The Cult of God Mithras on Roman Danube Limes in Pannonia Inferior and Moesia Superior

Abstract

The existence and practice of the cult of the god Mithras, as well as the existence of mithraea, have been confirmedin the localities on Danube Limes in Lower Pannonia and Upper Moesia. In this paper, an update of already known and published epigraphic and archaeological monuments will be presented, along with the new findings its interpretation in the local, regional context, with the emphasis on the iconography of the monuments, which in some monuments exhibits certain not often seen traits and details (like for example attribute of pedum or attribute of flagellum carried by dadophores). We shall discuss the possible ways of diffusion of the cult and locations of the workshops and try to resolve some of the questions about dedicants’ identity, in the light of the hypothesis established in earlier literature that the main carriers of the cult were soldiers and military personnel in Roman army on Danube Limes in Lower Pannonia and Upper Moesia. We will also emphasize the significance of certain iconographic particularities characteristic for the Mithras’ cult in the territories of the Central Balkans’ Roman provinces which can be perceived also in some of the material found in Limes localities and try to interpret them in the light of other, so far known analogies in other Roman provinces.