20:
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317:. The two cult reliefs were also located here. The rich wall paintings of the temple originate from the second construction phase, including Mithras as hunters, two magicians and burning altars. There were over 200 short inscriptions in the building. This also includes the signature of the painter Mareos, who painted the cult room.
289:
of the archers, in the year 482 (170-171 AD)". To the right of the bull there are spectators, which otherwise is not documented for tauroctony scenes. Three of the viewers have captions. The largest figure, on the far right, is
Zenobius, the donor of the relief. The other two characters are Jariboles
203:
The graffiti at the site was signed and inscribed by multiple Roman and
Palmyrene soldiers. The identities of most of these soldiers cannot be established completely except for those who signed either with their full names or legionary information. The graffiti reveals that from high ranking officers
332:
Mareos (or
Mareinos) was a painter known by his signature in the mithraeum. The paintings there are dated to the middle of the third century AD. The short inscription reads: "For the salvation of Mareos, the painter (Νάμα Μαρέῳ ζωγράφῳ)". The paintings in the mithraeum are relatively well preserved,
163:
The surviving frescoes, graffiti and dipinti (which number in the dozens) are of enormous interest to the study of the social composition of the cult. The statuary and altars were found intact, as also the typical relief of
Mithras slaying the bull, with the hero-god dressed as usual in "oriental"
239:
The first building was erected shortly before 168 AD. Its main room was only 4.65 m long and 5.80 m wide. In addition there were two smaller rooms. A dedicatory inscription dates this building to the year 168. The inscription dates from the
Stragegos Ethpeni, son of Zabde'a and is in Palmyrisch
44:
The temple is located in the northwest of the city, near the city wall. It is a free-standing building made of adobe bricks. The execution of the masonry is described in the preliminary report as rather poor. There were three construction phases. At the beginning it was a cult room built into a
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and
Barnaadath. Another peculiarity of the relief are seven balls between the bull's front hooves. The interpretation is uncertain, but the Iranian worldview divides the world into seven continents. So the representation of these seven parts of the world may be an allusion to
313:. In this phase the main room was expanded to 10.90 m. It was now mainly decorated with wall paintings. In the third phase, the building was expanded and decorated. In the main room of each phase there was an altar, and in the last phase there was even a separate
333:
but are described by most modern authors as not of particularly high quality. He may have been a local artist with limited skills. With a foreign painter one would expect a better quality of the work. Mareos is blessed in the short inscription, using the word
45:
residential building, which over the years has been expanded and further decorated. The temple is at the ground level, and resembles a basilica inside. These are rather atypical elements for mithraeum, as they were mostly designed underground and grotto-like.
159:
looming—the sanctuary was filled in and became part of the strengthened fortifications. Following excavations, the temple was transported in pieces to New Haven, Connecticut, where it was rebuilt (and is now on display) at the Yale
University Art Gallery.
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A second cult image was dates just two years later. It shows a similar scene, but with some different features. The Greek dedicatory inscription reads: "For the god
Mithras, made by Zenobios, who is also called Eiaebas, son of Yaribol,
168:(and some Hellenized Hebrew). The end of the sanctuary features an arch with a seated figure on each of the two supporting columns. Inside and following the form of the arch is a series of depictions of the
337:. This word is of Persian origin and is often used in the Mithras cult as a particularly solemn blessing formula in the sense of "for salvation...". So Mareos was very likely a follower of Mithraism.
1188:
196:". This reading has not found a footing; "the two figures are Palmyrene in all their characteristic traits" and are more probably portraits of leading members of that mithraeum's congregation of
1178:
841:
Christa
Bauchenss-Thüriedl, Erika Simon, and Ingrid Krauskopf, Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae, 8 vols. (Zurich: Artemis, 1981–97), vol. 6, p. 609, no. 328, pl. 358 .
1168:
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costume ("trousers, boots, and pointed cap"). As is typical for mithraea in the Roman provinces in the Greek East, the inscriptions and graffiti are mostly in Greek, with the rest in
856:
D. Jason Cooper, Mithras: Mysteries and
Initiation Rediscovered (York Beach, Maine: Samuel Weiser, Inc., 1996), 79, 84–5, Color illus. central niche and 1935.100e cover, fig. 3, 8,9.
1198:
847:
Katherine M Kiefer and Susan B. Matheson, Life in an Eastern Province: The Roman Fortress at Dura-Europos, exh. cat. (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Art Gallery, 1982), no. 11.
850:
Christy Cunningham, “The Conservation of the Mithraeum in the Yale University Art Gallery,” Yale University Art Gallery Bulletin 39, no. 2 (Fall 1984): 12–15, fig. 1–5.
