MITHRAS 

INTERNET MAILING LIST

A mailing list for Mithraism and Mithraic mythology, history, archaeology, research, and religion.

The MITHRAS list is an internet list for the discussion of Mithraism and related topics. Subscribers share questions, resources, news and more in a relaxed, moderated forum. 

Mithraism is an ancient Pagan Mystery Religion, which is best known from it's existence in the Roman Empire. Mithras is associated with the Sun, one of his titles ancient titles was "The Light of the World". A temple for the worship of Mithras was known as a "Mithraeum". A few hundred of these temples have been discovered throughout Europe, in Britain, and even in the Near East and Africa. At it's height Mithraism was one of the major world faiths; a religion aspired to by Emperors and widely practiced in the Roman Legions for centuries.

Mithraism was an "initiatory" religion. Mithraic adherents had to undergo specific teachings and rituals to gain various religious grades. There were seven grades of initiation:

• RAVEN (Corax)
• BRIDEGROOM (Nymphus)
• MILES (Soldier)
• LEO (Lion)
• PERSES (Persian)
• HELIODROMUS (Courier of the Sun)
• PATER (Father)

Discussion on the Mithras List includes subjects such as: Mithraeum sites and archaeology, Mithraic iconography and inscriptions, the Mithraic grades, rites and rituals, written resources both ancient and modern, late Mithraic survivals, comparison with other Mystery religions, etc.

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