Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CAMRIP (Cognitive Aspects of Mithraic Rituals in Pannonia)
Reporting period: 2022-08-01 to 2025-01-31
The ‘Cognitive Aspects of Mithraic Rituals In Pannonia’ (CAMRIP) research project examined the range of ritual practices and religious experiences that occurred within Mithraic religious communities in the Roman provinces of Pannonia Superior and Inferior (Objective 1). By applying interdisciplinary cognitive and sensory theoretical perspectives, the project explored how rituals were performed, learned, remembered and diffused (Objective 2), and how religious networks were created between different Mithraic communities in Pannonia (Objective 3).
The cult of the divinity Mithras became one of the most popular religions in the Roman Empire between the second and the fourth century A.D. (approx. A.D.150-350) with Mithras being the second-most popular divinity in the Roman provinces of Pannonia Superior and Inferior (parts of modern-day Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, and Croatia). Despite his popularity, Mithras' cult is considered as a ‘mystery’ religion, where religious knowledge and rituals were transmitted to initiates in secret. Therefore, scholars still struggle to demystify what types of religious rituals and ritual experiences occurred within Mithraic communities; how these rituals were learned, performed, remembered, diffused and transformed; and what role these rituals played in religious and social bonding among initiates, including in the formation of religious ties.
Although recent scholarship from the cognitive sciences has made great advancements in understanding ritual practices and ritual experiences, scholarship focusing on the examination of Mithraic evidence from Pannonia Superior and Inferior has largely ignored cognitive and sensory theoretical approaches, and a comprehensive interdisciplinary analysis of Mithraic communities in Pannonia Superior and Inferior and their ritual practices has been lacking. To address this gap in scholarship, this project provides an innovative interdisciplinary analysis of Mithraic ritual practices and ritual experiences in the Roman provinces of Pannonia Superior and Inferior. This project also contributes to furthering debate on rituals and ritual experiences within the wider context of Graeco-Roman cults, with potential for broader theoretical and comparative transdisciplinary applications.
The cult of the divinity Mithras became one of the most popular religions in the Roman Empire between the second and the fourth century A.D. (approx. A.D.150-350) with Mithras being the second-most popular divinity in the Roman provinces of Pannonia Superior and Inferior (parts of modern-day Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, and Croatia). Despite his popularity, Mithras' cult is considered as a ‘mystery’ religion, where religious knowledge and rituals were transmitted to initiates in secret. Therefore, scholars still struggle to demystify what types of religious rituals and ritual experiences occurred within Mithraic communities; how these rituals were learned, performed, remembered, diffused and transformed; and what role these rituals played in religious and social bonding among initiates, including in the formation of religious ties.
Although recent scholarship from the cognitive sciences has made great advancements in understanding ritual practices and ritual experiences, scholarship focusing on the examination of Mithraic evidence from Pannonia Superior and Inferior has largely ignored cognitive and sensory theoretical approaches, and a comprehensive interdisciplinary analysis of Mithraic communities in Pannonia Superior and Inferior and their ritual practices has been lacking. To address this gap in scholarship, this project provides an innovative interdisciplinary analysis of Mithraic ritual practices and ritual experiences in the Roman provinces of Pannonia Superior and Inferior. This project also contributes to furthering debate on rituals and ritual experiences within the wider context of Graeco-Roman cults, with potential for broader theoretical and comparative transdisciplinary applications.
The project was divided into three sections.
In the first instance, an analysis of archaeological, iconographic and epigraphic evidence for the cult of Mithras in the provinces of Pannonia Superior and Inferior was performed in order to determine what types of religious rituals took place in different Mithraic communities and settlements across Pannonia. In order to achieve this an analysis of on-site archaeological evidence as well as of archaeological materials held in museum collections needed to be performed. The Researcher conducted visits to relevant archaeological sites and museums and took detailed photographs and notes of the materials for analysis. This included visiting a special exhibition on the cult of Mithras in Frankfurt (2023), making multiple visits to Budapest and to the Magyar Nemzeti museum and lapidarium as well as to the Aquincum museum and archaeological park to analyse and process finds from Aquincum, Intercisa, and Brigetio mithraea (2023 and 2024), inspecting finds in the Iseum Savariense and Savaria archaeological park (2023 and 2024), inspecting finds at the Klapka Gyorgy museum (2023); visiting the Carnuntum archaeological park and inspecting Carnuntum finds in the KHM museum in Vienna as well as in the Museum Carnuntinum and in Hainburg Kulturfabrik museum depot (2024). In addition to these research visits, the Researcher gathered all necessary iconographic and epigraphic evidence from open-access epigraphic detabases, including from Clauss-Slaby database, Ubi Erat Lupa, Epigraphic Database Heidelberg, among others.
