Fertorakos mithraeum
Encyclopedia
The Fertorakos Mithraeum is a temple to the Roman god Mithras at Fertőrákos
in Hungary
. The temple (known as a mithraeum
), follows a typical plan of a narthex
followed by the shrine proper that consists of a sunken central nave
with podium benches on either side.
and they seem to have been the impetus behind the construction of the temple. Its construction can roughly be dated to the beginning of the 3rd century AD.
Trapeziodal in shape as the north end is wider than the south (5.50 m wide compared to 3.65 m), the shrine is 5.50 m long. It is orientated north to south, with the southern and eastern sides of the shrine both hollowed out of the natural rock and the northern and western sides being built in stone. Four steps lead down into the central aisle (nave
) of the shrine which was 80 cm below the level of the pronaos and the two flanking side benches which were all on ground level. The tauroctony
sculpture was carved into the rock face.
Three altars (see below) were also found on the site. Two were dedicated by Septimius Justianus, a custodes armorum (an soldier in charge of the armoury) of Legio XIIII Gemina
. The second was dedicated by Julius Saturninus, a politician from the colony.
To the god the Invincible Sun Mithras. Lucius Avitus Maturus, decurion of the colony of Carnuntum, willingly deservedly happily fulfilled his vow.
To Invincible Sun Mithras. Septimius Iustinianus, armorum custos of the 14th legion Gemina Antoninianus, fulfilled the vow.
To the Invincible Sun Mithras. Septimius Iustinianus, armorum custos of the 14th legion Gemina Antoninianae, willingly and deservedly fulfilled the vow.
The finds are housed in the museum at Sopron.
Fertorákos
Fertőrákos is a village in the county of Győr-Moson-Sopron in Hungary. In 2001 it had a population of 2,182.It is located at , about from Sopron, near Lake Fertő and the Austrian border. In summer, a border checkpoint for pedestrians and cyclists connects it to the Austrian municipality of...
in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. The temple (known as a mithraeum
Mithraeum
A Mithraeum is a place of worship for the followers of the mystery religion of Mithraism.The Mithraeum was either an adapted natural cave or cavern or an artificial building imitating a cavern. Mithraea were dark and windowless, even if they were not actually in a subterranean space or in a natural...
), follows a typical plan of a narthex
Narthex
The narthex of a church is the entrance or lobby area, located at the end of the nave, at the far end from the church's main altar. Traditionally the narthex was a part of the church building, but was not considered part of the church proper...
followed by the shrine proper that consists of a sunken central nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
with podium benches on either side.
Discovery
It was discovered by chance by a stonemason called György Malleschitz in 1866 who undertook the initial clearance of the site. It attracted a great deal of interest from local scholars and a restoration of the stone vault of the shrine was funded by a local magistrate (the first attempt at reconstruction at any archaeological site in Hungary). This roof, however, was later demolished and the present cover building erected in the 1990s following the excavations of 1990–1991. The mithraeum is currently open to the public.The Mithraeum
Two altars refer to people from CarnuntumCarnuntum
Carnuntum was a Roman army camp on the Danube in the Noricum province and after the 1st century the capital of the Upper Pannonia province...
and they seem to have been the impetus behind the construction of the temple. Its construction can roughly be dated to the beginning of the 3rd century AD.
Trapeziodal in shape as the north end is wider than the south (5.50 m wide compared to 3.65 m), the shrine is 5.50 m long. It is orientated north to south, with the southern and eastern sides of the shrine both hollowed out of the natural rock and the northern and western sides being built in stone. Four steps lead down into the central aisle (nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
) of the shrine which was 80 cm below the level of the pronaos and the two flanking side benches which were all on ground level. The tauroctony
Tauroctony
The tauroctony scene is the cult relief of the Mithraic Mysteries. It depicts Mithras killing a bull, hence the name 'tauroctony', given to the scene in modern times possibly after the Greek ταυροκτόνος "slaughtering bulls", which derives from ταῦρος "bull" + κτόνος "murder", from κτείνω , "I...
sculpture was carved into the rock face.
Three altars (see below) were also found on the site. Two were dedicated by Septimius Justianus, a custodes armorum (an soldier in charge of the armoury) of Legio XIIII Gemina
Legio XIV Gemina
Legio quarta decima Gemina was a legion of the Roman Empire, levied by Julius Caesar in late 58 B.C. The cognomen Gemina suggests that the legion resulted from fusion of two previous ones, one of them being the Fourteenth legion that fought in the Battle of Alesia, the other being the Martia ...
. The second was dedicated by Julius Saturninus, a politician from the colony.
The altars
The following altars were discovered:- D(eo) S(oli) I(invicto) M(ithrae) / L(ucius) AVIT(us) MA/TURUS D(e)C(urio) / COL(oniae) KARN(unti) / V(otum) S(olvit) L(ibens) M(erito).
To the god the Invincible Sun Mithras. Lucius Avitus Maturus, decurion of the colony of Carnuntum, willingly deservedly happily fulfilled his vow.
- [S(oli) I(nvicto) M(ithrae) / SEP(timius) IUS(tini)/ANUS ARM(orum) [CUSTOS] / L(egionis) XIIII G(eminiae) / ANTON(inianae) V(otum) S(olvit).
To Invincible Sun Mithras. Septimius Iustinianus, armorum custos of the 14th legion Gemina Antoninianus, fulfilled the vow.
- S(oli) I(nvicto) M(ithrae) / SEP(timius) I(u)ST(ini)ANUS A(rmorum) [CUSTOS] / L(egionis) XIIII G(eminae) ANT(oninianae) / V(otum) S(olvit) L(ibens) M(erito).
To the Invincible Sun Mithras. Septimius Iustinianus, armorum custos of the 14th legion Gemina Antoninianae, willingly and deservedly fulfilled the vow.
The finds are housed in the museum at Sopron.
See also
- Aquincum Mithraeum (of Victorinus)Aquincum Mithraeum (of Victorinus)The Aquincum Mithraeum is a temple to the Roman god Mithras near Budapest in Hungary. The temple was built within a townhouse in the Roman city of Aquincum, on the outskirts of the modern city of Budapest, Hungary....
: Mithraeum near Budapest - Savaria MithraeumSavaria MithraeumSavaria Mithraeum was the shrine of Mithras in the Roman town of Savaria which was discovered in 2008.-History:The cult of Mithras was popular in the Roman province of Pannonia...
: Mithraeum in Savaria, Hungary