poetovio).

83

Forothervesselsofthistypeseee.g.CIMRM106;ElmarSchwertheim,DieDenkmäler88

R.Beck,“Ritual,Myth,Doctrine…”,154-167.

orientalischerGottheitenimRömischenDeutschland:MitAusnahmederägyptischen89

Ibid.,162.

Gottheiten,(EPRO40),Leiden:E.J.Brill1974,no.15a.

90

ThefactthatamithraeumisaningeniousreplicationoftheCosmos,asitisexplicitly84

I.Huld-Zetsche,“DerMainzerKrater…”,213-215.

statedbytheGreekNeo-PlatonistPorphyry(Deantronympharum6),seemstobecor-85

E.g.H.G.Horn,“DasMainzerMithrasgefäß…”,25-28;R.Beck,“Ritual,Myth,Doct-roboratedbyarchaeologicalmaterial.Insomemithraeawecanfindpeculiardetailsrine…”,149.

whichmakelittlesense,unlesstheyareinterpretedwithPorphyry’sstatementsinmind.

196

Ale‰Chalupa

197


Fig.3ArcheryoftheFather,MainzVessel

Fig.4TheProcessionoftheSun-Runner,MainzVessel

TakenoverfromIngeborgHuld-Zetsche,“DerMainzerKratermitdenTakenoverfromIngeborgHuld-

Zetsche,“DerMainzerKratermitdensiebenFiguren”,in:MarleenMartens–GuydeBoe(eds.),

siebenFiguren”,in:MarleenMartens–GuydeBoe(eds.),





ofthesegradeshappenedinfactverylate,attheendofthe2ndcenturyCE.

paradigminthe‘ArcheryofMithras’,86aniconographicmotif(andnoMostofthemonumentsmentionedabovefalleasilyintothetimespanpro-doubtalsoanimportantelementinMithrassacrednarrative)appearingve-posedbyTurcanorintotheperiodafterit.Fortunately,thereisyetanot-ryoftenonthesidescenesflankingthetauroctony.87

herpieceofevidencetobediscussed:theMainzVessel.82Thislargeear-Thesecondscene,‘TheprocessionoftheSun-Runner’(fig.4),showsthenwarewinecrater,aremarkablerepresentativeoftheso-called‘snakeatrainoffourpersons.Thefirstoneinthefrontiswearingabreast-plate.

vessels’(Schlangengefässe),83wasfoundbrokenandceremoniallyburiedThesecondandthefourthpersonsareholdingsticks,buteachindifferentundertheflooroftheMainzmithraeum.84Itdepictsonitsbodytwosepa-direction:thesecondpersonholdshisstickturneddownward,thefourthrateritualscenesinwhichsevenpersonsparticipate.

upward.InthemiddleofthemisyetanotherpersonyieldingawhipandThefirstscene,‘ArcheryoftheFather’(fig.3),showsaseatedbeardedwearingatiarawithsevenrays,atypicalheaddressoftheRomandeitymanwithaPhrygiancaponhisheadaiminganarrowatanotherman,whoSol.Theinterpretationofthissceneiscomplicated.Forthemajorityofisnakedandproportionallysmaller.Heiscoveringhisfacewitharmsscholarsitisutterlyconfusing.Inmyopinion,themostpersuasiveinter-crossed,interrororintheactofcompletesubmission.Thethirdpartici-pretationproposedsofaristhatofRogerBeck,88whoseesinthisproces-pantstandsbehindtheneophyte,handsinarhetoricalgesture.Itisgene-sionthesymbolicreenactmentofthetwomovementsoftheSun,dailyrallyagreedthatthisscenedepictsaninitiation85andthatithasamythical(westwardacrossthesky)andyearly(eastwardacrossthebandofzodia-calsigns),89closelyconnectedwiththeinnerstructureofthemithraeumas

‘theimageoftheCosmos’.90

82

Aboutthisextremelyimportantfindwhichprofoundlyincreasedourknowledgeofso-measpectsofMithraismseeespeciallyHeinzG.Horn,“DasMainzerMithrasgefäß”,86

E.g.R.Merkelbach,“DasMainzerMithrasgefäß…”,2-5;R.Beck,“Ritual,Myth,MainzerArchäologischeZeitschrift1,1994,21-66;R.Merkelbach,“DasMainzerMi-Doctrine…”,150.

thrasgefäß”,ZeitschriftfürPapyrologieundEpigraphik108,1995,1-6;R.Beck,“Ri-87

Seee.g.CIMRM1225(Mogontiacum);CIMRM1283.2(Neunheim);CIMRM

tual,Myth,Doctrine…”;I.Huld-Zetsche,“DerMainzerKrater…”.

