Among the Mithraea

A few weeks ago, I embarked on a journey that I had wanted to make for some time: a pilgrimage across the ancient Roman world in search of the remnants of the Mysteries of Mithras. Over the course of nearly two weeks, I traveled from Rome to northern Italy, into Slovenia, and across Austria into Switzerland, tracing the paths once walked by Roman soldiers, merchants, initiates, and priests of one of antiquity’s most fascinating mystery religions.

The journey reminded me that the Cult of Mithras was an international mystery school. It spread wherever Rome spread. From military frontiers to bustling ports, from underground shrines hidden beneath modern churches to isolated sanctuaries preserved in alpine valleys, Mithraism left its imprint across the empire.

Entering the Underworld

On May 4, I landed in Rome and spent the day simply walking the city and absorbing its atmosphere. Rome is overwhelming in the best possible way. Ancient ruins stand beside Renaissance churches, medieval alleys open into imperial forums, and every stone seems layered with history. Before diving into my research, I wanted time to simply orient myself and reconnect with the Eternal City.

The following day, I descended beneath the Basilica of San Clemente to visit one of the most famous Mithraea in the world. Standing underground beneath a medieval basilica, which itself was built atop earlier Roman structures, one experiences the literal layers of Roman history. The Mithraeum of San Clemente is one of the clearest surviving examples of how the cult operated within the hidden spaces of the Roman world.

The sanctuary itself preserves the familiar imagery associated with Mithras: the tauroctony, or bull-slaying scene, benches lining the ritual chamber, and the intimate cave-like setting symbolic of the cosmos itself. Unlike large public temples dedicated to Jupiter or Mars, Mithraea were intentionally enclosed and mysterious, meant to separate initiates from the outside world and immerse them within a sacred space.

Later that day, I visited the Roman National Museum collections housing Mithraic artifacts and reliefs. Seeing these objects in person rather than in photographs was invaluable. The details of the iconography, the craftsmanship, and the regional artistic variations all provide insight into how widely the cult spread and how adaptable it became throughout the empire.

On May 6, I explored Rome further before traveling to the Parco della Caffarella to visit Il Labirinto di Roma, which contains a replica Mithraeum and preserves part of the ancient subterranean environment that once existed around the city.

One of the most fascinating aspects of ancient Rome is that much of it existed below ground. Beneath the bustling imperial capital stretched a vast network of tunnels, quarries, cisterns, catacombs, and passageways. The Romans quarried enormous quantities of volcanic tufa and pozzolana from beneath the city to construct temples, baths, aqueducts, roads, and walls. Over centuries, these excavated spaces formed labyrinthine underground systems.

Some of these tunnels were later reused for religious purposes. Early Christians created catacombs within them. Storage chambers and water systems were carved into them. Some Mithraic sanctuaries may also have utilized these naturally cave-like environments, which aligned perfectly with the cult’s symbolism of the cosmic cave. For initiates descending into these shrines, the journey underground itself became part of the ritual experience - a symbolic movement away from the ordinary world and into the sacred mysteries.

The Gateway to Rome

On May 7, I traveled to Ostia Antica, the ancient port city of Rome. With a guide, I explored multiple Mithraic ruins scattered throughout the site.

Ostia was critically important to ancient Rome. As the empire’s primary harbor city, it served as the commercial lifeline of the capital. Grain from Egypt, olive oil from Hispania, wine, marble, spices, and other goods from across the Mediterranean flowed through Ostia before reaching Rome. Due to this constant movement of merchants, sailors, dockworkers, and soldiers, Ostia became one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the empire.

That cosmopolitan character made it fertile ground for mystery cults like Mithraism. Ostia contains one of the largest concentrations of Mithraea discovered anywhere in the Roman world. The cult thrived particularly among merchants, administrators, and military personnel connected to trade and transportation. Walking through these sanctuaries provided a powerful glimpse into how embedded Mithraism had become within the everyday life of Roman society.

Unlike isolated archaeological fragments in museums, Ostia preserves an entire urban environment. Streets, apartment buildings, baths, taverns, warehouses, and temples still stand in remarkable condition. As I walked those ancient roads, it became easier to envision the world in which Mithraic initiates once lived and worshiped.

