Mystery Religion Flashcards
1
Q
What was the attraction of Mystery Religion
A
- Many Romans were attracted to the alternative and mystery religions as they offered something more than the traditional Roman state religion
- what was offered varied between the religious groups
- For example, many Romans converted to Christianity as it offered the promise of a place in heaven when you died
- This was not just exclusive to the rich and famous but everyone, depending on how they lived their lives, had the chance to get into heaven
- Many Romans felt that the traditional belief within Roman religion were boring and not very inspiring
- However, there were some of the the mystery religions which caused problems for the Roman governtment
- Many of the practises were considered to be un-Roman and were actively discouraged from being practised or preached by Roman Citizens
2
Q
Cult of Bacchus
A
- The cult worship of Bacchus spread fro Rome from the Greek cities of Southern Italy
- The Greek equivalent of Bacchus was Dionysus, the god of wine, theatre etc
- It was established around 200BC in the Argentine grove of Stimula by a priestess from Campania, near the temple where Liber Pater (The Free Father) had a state-sanctioned popular cult
- Liber was a native god of wine, fertility and prophecy, patron of Romes plebeians (citizen-commoners) and a close equivalent to Bacchus-Dionysus Eleutherios
3
Q
What happened in the cult of Bacchus?
A
- Anyone could undergo the initiation ceremonies, but it seems to have been particularly popular with women
- As god of wine, alcohol played a part in the secret rituals, as did dancing
- The initiate, in a state of emotional release and loss of inhibition became spiritually close to the god
- There was perhaps some sexual promiscuity, But the Bacchanalia or Bacchic rites were unlikely to have involved the wild excesses and extra behavious some people believed
- The Bacchic rituals contained omophagic (eating of raw flesh) practises such as pulling live animals apart and eating the whole thing raw
- This practise served not only as a re-enactment of the infant death and rebirth of Bacchus but also as a means by which Bacchic practitioners produced “enthusiasm”: meaning: to let a god enter the practitioner’s body or to have her become one with Bacchus
4
Q
Roman reaction to the Cult of Bacchus
A
- In 186 BC, the Roman Senate, concerned that the secret cut was socially disruptive and sexually immoral banned the meeting of the initials of the cult but did not ban the worship of the god Bacchus
- This was an attempt to try and stamp it out. No more than three women and two men were allowed at any-one meeting. Those who defied the edict risked the death penalty
- Many people, including women were put to death for taking part
- With typical Roman respect for what they considered “genuine” religion, no ancient altar’s were destroyed
- Wall-paintings of what appears to be initiation into the cult of Bacchus have been found in the Villa of Mysteries just outside Pompeii, so there is evidence that the cult was not completely eradicated
5
Q
What was the appeal of the cult of Bacchus
A
- Many people were attracted to the cult of Bacchus as it was open to anyone. Roman State religion was very focused on men and it was usually the case that people from the upper classes were priests. This often meant that lower class citizens in Rome were not able to take an active role in the State religion
- People could get drunk and have a good time. like the Lupercalia and Saturnalia, the Romans enjoyed the chance to celebrate, relax and have fun. The Cult of Bacchus offered a release from daily life in the form of drinking but still maintained a holy element in the worship of the god
- Women were granted some freedoms to express themselves. It was really only the Vestals who had privileges and greater freedoms granted to them (at a cost). The cult of Bacchus offered women the opportunity to be involved actively in a religious occasion/practise, something denied to them in the State religion
6
Q
Cult of Mithras
A
- Mithras was originally an Into-Persian god associated with the sun and light, but his cult worship in the Roman Empire seems to owe more to western or Roman ideas
- Many features of the Roman cult are not to be found in Persian religion. Mithraism seems to have related in some way to the passage of the soul through life and its trial in the fight between light and darkness, good and evil and life and death
- In carvings, Mithras is shown being born from a rock, hunting on horseback, standing or dining wit the sun god and killing a bull in a cave
- The killing of the bull seems to have been particularly important. It is thought to have led to creation
7
Q
The Mithraeum
A
- The cult worship of Mithras took place in rectangular, windowless buildings, often partly buried in the ground. These represent the cave in which Mithras killed the bull
- A carving of this exploit was usually to be found at one end. At either side of the building was a row of dining couches
- There were usually several altars. Archaeologists today refer to such a building as a “Mithraeum”, but at the time they were called “caves”
