Ancient sanctuary tied to ‘most mysterious’cult uncovered in rare find beneath historic city

A rare Roman temple dedicated to the god Mithras, shown at left, was recently unearthed in Regensburg, marking the oldest-known sanctuary of its kind in Bavaria.(Bildagentur-online/Universal Images Group via Getty Images;Lutz-Michael Dallmeier, Stadt Regensburg)

The discovery is “in fact,very rare,” said Johannes Sebrich, an archaeologist with the City of Regensburg.

�also unique in Bavaria.”

Mithraism is “regarded to this day as the most fascinating — yet still most mysterious — cult of the Roman gods.”

Read More → Fatal fire engulfs cruise ship with hundreds of passengers aboard: ‘I panicked’

Sebrich noted, “Based on the evaluation of the coins discovered in the sanctuary, it is the oldest of the nine known Mithras temples identified in Bavaria to date.”

He said the Mithras cult spread from Asia Minor to Rome through cultural exchange.“Secret knowledge” was passed on to mystae — members of the cult — during rituals.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

“As their knowledge increased, they could attain up to seven grades of initiation and thus ascend the celestial ladder toward the highest possible level of understanding,” Sebrich said.

“It can be described as a ‘star cult’ or ‘mystery cult,’ and is regarded to this day as the most fascinating — yet still most mysterious — cult of theRoman gods.”

The evaluation of coins uncovered in the sanctuary confirmed it as the oldest Mithras temple identified in Bavaria to date.(Anna Weinzierl, Museen der Stadt Regensburg)

These rituals were documented in Regensburg, and the site contained drinking vessels, tableware and storage containers.

“Animal bones found in ritual or refuse pits attest to thehigh quality of the foodthat was sacrificed and/or consumed,” the archaeologist noted.

A silver votive plaque inscribed “DEO INVICTO” is shown at left, while a drinking vessel recovered from the sanctuary appears at right — both key to identifying the site as a Mithraeum.(Anna Weinzierl, Museen der Stadt Regensburg)

Later, archaeologists uncovered a silver votive plaque reading “DEO INVICTO” — a title only used for Mithras.

Only “selected individuals” could become members of the cult, Sebrich said, though it wasn’t necessarily restricted by social class.

Read More → Ukrainian Paralympian Maksym Murashkovskyi wins silver medal after training with ChatGPT for 6 months

Read More → FDA refuses to review Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine application

The cult eventually died out by the 5th century asChristianity became the dominant religionof the Roman Empire, according to numerous sources.

Read More → ChatGPT could miss your serious medical emergency, new study suggests

The Regensburg sanctuary provides rare physical evidence of rituals tied to what experts call a “mystery cult” or “star cult.”(Lutz-Michael Dallmeier, Stadt Regensburg)

Sebrich said the temple burned down in 171 A.D., as part of the Marcomannic Wars.

“The Mithraeum was not rebuilt afterward, even though in the following years — with the establishment of the legionary camp in A.D.179 by EmperorMarcus Aurelius— the civilian settlement was re-founded on a much larger scale,” he said.

onelink.me/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.

He added, “It is possible that undamaged altars or cult objects were salvaged from the fire debris and reused in the new sanctuaries.”