In the second instance, the Researcher analysed, using cognitive theoretical approaches, how ritual practices were learned, performed, remembered, and diffused between Mithraic communities in Pannonia Superior and Inferior. In order to achieve this objective latest research on rituals and ritual experiences from the cognitive sciences and from sensory studies was used in order to improve the Researcher’s existing own theoretical model. The model was then applied to evidence of Mithraic rituals in order to ascertain how ritual practices were performed, learned, remembered and diffused among worshippers of Mithras in Pannonia. The model showed that rituals and ritual experiences could differ not only between Mithraic communities but also between individuals within the same community. This is one of the major research results of the project, since it indicates that ritual practices and experiences were not homogenous as was previously thought.
In the third instance, the Researcher investigated the role that rituals played in religious and social bonding among worshippers, including in the formation of Mithraic religious networks across Pannonia Superior and Inferior. By analysing epigraphic evidence gathered and applying the theoretical approach, the Researcher was able to gain insights into how rituals contributed to group bonding and a stronger group identity among worshippers of Mithras. In terms of results, group bonding effects were particularly evident with respect to two groups of Mithras worshippers – soldiers and customs officials. Participating in shared rituals created tighter bonds between worshippers, resulting in group cohesion, and potentially enhancing the physical and psychological wellbeing of worshippers.
In terms of dissemination of project results, a total of seven conference presentations and invited lectures were given by the Researcher. The Researcher also co-organised one conference session on the theme of ritual variance in the ancient world. Moreover, a monograph is currently in preparation based on the results of the project, as well as an open-access article.
In the first instance, an analysis of archaeological, iconographic and epigraphic evidence for the cult of Mithras in the provinces of Pannonia Superior and Inferior was performed in order to determine what types of religious rituals took place in different Mithraic communities and settlements across Pannonia. In order to achieve this an analysis of on-site archaeological evidence as well as of archaeological materials held in museum collections needed to be performed. The Researcher conducted visits to relevant archaeological sites and museums and took detailed photographs and notes of the materials for analysis. This included visiting a special exhibition on the cult of Mithras in Frankfurt (2023), making multiple visits to Budapest and to the Magyar Nemzeti museum and lapidarium as well as to the Aquincum museum and archaeological park to analyse and process finds from Aquincum, Intercisa, and Brigetio mithraea (2023 and 2024), inspecting finds in the Iseum Savariense and Savaria archaeological park (2023 and 2024), inspecting finds at the Klapka Gyorgy museum (2023); visiting the Carnuntum archaeological park and inspecting Carnuntum finds in the KHM museum in Vienna as well as in the Museum Carnuntinum and in Hainburg Kulturfabrik museum depot (2024). In addition to these research visits, the Researcher gathered all necessary iconographic and epigraphic evidence from open-access epigraphic detabases, including from Clauss-Slaby database, Ubi Erat Lupa, Epigraphic Database Heidelberg, among others.
In the second instance, the Researcher analysed, using cognitive theoretical approaches, how ritual practices were learned, performed, remembered, and diffused between Mithraic communities in Pannonia Superior and Inferior. In order to achieve this objective latest research on rituals and ritual experiences from the cognitive sciences and from sensory studies was used in order to improve the Researcher’s existing own theoretical model. The model was then applied to evidence of Mithraic rituals in order to ascertain how ritual practices were performed, learned, remembered and diffused among worshippers of Mithras in Pannonia. The model showed that rituals and ritual experiences could differ not only between Mithraic communities but also between individuals within the same community. This is one of the major research results of the project, since it indicates that ritual practices and experiences were not homogenous as was previously thought.