1292.5a(Osterburken);1533(Poetovio).

83

Forothervesselsofthistypeseee.g.CIMRM106;ElmarSchwertheim,DieDenkmäler88

R.Beck,“Ritual,Myth,Doctrine…”,154-167.

orientalischerGottheitenimRömischenDeutschland:MitAusnahmederägyptischen89

Ibid.,162.

Gottheiten,(EPRO40),Leiden:E.J.Brill1974,no.15a.

90

ThefactthatamithraeumisaningeniousreplicationoftheCosmos,asitisexplicitly84

I.Huld-Zetsche,“DerMainzerKrater…”,213-215.

statedbytheGreekNeo-PlatonistPorphyry(Deantronympharum6),seemstobecor-85

E.g.H.G.Horn,“DasMainzerMithrasgefäß…”,25-28;R.Beck,“Ritual,Myth,Doct-roboratedbyarchaeologicalmaterial.Insomemithraeawecanfindpeculiardetailsrine…”,149.

whichmakelittlesense,unlesstheyareinterpretedwithPorphyry’sstatementsinmind.

198

Ale‰Chalupa

199


Twoconclusionsarecentralforfurtherdiscussion.Firstly,itisquiteap-brutesoldiers,alwayspresentinthepreviousscholarship,gainedanewparentthatsomeoftheparticipantsdepictedonthesetwoscenesarehol-impulseinreactionagainstsomefar-fetched,evenfantasticastrologicalindersofMithraicgrades.91Secondly,thisvesselis,accordingtothecorrec-terpretationsofMithraiciconographyand‘secret’meaningencodedinit.93

teddating,92relativelyold(120-140CE)anditisevenpossiblethatitEventhoughwemustcriticizetheseastrologicalover-interpretationsasbelongstothegroupoftheearliestpreservedMithraicmaterial.Thefactlargelyunpersuasive,arecentfaddestinedtofadeawayeventually,therethatthis

vesselcomesfromtheremotebordersoftheRomanEmpireandisalsonojustificationforafar-reachingsimplification94ofanevidentlywascertainlymanufacturedintheperiodpredatingthelastquarterofthecomplexMithraicideology.

2ndcenturyCEsufficientlyunderminesthepersuasivenessofTurcan’sar-IftherewasanyMithraicideology(i.e.,reflectionsonwhatitmeanttogumentsforthelateoriginofthesystemofMithraicgrades.

beaMithraist),andtheremusthavebeensome,itwascreatedandmaintainednotbyprescribeddogmasandteachings,butbyaxiomsandmotifsConclusions

which,putintopropercontext,ledtocertaininterpretations,moreorlessrecognizableandsharedbyallMithraiccommunities.RogerBeckthinksAfterthecarefulexaminationoftheoldandnewevidencerelevanttothattherewereonlytwomainMithraicaxioms:(1)DeusSolInvictusMi-theproblemofMithraicgrades,Icanventurethefollowingconclusions.

thras,reflectingtheparadoxicalidentityanddiversitybetweenSolandEventhoughanumberoftheopinionsofpreviousscholarshipaboutma-Mithras;(2)Harmonyoftensioninopposition,commonthemeinvariousnycentralfeaturesofMithraismhavebeenabandonedinlightofrecentre-philosophicalschools.95Theseaxiomswereexperiencedinvariousmotifs,search,Icouldnotfindsufficientreasonsforanoverallredescriptionofe.g.maleandfemale,hotandcold,descentandascentetc.ThesystemoftraditionalviewsonthenatureoftheMithraicgrades.IfirmlybelievethatMithraicgrades,andmaybeoftheirantithesis96aswell,wasoneofthe(1)theywereinitiatoryandatleasttheoreticallyareligiousgoalofallMi-structureswherebyMithraistscouldapprehend,ratherintuitively,therealthraists;(2)theywereverticallystructuredandinitiationintothemimita-meaningoftheseaxiomsormotifs.