778:
862:
Lisa R. Brody and Gail Hoffman, eds., Roman in the Provinces: Art on the Periphery of Empire (Chestnut Hill, Mass.: McMullen Museum of Art, 2014), 131, fig. 8.7.
691:
99:
34–70), located between towers 23 and 24. It was unearthed in January 1934 after years of expectation as to whether Dura would reveal traces of the Roman
1193:
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Susan B. Matheson, Dura-Europos: The Ancient City and the Yale Collection, 1st (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Art Gallery, 1982), 21, fig. 19.
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and his troops. At this stage it was still a room in a private home. The dedicatory inscriptions of 171 AD were inscribed by soldiers of the
208:) down to lower ranks (like the optiones and significarii), soldiers of various ranks had passed through, if not prayed, at the Mithraeum.
37:
was found during excavations in the city in 1934. It is considered to be one of the best-preserved and best-documented cult buildings of
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cult. The earliest archaeological traces found within the temple are from between AD 168 and 171, which coincides with the arrival of
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Two more cult reliefs were discovered. The smaller, older one, stood below the larger one and was possibly covered by a curtain.
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suspects that there were once two mithraeums in Dura Europos. One of them was abandoned and the cult image was brought here.
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371:
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461:
434:
859:
Lisa R. Brody and Gail Hoffman, eds., Dura-Europos: Crossroads of Antiquity (Boston: McMullen Museum of Art, 2011), 31n35.
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53), and it seems that construction was done by imperial troops. The mithraeum was enlarged again in 240, but in 256—with
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The second phase of construction dates from around AD 210 to 240 and was done by Roman soldiers under the direction of
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838:, The Discovery of Dura-Europos, ed. Bernard Goldman (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1979), 193–205, ill.
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The excavations at Dura-Europos: Preliminary Report of Seventh and Eighth Season of Work 1933–1934 and 1934–1935.
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The excavations at Dura-Europos: Preliminary Report of Seventh and Eighth Season of Work 1933–1934 and 1934–1935.
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69:. The mithraeum is significant as it was the first and only such site found in Syria until the excavations at
19:
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Ann Perkins, The Art of Dura-Europos, 1st ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1973), 49–52, pl. 15, ill.
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Cumont, Franz; Francis, Eric David, ed., trans. (1975), "The Dura Mithraeum", in Hinnells, John R. (ed.),
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Handbook of the Collections, exh. cat. (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Art Gallery, 1992), 270, ill.
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It was extended and renovated between 209 and 211, and most of the frescoes are from this period. The
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Francis, Eric David (1975b), "Mithraic graffiti from Dura-Europos", in Hinnells, John R. (ed.),
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Adrych, Philippa; Bracey, Robert; Dalglish, Dominic; Lenk, Stefanie; Wood, Rachel (2017-03-09).
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172:. Within the framework of the now-obsolete theory that the Roman cult was "a Roman form of
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Mithraic studies: Proceedings of the First International Congress of Mithraic Studies
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Mithraic studies: Proceedings of the First International Congress of Mithraic Studies
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Band 38). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2016, ISBN 978-1-107-12379-3, S. 149.
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Mithraic Studies: Proceedings of the First International Congress of Mithraic Studies
116:
54:
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The excavations at Dura-Europos: Preliminary Report of Seventh and Eighth Season
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The Palmyrenes of Dura-Europos: a study of religious interaction in Roman Syria
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The Roman Military Base at Dura-Europos, Syria: An Archaeological Visualization
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supposed that the two Dura friezes represented the two primary figures of his
156:
627:
Gnoli: in: Kaizer (Hrsg.): Religion, Society and Culture at Dura-Europos, 129
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Philipp von Zabern Verlag, Darmstadt 2012, ISBN 978-3805345811, S. 116. 140.
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134:
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38:
29:
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Yale University Press, New Haven/London/Leipzig/Prag 1939, pp. 62–134.
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Icon, Cult, and Context: Sacred Spaces and Objects in the Classical World
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The whole sanctuary was dismantled after the excavation and moved to the
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638:"Shrine to the God Mithras (Mithraeum) - Yale University Art Gallery"
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American Journal of Archaeology and of the History of the Fine Arts
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suspected that it was the earliest cult image in the sanctuary.
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The mithraeum along with the rest of the city was excavated by
324:. The cult niche has been reconstructed and exhibited there.
248:). A second short Greek inscription just repeats his name.
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Yale University Press, New Haven/London/Prag 1939, S. 104.
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Band 82, 1990, S. 183–194, hier: S. 183 mit Anmerkung 2 (
359:. Archaeological Institute of America. 1935. p. 115.
