Mithraism was a roman mystery cult that drew upon the mythology of mithras from the persian zoroastrian religion. Cumonts work is generally considered to be the quintessential work on the mithraic cult. Publication date 1903 topics mithraism, rome religion. Mithraism, also known as the mithraic mysteries, was a roman mystery religion centered on the. Although more recent research may have eclipsed some of cumonts findings and statements, it is a good overview of mithraism. The mysteries of mithra by cumont, franz valery marie, 18681947. His book presents a well researched and easily readably description of this religion. Franz cumont professor in the university of ghent, belgium translated from the second revised french edition by thomas j. The mysteries of mithra the definitive account of a crucial. Cumont argues that mithras in the roman world originates from the persian god mithra, which is a reasonable theory, since the indoeuropean god mitra is mentioned in the rigveda and it could have stayed in the east until roman expansion facilitated its transfer to the west. Franzvalerymarie cumont was a belgian archaeologist and historian, a philologist and student of epigraphy, who brought these often isolated specialties to bear on the syncretic mystery religions of late antiquity, notably mithraism. According to cumont, the god mithra came to rome accompanied by a large representation of the.
Cumont s work immediately became accepted as the definitive study of the cult, and remained virtually unchallenged. Pdf franz cumont the mysteries of mithra erencan sar. Mithra was the cumont, mysteries of god of wide pastures and the giver of gifts. In 1903, 1 years ago franz cumont issued his work the mysteries of mithra where he further develops the thesis about the persian origin of the roman. In the avesta, mithra is the genius of the celestial light.
In 1947, franz cumont donated his library and papers to the academia belgica in rome, where they are accessible to researchers. Pythagorean themes of cosmogonic mediation in the roman mysteries of mithras pdf. At the end of the nineteenth century franz cumont, the great belgian historian of ancient religion, published a magisterial twovolume work on the mithraic mysteries based on the assumption of the iranian origins of the cult. In this unique book, first published in 1903, cumont explains how the roman version differed from the original worship of mithras and then identifies those rituals that have some. He appears before sunrise on the rocky summits of the mountains. Mostly he focuses upon how the religion was spread in the roman empire, where it originated and some of its basic dogmas.