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The
statue of Mithra while it kills the Taurus.
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The restructuring in 1931 of one wing of the ex-pasta
factory Pantanella -- bought by the city of Rome in
the '20s, and transformed to house the Museum of Rome
-- sparked off a vast and fortunate archaeological exploration.
During the work a segment of "cloaca" of the Republican
period was found at a depth of 14 metres. It was under
a building of the 2nd century A.D., which was rendered
fit for use at the end of the restoration in 1939.
The impressiveness of the complex, built in brick,
together with its alignment on the ancient Via Ad duodecem
Portas ( the modern Via dell'Ara Massima di Ercole )
makes it probable that it was a public building of unspecifiable
use. To support this hypothesis is the presence on the
east side of two wide staircases leading to the first
floor. These were added -- still in the 2nd century
A.D. The third -- and most radical -- transformation
is testified to by the mithraeum built within the rooms
of the existing ground floor in the 3rd century A.D.
Such a placing is peculiar to , which was never a independent,
isolated building, but rather normally placed within
an existing building -- usually in a secluded area,
or partially or completely underground. Furthermore,
this permitted the reproduction of the primitive grotto
of Mithras -- whence the place of worship was given
the eloquent name of "spelaeum", "specus" or "spelunca".
Through the use of various devices an atmosphere of
particular concentration was created in the "spelaeum"
-- the covering of the rooms with a vault; a sober,
studied lighting; the positioning of the entrance to
one side, in order avert indiscreet glances from the
central area where the rites were celebrated.
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View
of with of the Mithraeum.
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The Mithraeum of the Circus Maximus is inside the zone
of the "Forum Boarium" -- the plain limited by the Capitoline,
the Palantine and the Aventine Hills and the Tiber.
This area is remember in historical tradition as the
most ancient site of activity -- even prior to the legendary
founding of Rome ( 753 B.C. ). The "Forum Boarium" made
a determining contribution to the birth of the urban
nucleus that became Rome.
The importance of this market area is easily explained
by its privileged topographical position; it is on the
bank of the Tiber, near the Tiberine island -- which
made fording the river easy . It became the meeting
place of the lines of communication between Campania
end Etruria, between the Tirrenian Sea and the inland
areas.
Therefore, there was a flourishing commercial activity
in this "emporium" -- also because of the presence of
foreign merchants. There were also, as it were, international
relations and intense cultural exchanges -- all favoured
by the natural landing-place in the bend in the river,
which in the historical period became the "Portus Tiberinus".
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Atmosphere
with pavement in round marble and of alabaster. |
The present-day remains of the Mithraeum of the Circus
Maximus belong to a sanctuary of the 3rd century A.D.
-- made up of a group of five rectangular rooms, side
by side, on the ground floor of a 2nd century building.
The small sanctuary is composed of a vestibule -- to
the right of which there is a service room -- and the
sanctuary proper. The right hand side is occupied by
a brickwork counter for the banquet of the worshipers.
There are niches in the walls and in the headboards
of the dividing walls, some of which are decorated with
aedicules. The flooring is sheets of marble that have
been re-used, while a large amphora is still imbedded
under the arch of the central passageway.
There are two reliefs. One bears the votive inscription
of Tiberius Claudius Hermes -- the person who dedicated
the sanctuary -- and shows Mithras killing the bull.
He is surrounded by the two "dadofori" ( torch-bearers
) Cautes and Cautopates, by the Sun and the Moon and
by the Raven. Below and to the left Mithras is again
shown, this time carrying the dead bull on his shoulders.
The other, smaller relief is on the far wall and repeats
the iconography of the sacrifice of the bull.
Sources: "F.M.R." n. 61 - G.A.R. Ass.to Cultura Sovr.
Comunale: D.ssa A.M. Ranieri
"Roma Mitraica" by C. Pavia, "Roma sotterranea", R.
Luciani ed.
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Splendid
low the relief of the mithraic altar.
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