Share the story of what Open Access means to you
University of Michigan needs your feedback to better understand how readers are using openly available ebooks. You can help by taking a short, privacy-friendly survey.
The Mithraic Prophecy
Attilio Mastrocinque
You don't have access to this book. Please try to log in with your institution.
Log in
Why did the Romans worship a Persian god? This book presents a new reading of the Mithraic iconography taking into account that the cult had a prophecy. It is likely that the Mithraic reliefs alluded to it and the scenes in the upper panels depict the Golden Age which was the final result of many apocalyptic, prophetic texts including the 4th Eclogue of Virgil. The Avesta, the Vedas, and Herodotus associate Mithras with the morning star and the dawn and this god was the mediator between darkness and light. Additionally, Mithras was a protector of rulers and, similar to Apollo, arbiter and mediator between opposite elements, and saviour of humankind. For these reasons he was ideal to become the god of Augustus and the Roman emperors.
-
Front cover
-
Title page
-
Copyright page
-
Of Related Interest
-
Contents
-
List of Figures
-
1. Introduction
-
1.1. The Prophecy
-
1.2. Virgil and Mithraism
-
1.3. Virgil, the Gigantomachy, and the Iron Generation
-
1.4. The Sistrum and the Thunderbolt
-
1.5. Saturn, the Birth of Mithras, the Coming of a New Generation, and the Harvest
-
-
2. Mithras and the Golden Age
-
2.1. He will see the Gods
-
2.2. Molli paulatim flavescet campus arista
-
2.3. Durae quercus sudabunt roscida mella.
-
2.4. Tauris iuga soluet arator
-
2.5. The Golden Age
-
2.6. Shepherds and Ships in the Golden Age
-
2.7. nec nautica pinus mutabit merces
-
2.8. convexo nutantem pondere mundum, terrasque tractusque maris caelumque profundum
-
2.9. The Sacrifice of the Bull
-
2.10. The Final Episodes on Mithraic Panels
-
Sources
-
The most important Virgilian references
-
Meaning
-
-
-
3. The Origin of the Virgilian Prophecy
-
3.1. Virgil and Isaiah
-
3.2. The Testimony of Nigidius Figulus
-
3.3. The Apocalypse of Hystaspes
-
3.4. Lactantius and Commodianus
-
3.5. Hystaspes and Persia
-
3.6. Persian Apocalypses
-
3.7. The Meaning of Similarities between Iranian Apocalypses and Mithraism
-
-
4. Mithras and Dawn
-
4.1. Mithras, Venus, Libra, and Dawn
-
4.2. Augustus and Libra
-
4.3. Augustus and Dawn
-
4.4. Mithras Mesites
-
4.5. Mithras between Sol and Luna
-
4.6. Eros and Mithraism
-
4.7. Eros, Mithras, and Mercury
-
Conclusions
-
-
-
Abbreviations
-
Bibliography
-
Back cover
Citable Link
Published: 2022
Publisher: BAR Publishing
- 9781407359144 (ebook)
- 9781407359137 (paper)
BAR Number: S3074