tedthejourneyofthehumansoulthroughthesevenplanetaryspheresofInsteadofdeadsymbols,survivalsfromthelongforgottenPersianpastthePtolemaicCosmos;(3)theywereprobablyuniversaloratleastreali-oftheMysteries97(ifthereeverwasanythinglikethat),weshouldratherzedinthemajorityofMithraiccommunitiesallovertheRomanEmpire;thinkofMithraicgradesasapowerful,usefulandsophisticatedtoolfores-

(4)theywereanintegralpartofMithraicreligiousideologyandwerepre-tablishing,maintainingandtransmittingcertaininterpretations,valuesandsentinitfromaveryearlytime.

claimsinaccordancewiththenormsandthemesthatMithraistsdeeplyIthinkthattherealreasonsbehindrecenttendenciestochangeourun-cherished.Althoughwesometimesknowonlyverylittleabouttheinitia-derstandingofMithraicgrades,soforcefullyandingeniouslyarguedintheworksofManfredClaussandRobertTurcan,reflecttheingrainedtenden-93

SeeespeciallyDavidUlansey,TheOriginsofMithraicMysteries:CosmologyandSal-cyamongmanyclassiciststominimizetheintellectualcapacitiesofMi-vationintheAncientWorld,Oxford–NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress21991;Ma-thraicinitiatesandoperatewithaviewofarelativelysimplemysterycultriaWeiss,“Mithras,derNachthimmel:EineDekodierungderrömischenMithraskult-withlittleelaborateideology.ThisvisionofMithraismasafraternityofbildermitHilfedesAwesta”,Traditio53,1998,1-36.

94

ThemostextremeexampleofthisattitudewouldbethecriticismexpressedtowardDavidUlansey’stheoriesbyNoelSwerdlow(“OntheCosmicalMysteriesofMithras[Re-viewArticleofUlansey1989]”,ClassicalPhilology86,1991,48-63:62)thatendsin91

Thereisalittleagreementamongscholars,whetherallsevengradesarerepresentedonthefollowingsentence:“[t]hosewhoask‘WhatwasMithraism,anyway?’justmaythisvessel.ForasuccinctoverviewseeI.Huld-Zetsche,“DerMainzerKrater…”,223-concludethatitwasnothingmuch,andperhapsnotaseriousreligionafterall…

226.Wecan,atleastfornow,concludethatthepresenceofPater,Heliodromusand

[i]tmusthavebeennomorethan…arudefraternalcultofsoldiersonthefrontier,ma-probablyalsoofMilesseemstobevirtuallycertain.Concerningtherestofthegrades,nyofthemadolescent,andperhapsofancientveteransbackinRomeandOstia,ga-IagreewithRogerBeck(“Ritual,Myth,Doctrine…”,153)thatweshouldnotneces-theringintheirmockgrottostoperformtheoldritesandrecalltheolddays.”

sarilyexpectoneperson:onegradecorrelation.

95

R.Beck,TheReligionoftheMithrasCult…,1-8,10-11.

92

VeraRupp(WetterauerWare:EinerömischeKeramikimRhein-Main-Gebiet,Frank-96

TherearesomereasonstobelievethatMithraicculticexpressionforwomen,‘Hyenas’,furt:FrankfurterMuseumfürVor-undFrügeschichte1987,54-59),endorsedbyH.G.

wasconstructedparticularlyinregardtoitssymbolicconnotationsrelatingtotheworldHorn(“DasMainzerMithrasgefäß…”,32),supposedthatthisspecifictypeofpotteryinimicaltothevaluesappreciatedbyMithraists(cf.R.L.Gordon,“Reality,Evocationwasnotmanufacturedaftertheyear125CE.Thisterminusantequem,however,mustandBoundary…”,57-64).

havebeenslightlymodified(seeI.Huld-Zetsche,“DerMainzerKrater…”,225).

97

F.Cumont,TheMysteriesofMithras…,152-155.

