Mithraea

A Mithraeum found in the ruins of Ostia Antica, ItalyMithraeum in Jajce, Bosnia and Herzegovina, renowned as one of the best preserved in-situ in EuropeA modern reimagining of a Mithraeum at the , NetherlandsFinds from a Mithraeum in Stockstadt, GermanyA Mithraeum found in the German city of SaarbrückenA Mithraeum(Latin pl.Mithraea), sometimes spelled Mithreum and Mithraion (Ancient Greek: Μιθραίον), is a temple erected in classical antiquity by the worshippers of Mithras. Most Mithraea can be dated between 100 BC and 300 AD, mostly in the Roman Empire. The Mithraeum was either an adapted natural cave, cavern, or building imitating a cave. Where possible, the Mithraeum was constructed within or below an existing building, such as the Mithraeum found beneath the Basilica of San Clemente in Rome. While most Mithraea are underground, some feature openings in the ceiling to allow light to enter, a reminder of the connection to the universe and the passage of time. The site of a Mithraeum may also be identified by its singular entrance or vestibule, which stands across from an apse at the back of which stands an altar on a pedestal, often in a recess, and its "cave", called the