CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2014
| Author | Silnovic, Nirvana |
|---|---|
| Title | Soli Deo Stellam Et Frvctiferam: The Art Of The Mithraic Cult In Salona |
| Summary | The cult of Mithras in Salona, the capital city of the Roman province of Dalmatia, has long been neglected topic among scholars. Although numerous works were dedicated to the cult of Mithras in the whole Roman province of Dalmatia, the questions of appearance, dissemination, and disappearance of the cult in Salona still remains unanswered. The aim of this thesis is to fill this gap by examining the material evidence of the cult: fifteen bas-reliefs, seven inscriptions and five alleged mithraea. The rich material evidence is examined according to its typology and iconography (bas-reliefs), content (inscriptions), and archival material (mithraea). According to the analysis, it is argued that the cult appeared in Salona in the second half of the second century AD, reached its apogee in the third century AD, while it most probably stopped with its activity by the end of the fourth/beginning of the fifth century AD. The so-called Salonitan tondo has been given a new iconographic interpretation. Based on the evidence presented, the thesis argues that Mithraic communities in Salona created a specific local idiom that helped them establish local identity. |
| Supervisor | Menze, Volker |
| Department | Medieval Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2014/silnovic_nirvana.pdf |
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