The Origins of the Mithraic Mysteries: Cosmology and Salvation in the Ancient World
The Origins of the Mithraic Mysteries: Cosmology and Salvation in the Ancient World The Origins of the Mithraic Mysteries: Cosmology and Salvation in the Ancient World OTHER ARTICLES In the centuries following the conquests of Alexander the Great the dramatic unification of the Mediterranean world created exceptionally fertile soil for the growth of new religions. Christianity, for example, was one of the innovative religious movements that arose during this time. However, Christianity had many competitors, and one of the most remarkable of these was the ancient Roman mystery religion of Mithraism. Like the other mystery cults of antiquity, Mithraism kept its beliefs strictly secret, revealing them only to initiates. As a result, the cult's teachings were never written down. However, the Mithraists filled their temples with an enigmatic iconography, an abundance of which has been unearthed by archaeologists. Until now, all attempts to decipher this iconography have proven fruitle...