In the third instance, the Researcher investigated the role that rituals played in religious and social bonding among worshippers, including in the formation of Mithraic religious networks across Pannonia Superior and Inferior. By analysing epigraphic evidence gathered and applying the theoretical approach, the Researcher was able to gain insights into how rituals contributed to group bonding and a stronger group identity among worshippers of Mithras. In terms of results, group bonding effects were particularly evident with respect to two groups of Mithras worshippers – soldiers and customs officials. Participating in shared rituals created tighter bonds between worshippers, resulting in group cohesion, and potentially enhancing the physical and psychological wellbeing of worshippers.
In terms of dissemination of project results, a total of seven conference presentations and invited lectures were given by the Researcher. The Researcher also co-organised one conference session on the theme of ritual variance in the ancient world. Moreover, a monograph is currently in preparation based on the results of the project, as well as an open-access article.
As concerns the results of the project, in the first instance the project showed that rituals and ritual experiences are flexible and variable, depending on individual ritual participants and their cognitive and sensory states, as well as on the environment and atmosphere of the ritual. All these elements play a role in how ritual participants experience, learn and remember their ritual experiences. The project further showed that ritual and ritual experiences could differ not only between Mithraic communities but also between individuals within the same community. This is one of the major research results of the project, since it indicates that ritual practices and experiences were not as homogenous as was previously thought. Additionally, the project showed that rituals acted as a 'social glue', helping to bond ritual participants and/or enhance existing social and emotional bonds. Rituals practiced in the cult of Mithras, such as initiations and cult meals, served to foster a shared group identity, which was particularly prominent among soldiers and customs officials who were worshippers of Mithras. Overall, comparisons between different Mithraic communities in Pannonia highlighted both similarities and differences in archaeological materials, suggesting that ritual variations existed to varying degrees between these communities, while epigraphic evidence attested interconnected ties between some communities.
In terms of scientific impact, this project provided the first comprehensive and interdisciplinary cognitive-based analysis of Mithraic ritual practices and religious experiences in Pannonia Superior and Inferior, therefore creating new scientific knowledge and bridging an important gap in scholarship. It also offered new insights into Mithraic ritual practices, which will have implications for the study of Mithraism in the future.
The hypothesis put forth in this project - that Mithraic communities throughout Pannonia exhibit localized variations of ritual practices - challenges traditional scientific interpretations of homogeneity and uniformity of Mithraic ritual practices. This hypothesis may also have wider scientific implications for the transdisciplinary study of ritual and may challenge scholars to reconsider rituals instead as flexible and variable.
Lastly, this project incorporates an innovative interdisciplinary theoretical framework for the scientific study of ritual practices. The existing theoretical framework incorporated in this project moves beyond scholarship which only acknowledges human agency in the creation and diffusion of religious ideas and rituals, and incorporates also the agency of built and natural environments (objects, places, and events), providing a shift in the understanding of religious rituals. This theoretical framework also offers potential for wider transdisciplinary application in future analyses of rituals in ancient and modern contexts alike.
In terms of societal impact, the project analysed material evidence from archaeological sites throughout Austria, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia, and communicated these results to the general public through popular media (e.g. social media, podcast episode) thus raising awareness of local Roman archaeological heritage.
In terms of scientific impact, this project provided the first comprehensive and interdisciplinary cognitive-based analysis of Mithraic ritual practices and religious experiences in Pannonia Superior and Inferior, therefore creating new scientific knowledge and bridging an important gap in scholarship. It also offered new insights into Mithraic ritual practices, which will have implications for the study of Mithraism in the future.
The hypothesis put forth in this project - that Mithraic communities throughout Pannonia exhibit localized variations of ritual practices - challenges traditional scientific interpretations of homogeneity and uniformity of Mithraic ritual practices. This hypothesis may also have wider scientific implications for the transdisciplinary study of ritual and may challenge scholars to reconsider rituals instead as flexible and variable.
Lastly, this project incorporates an innovative interdisciplinary theoretical framework for the scientific study of ritual practices. The existing theoretical framework incorporated in this project moves beyond scholarship which only acknowledges human agency in the creation and diffusion of religious ideas and rituals, and incorporates also the agency of built and natural environments (objects, places, and events), providing a shift in the understanding of religious rituals. This theoretical framework also offers potential for wider transdisciplinary application in future analyses of rituals in ancient and modern contexts alike.
In terms of societal impact, the project analysed material evidence from archaeological sites throughout Austria, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia, and communicated these results to the general public through popular media (e.g. social media, podcast episode) thus raising awareness of local Roman archaeological heritage.