The Mithraeum of Dura-Europos: New Perspectives

In this article the mithraeum of Dura-Europos, discovered in 1934 by C. Hopkins and M. Rostovtzeff, is analysed. A general introductory survey about this crucial discovery dating back to the 3rd century, and the history of research pertaining to it also stressing its importance in shaping our knowledge of Roman Mithraism introduces the in-depth discussion of three main topics: 1. The existence of two quite coeval bas-reliefs portraying two tauroctonies, the biggest one superposed on the smaller one, leads to suspect that this Mithras-temple has a more complex and longer history than it has been believed so far. 2. New light is shed on a unique image, the seven balls carved between the anterior legs of the bull in the major tauroctony by means of comparison with another tauroctony – which has been recently acquired by the Museum of Jerusalem – and with Iranian texts from Central Asia. 3. The puzzling existence of spectators in the biggest bas-relief is explained by means of comparison with a fresco recently discovered in another mithraeum, that of Hawarte (Apamea). Some considerations about the strict connection between some very interesting frescos from the Mithraeum of Dura and their Mesopotamian context close this study.