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Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt: Principat. v
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Partially preserved by the defensive embankment was the
85:
Plan of Dura-Europos showing the Mithraeum marked as J7
439:. Cotsen Institute of Archaeology Press. p. 18.
433:
Heyn, Maura K.; Steinsapir, Ann Irvine (2016-12-31).
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and Cumont, who were later joined by Rostovtzeff and
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The Pictures of the Late Mithraeum (Inscr. No. 853).
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Buildings and structures in Deir ez-Zor Governorate
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Photographs from the archive of the Yale Art Museum
669:In: M. I. Rostovtzeff, F. E. Brown, C. B. Welles:
555:. Manchester University Press. pp. 424–445.
715:The Mithraeum of Dura-Europos. New Perspectives.
1179:Ancient Roman buildings and structures in Syria
1169:3rd-century religious buildings and structures
818:M. I. Rostovtzeff, F. E. Brown, C. B. Welles:
397:Temporini, Hildegard; Haase, Wolfgang (1972).
1199:Collection of the Yale University Art Gallery
899:
807:, Yale Classical Studies 38, Cambridge 2016,
805:Religion, Society and Culture at Dura-Europos
719:Religion, Society and Culture at Dura-Europos
616:Religion, Society and Culture at Dura-Europos
603:Religion, Society and Culture at Dura-Europos
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777:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
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692:Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik
61:. The other members were Maurice Pillet,
873:Das Mithraeum von Dura-Europos in Syrien
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466:. Oxford University Press. p. 40.
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23:Cumont and Rostovtzeff in the Mithraeum
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73:in 1973-74 also revealed a mithraeum.
240:written and placed on a relief which
7:
791:, Manchester UP, pp. II.424–445
687:Die sieben Grade des Mithras-Kultes.
256:Reliefs with dedicatory inscriptions
132:. The construction was managed by a
767:, Manchester UP, pp. I.151–214
16:Mithraic temple excavated in Syria
14:
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260:
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1194:1934 archaeological discoveries
212:Mithraeum reconstructed at Yale
974:Temple of Artemis Azzanathkona
1:
801:The Mithraeum of Dura-Europos
747:The Discovery of Dura Europos
244:shows how he kills the bull (
178:la forme romaine du mazdeisme
702:Mithras. Kult und Mysterium.
575:Rostovtzeff, Brown, Welles:
403:. De Gruyter. p. 2010.
120:of 210 offers salutation to
1108:Robert du Mesnil du Buisson
1087:Siege of Dura-Europos (256)
614:Gnoli: in: Kaizer (Hrsg.):
601:Gnoli: in: Kaizer (Hrsg.):
588:Gnoli: in: Kaizer (Hrsg.):
376:. Oxford University Press.
370:James, Simon (2019-02-14).
322:Yale University Art Gallery
294:, Lord of the whole world.
59:Robert du Mesnil du Buisson
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803:, in: Ted Kaizer (Hrsg.):
759:(Oxford University Press).
549:Hinnells, John R. (1975).
1159:Fresco paintings in Syria
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749:, (New Haven and London).
757:Dura-Europos and Its Art
717:In: Ted Kaizer (Hrsg.):
539:, p. I.183, n. 174.
527:, p. I.183, n. 174.
1009:Palace of the Dux Ripae
999:Temple of Zeus Megistos
723:Yale Classical Studies.
77:History and description
1082:Cohors XX Palmyrenorum
579:, 83–84, Tafel XXIX, 1
298:Second and third phase
109:Cohors XX Palmyrenorum
86:
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1164:3rd-century paintings
1128:Carl Hermann Kraeling
994:Temple of Zeus Kyrios
84:
22:
1103:James Henry Breasted
1004:Temple of Zeus Theos
522:Rostovtzeff, qtd. by
423:Hopkins, p. 200
186:Les Mages hellénisés
141:legio IIII Scythicae
137:principe praepositus
1133:Michael Rostovtzeff
989:Temple of the Gadde
979:Temple of Atargatis
700:); Manfred Clauss:
642:artgallery.yale.edu
1061:Statue of Hercules
815:, pp. 126–143
738:Dirven, L.A. 1999
492:, p. II.424f.
311:Antonius Valentius
198:Syrian auxiliaries
145:XVI Flaviae firmae
87:
67:Frank Edward Brown
25:
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959:Necropolis Temple
813:978-1-107-12379-3
753:Rostovtzeff, M.I.
745:Hopkins, C, 1979
663:M. I. Rostovtzeff
562:978-0-7190-0536-7
473:978-0-19-251110-2
446:978-1-938770-59-3
410:978-3-11-001885-1
383:978-0-19-257177-9
71:Caesarea Maritima
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1174:Roman Empire art
1123:Susan M. Hopkins
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