- The size of the buildings suggests that they could comfortably hold no more than about twenty to thirty people at once
8
Q
Who was part of the Mithraic cult
A
- Only men could be initiated to the cult of Mithras and it seems to have been particularly popular with merchants and soldiers
- Much of the information about the initiation ceremonies comes from hostile Christian writers and may not be very reliable. Archaeology can help fill in some details
- There appear to have been several grades of initiation: the raven, the bride, the soldier, the Persian, the sun-runner, and the father. Perhaps everyone didn’t reach the highest grades. The rituals especially those of intimation seem to have been colourful and perhaps quite brutal. Gatherings ended with a communal meal and the drinking of wine
9
Q
The rituals of the Mithraic cult
A
- During the rituals, the evolution of the universe and the destiny of mankind was explained
- The service consisted chiefly of contemplating the Mithraic symbolism, prayer while knelt before benches and chanting hymns in the accompaniment of flutes
- Hymns were sung describing the voyage of Mithras’ horse drawn chariot across the sky
- Invokers and worshippers of Mithras prayed
- Animal sacrifices, mostly of birds, were also conducted in the Mithraea
10
Q
Network of Cult worship
A
- The Mithraic caves were independent of one another and there was no overseeing authority
- it would appear, however that a man initiated at one cave if he had to move away, could join the initiates at another cave while still retaining his previous grade of initiation
11
Q
Mithraism and the Roman Soldier
A
- Mithraism became a military religion under the Romans
- The many dangers to which the Roman soldiers were exposed caused them to seek the protection of the gods of their foreign comrades in order to obtain success in battle or a happier life through death
- The soldiers adopted the Mithraic faith for its emphasis on victory, strenght and security in the next world
- tempeles and shrines were dedicated to Mithras across the empire
- In 67 BC the first congregation of Mithras worshipping soldiers existed in Rome under the command of General Pompey
12
Q
What was the attraction of Mithraism?
A
- The Romans viewed Persia as a land of wisdom and mystery and Persian religious teaching appealed to those Romans who found the stablished state religion uninspiring
- It was a men only cult - many mend did not want to share their religious practises with women. Roman society was patriarchal (run by men). However it could bus suggested that there was not much space for women in regular Roman religion so women wouldn’t have been involved anyway
- It appealed to soldiers because of its emphasis on victory, strength and security in the Underworld. Roman soldiers were often in perilous situations and the idea of security in the Underworld would be highly appealing to someone who did not know when he would die or under which circumstances he might die
13
Q
The Cult of Isis
A
- isis is an eruption goddess - sister and wife of Osiris
- When their brother, Set or Seth, killed Osiris and later dismembered him, Isis recovered the body and Osiris was restored to a form of life in the Underworld
- All the time she took care of their child Horus
- Shrines of isis were usually enclosed in courtyards and although basically Roman incorporated various Egyptian features
- There was a cistern or container for the water 9ideally from the river Nile) used in the ceremonies and accommodation for priests
- They were often Egyptian but the language of the cult was Greek or sometimes Latin. priest wore white robes and shaved their heads in the Egyptian manner
14
Q
The Cult of Isis
A
- Following the Egyptian custom, every day, the doors of the shrine were opened in the morning and the statue dressed
- An offering of food was then made . There was a corresponding closing ceremony at the end of the day
- In later times there were also public processions
- The cult, being built around a powerful goddess who was also a good mother and loyal wife, was especially attractive to women.
- The initiation ceremonies, for those who wished to become members, seem to have involved light coming out of darkness and revelations being made, perhaps in dramatic form.
- Every morning her temple was opened, the statue was wakened and dressed for sacrifice.
- There was a ritual cleansing of the temple in the evening.
- Being a member of the cult did not mean you abandoned mainstream Roman religion and statuettes of Isis were sometimes to be found alongside the Lares in family shrines.
15
Q
Cult of Isis ceremonies
A
- High priest at the door of the temple holding sacred water from the Nile River
- A Sphinx on each side of the entrance reference the cult’s Egyptian origins
- One priest with a shaven head leads the followers in worship
- Worshippers / Followers of Isis are split into ranks on each side of the Temple
- Ceremonies often involved singing and dancing
- Priest in traditional fringed tunic holding a sistrum
- Palm trees show Egyptian origin
- Many worshippers of Isis appear to be women
- One man playing the flute Priest fans the sacred fire, possibly conducting a sacrifice on an Egyptian horned altar
- Isis’ sacred Ibis birds