198

Ale‰Chalupa

199


Twoconclusionsarecentralforfurtherdiscussion.Firstly,itisquiteap-brutesoldiers,alwayspresentinthepreviousscholarship,gainedanewparentthatsomeoftheparticipantsdepictedonthesetwoscenesarehol-impulseinreactionagainstsomefar-fetched,evenfantasticastrologicalindersofMithraicgrades.91Secondly,thisvesselis,accordingtothecorrec-terpretationsofMithraiciconographyand‘secret’meaningencodedinit.93

teddating,92relativelyold(120-140CE)anditisevenpossiblethatitEventhoughwemustcriticizetheseastrologicalover-interpretationsasbelongstothegroupoftheearliestpreservedMithraicmaterial.Thefactlargelyunpersuasive,arecentfaddestinedtofadeawayeventually,therethatthisvesselcomesfromtheremotebordersoftheRomanEmpireandisalsonojustificationforafar-reachingsimplification94ofanevidentlywascertainlymanufacturedintheperiodpredatingthelastquarterofthecomplexMithraicideology.

2ndcenturyCEsufficientlyunderminesthepersuasivenessofTurcan’sar-IftherewasanyMithraicideology(i.e.,reflectionsonwhatitmeanttogumentsforthelateoriginofthesystemofMithraicgrades.

beaMithraist),andtheremusthavebeensome,itwascreatedandmaintainednotbyprescribeddogmasandteachings,butbyaxiomsandmotifsConclusions

which,putintopropercontext,ledtocertaininterpretations,moreorlessrecognizableandsharedbyallMithraiccommunities.RogerBeckthinksAfterthecarefulexaminationoftheoldandnewevidencerelevanttothattherewereonlytwomainMithraicaxioms:(1)DeusSolInvictusMi-theproblemofMithraicgrades,Icanventurethefollowingconclusions.

thras,reflectingtheparadoxicalidentityanddiversitybetweenSolandEventhoughanumberoftheopinionsofpreviousscholarshipaboutma-Mithras;(2)Harmonyoftensioninopposition,commonthemeinvariousnycentralfeaturesofMithraismhavebeenabandonedinlightofrecentre-philosophicalschools.95Theseaxiomswereexperiencedinvariousmotifs,search,Icouldnotfindsufficientreasonsforanoverallredescriptionofe.g.maleandfemale,hotandcold,descentandascentetc.ThesystemoftraditionalviewsonthenatureoftheMithraicgrades.IfirmlybelievethatMithraicgrades,andmaybeoftheirantithesis96aswell,wasoneofthe(1)theywereinitiatoryandatleasttheoreticallyareligiousgoalofallMi-structureswherebyMithraistscouldapprehend,ratherintuitively,therealthraists;(2)theywereverticallystructuredandinitiationintothemimita-meaningoftheseaxiomsormotifs.

tedthejourneyofthehumansoulthroughthesevenplanetaryspheresofInsteadofdeadsymbols,survivalsfromthelongforgottenPersianpastthePtolemaicCosmos;(3)theywereprobablyuniversaloratleastreali-oftheMysteries97(ifthereeverwasanythinglikethat),weshouldratherzedinthemajorityofMithraiccommunitiesallovertheRomanEmpire;thinkofMithraicgradesasapowerful,usefulandsophisticatedtoolfores-

(4)theywereanintegralpartofMithraicreligiousideologyandwerepre-tablishing,maintainingandtransmittingcertaininterpretations,valuesandsentinitfromaveryearlytime.

claimsinaccordancewiththenormsandthemesthatMithraistsdeeplyIthinkthattherealreasons

behindrecenttendenciestochangeourun-cherished.Althoughwesometimesknowonlyverylittleabouttheinitia-derstandingofMithraicgrades,soforcefullyandingeniouslyarguedintheworksofManfredClaussandRobertTurcan,reflecttheingrainedtenden-93

SeeespeciallyDavidUlansey,TheOriginsofMithraicMysteries:CosmologyandSal-cyamongmanyclassiciststominimizetheintellectualcapacitiesofMi-vationintheAncientWorld,Oxford–NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress21991;Ma-thraicinitiatesandoperatewithaviewofarelativelysimplemysterycultriaWeiss,“Mithras,derNachthimmel:EineDekodierungderrömischenMithraskult-withlittleelaborateideology.ThisvisionofMithraismasafraternityofbildermitHilfedesAwesta”,Traditio53,1998,1-36.

94

ThemostextremeexampleofthisattitudewouldbethecriticismexpressedtowardDavidUlansey’stheoriesbyNoelSwerdlow(“OntheCosmicalMysteriesofMithras[Re-viewArticleofUlansey1989]”,ClassicalPhilology86,1991,48-63:62)thatendsin91

Thereisalittleagreementamongscholars,whetherallsevengradesarerepresentedonthefollowingsentence:“[t]hosewhoask‘WhatwasMithraism,anyway?’justmaythisvessel.ForasuccinctoverviewseeI.Huld-Zetsche,“DerMainzerKrater…”,223-concludethatitwasnothingmuch,andperhapsnotaseriousreligionafterall…

226.Wecan,atleastfornow,concludethatthepresenceofPater,Heliodromusand

[i]tmusthavebeennomorethan…arudefraternalcultofsoldiersonthefrontier,ma-probablyalsoofMilesseemstobevirtuallycertain.Concerningtherestofthegrades,nyofthemadolescent,andperhapsofancientveteransbackinRomeandOstia,ga-IagreewithRogerBeck(“Ritual,Myth,Doctrine…”,153)thatweshouldnotneces-theringintheirmockgrottostoperformtheoldritesandrecalltheolddays.”

sarilyexpectoneperson:onegradecorrelation.

95

R.Beck,TheReligionoftheMithrasCult…,1-8,10-11.

92

VeraRupp(WetterauerWare:EinerömischeKeramikimRhein-Main-Gebiet,Frank-96

TherearesomereasonstobelievethatMithraicculticexpressionforwomen,‘Hyenas’,furt:FrankfurterMuseumfürVor-undFrügeschichte1987,54-59),endorsedbyH.G.

wasconstructedparticularlyinregardtoitssymbolicconnotationsrelatingtotheworldHorn(“DasMainzerMithrasgefäß…”,32),supposedthatthisspecifictypeofpotteryinimicaltothevaluesappreciatedbyMithraists(cf.R.L.Gordon,“Reality,Evocationwasnotmanufacturedaftertheyear125CE.Thisterminusantequem,however,mustandBoundary…”,57-64).

havebeenslightlymodified(seeI.Huld-Zetsche,“DerMainzerKrater…”,225).

97

F.Cumont,TheMysteriesofMithras…,152-155.

200

Ale‰Chalupa

201

torygrades,theyshowhowacult,whosememberscannotbeconsideredRESUMÉ

‘first-class’philosophers,wereabletoexpressandsuccessfullytransmitarathercomplexsetofinferencesabouttherealnatureoftheworldandSedmmithraistick˘chstupÀÛ:iniciaãní,neboknûÏskáhierarchie?

themanyprocessestakingplaceinit,withoutthenecessityofusingtextsStudiesezamûfiujenanûkterédosudnevyjasnûnéotázkyspojenéspovahousedmimi-andaverballyexpoundedexegesisbindingforallMithraists.Andthatwasthraistick˘chstupÀÛ,kterébylyvznesenyvnedávnédobû.Patfiísempfiedev‰ímotázka,zdadefinitelynosmallachievement.

jesedmmithraistick˘chstupÀÛmoÏnéchápatjakoiniciaãníhierarchii,navícuniverzálnûpfiítomnouvev‰echmithraistick˘chkomunitách.PfiestoÏetentonázorbylvestar‰ímbádá-

nív‰eobecnûpfiijímán,vroce1990vyslovilnûmeck˘badatelManfredClaussnazákladûdÛkladnéhorozboruepigrafickéhomateriáludomnûnku,Ïevpfiípadûmithraistick˘chstup-

ÀÛsejednalospí‰eovy‰‰íknûÏskéfunkce,dokter˘chsenechávalzasvûtitpouzeuÏ‰íokruhvyznavaãÛakterébylynavícuplatÀoványpouzevnûkter˘choblastech¤ímskéfií‰e,pfiedev‰ímv¤ímûaOstii.Vroce1999dodiskuzezasáhlrovnûÏRobertTurcansesv˘mtvrze-ním,Ïevpfiípadûmithraistick˘chstupÀÛmámecodoãinûníspozdníarelativnûnedÛleÏitouinovací,kteráserozvinulamezifiímsk˘miaostijsk˘mimithraistyvposledníãtvrtinû2.stoletín.l.

Postruãnémpfiehleduna‰ichdosavadníchznalostíomithraistick˘chstupníchjsouobav˘‰ezmínûnénázorypodrobenykritickémuvyhodnocení,mimojinéinazákladûnov˘chdÛleÏit˘chnálezÛ(mithraistickéalbumzViruna,nádobazMohuãe,freskyzesyrskéhomithraeavHawartiatd.),aodmítnutyjakoneodÛvodnûné.MithraistickéstupnûjenadálemoÏ-

népokládatza(1)iniciaãníazávaznéprov‰echnymithraisty;(2)snejvût‰ípravdûpodob-nostíuniverzální;(3)dÛleÏit˘prostfiedekkvyjádfienínûkter˘chcentrálníchnáboÏensk˘chmotivÛtohotokultu.


ALE·CHALUPA

Filozofickáfakulta



ArnaNováka1

60200Brno

200

Ale‰Chalupa

201

torygrades,theyshowhowacult,whosememberscannotbeconsideredRESUMÉ

‘first-class’philosophers,wereabletoexpressandsuccessfullytransmitarathercomplexsetofinferencesabouttherealnatureoftheworldandSedmmithraistick˘chstupÀÛ:iniciaãní,neboknûÏskáhierarchie?

themanyprocessestakingplaceinit,withoutthenecessityofusingtextsStudiesezamûfiujenanûkterédosudnevyjasnûnéotázkyspojenéspovahousedmimi-andaverballyexpoundedexegesisbindingforallMithraists.Andthatwasthraistick˘chstupÀÛ,kterébylyvznesenyvnedávnédobû.Patfiísempfiedev‰ímotázka,zdadefinitelynosmallachievement.

jesedmmithraistick˘chstupÀÛmoÏnéchápatjakoiniciaãníhierarchii,navícuniverzálnûpfiítomnouvev‰echmithraistick˘chkomunitách.PfiestoÏetentonázorbylvestar‰ímbádá-

nív‰eobecnûpfiijímán,vroce1990vyslovilnûmeck˘badatelManfredClaussnazákladûdÛkladnéhorozboruepigrafickéhomateriáludomnûnku,Ïevpfiípadûmithraistick˘chstup-

ÀÛsejednalospí‰eovy‰‰íknûÏskéfunkce,dokter˘chsenechávalzasvûtitpouzeuÏ‰íokruhvyznavaãÛakterébylynavícuplatÀoványpouzevnûkter˘choblastech¤ímskéfií‰e,pfiedev‰ímv¤ímûaOstii.Vroce1999dodiskuzezasáhlrovnûÏRobertTurcansesv˘mtvrze-ním,Ïevpfiípadûmithraistick˘chstupÀÛmámecodoãinûníspozdníarelativnûnedÛleÏitouinovací,kteráserozvinulamezifiímsk˘miaostijsk˘mimithraistyvposledníãtvrtinû2.stoletín.l.

Postruãnémpfiehleduna‰ichdosavadníchznalostíomithraistick˘chstupníchjsouobav˘‰ezmínûnénázorypodrobenykritickémuvyhodnocení,mimojinéinazákladûnov˘chdÛleÏit˘chnálezÛ(mithraistickéalbumzViruna,nádobazMohuãe,freskyzesyrskéhomithraeavHawartiatd.),aodmítnutyjakoneodÛvodnûné.MithraistickéstupnûjenadálemoÏ-

népokládatza(1)iniciaãníazávaznéprov‰echnymithraisty;(2)snejvût‰ípravdûpodob-nostíuniverzální;(3)dÛleÏit˘prostfiedekkvyjádfienínûkter˘chcentrálníchnáboÏensk˘chmotivÛtohotokultu.


ALE·CHALUPA

Filozofickáfakulta



ArnaNováka1

60200Brno

7 mithraic grades

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