The Crossroads of the Empire

On May 8, I traveled north to Aquileia, one of the most important cities of the Roman Empire that many people today have never heard of.

Founded in 181 BC, Aquileia became a major military and commercial center strategically positioned at the head of the Adriatic Sea. It served as a gateway between Italy and the Danubian frontier regions. Troops, merchants, diplomats, and travelers passed constantly through the city, making it one of the empire’s great crossroads.

Aquileia grew immensely wealthy and influential. At its height, it rivaled some of the largest cities in the Roman world. The city played a crucial role in defending northern Italy against invasions from the Balkans and Central Europe while simultaneously facilitating trade into the provinces.

This environment helped Mithraism flourish. The cult spread rapidly along military and trade networks, and Aquileia’s location made it an ideal center for the transmission of eastern religious traditions into the western empire.

The next day, I visited the museum housing Mithraic relics as well as the Basilica and surrounding ruins. Aquileia’s archaeological remains are extraordinary. Mosaics, columns, roads, foundations, and artifacts still reveal the immense importance the city once possessed. The juxtaposition of Christian basilicas rising amid older Roman remains also reflects the broader religious transformation of the empire during late antiquity.

Mithras on the Frontier

On May 10, I traveled onward to Ptuj, Slovenia (the ancient Roman city of Poetovio). Reaching the city required two buses and three trains, a reminder that even modern travel across Europe can sometimes feel like an expedition.

Ptuj is the oldest town in Slovenia and possesses deep Roman roots. Under the Romans, Poetovio became a major military settlement and administrative center along the Drava River. Legions were stationed there, trade flourished, and the city became an important strategic outpost on the empire’s frontier.

The area also became one of the strongest centers of Mithraic worship in the region. Numerous Mithraea have been discovered in and around Ptuj, reflecting the heavy military presence and the movement of eastern religious traditions through frontier zones.

After arriving, I visited Ptuj Castle and the archaeological park containing Roman ruins. The city carries an atmosphere unlike Rome. Whereas Rome overwhelms with imperial grandeur, Ptuj feels quieter and more intimate; a frontier town shaped by centuries of overlapping civilizations.

On May 11, I visited the preserved Mithraeum at Spodnja Hajdina across the river from Ptuj, where I was fortunate enough to receive a tour from an archaeologist. Experiences like this are invaluable. Speaking directly with specialists working to preserve and interpret these sites provides layers of understanding that books alone cannot offer.

Standing within an actual Mithraic sanctuary, one begins to appreciate the lived reality of the cult. These were not abstract symbols confined to academic discussions. They were active religious spaces where initiates gathered, performed rituals, shared sacred meals, and participated in a spiritual brotherhood that stretched across the Roman world.

That evening, I began the long overnight journey north through Graz and Zurich before finally reaching southwest Switzerland.

Mithras in the Alps

I arrived in Martigny on May 12. Nestled within the Swiss Alps, the town occupies another strategically significant Roman location. Ancient Martigny, known as Forum Claudii Vallensium, sat along important alpine trade and military routes connecting Italy to Gaul and Germania.

On May 13, I explored the museum, amphitheater, baths, domus, and Mithraeum preserved there. The Mithraeum of Martigny is particularly important because it demonstrates the extraordinary geographic spread of the cult. From the heart of Rome to the frontiers of Slovenia and the valleys of Switzerland, Mithraism followed the arteries of the empire.

The Roman remains throughout Martigny are beautifully preserved and offer another reminder that the Roman world was deeply interconnected. Ideas, religions, goods, and people moved constantly across enormous distances. 

Later that day, I returned to Zurich to prepare for my flight home, and on May 14, I departed for the United States.

Returning Home

Research trips are often romanticized, but they can also be exhausting. Long train rides, navigating unfamiliar cities, and operating on limited sleep become part of the experience. Yet every moment was worth it.

This journey gave me something that books and articles alone never could: context. Seeing the geography of the Roman world firsthand changes one’s understanding of how Mithraism spread and why it resonated with so many people. The cult was not isolated. It was woven into the military, commercial, and social fabric of the empire itself.

Now, after following the footprints of Mithras across Italy, Slovenia, and Switzerland, it is time to put my nose to the grindstone and finish my book on the Mysteries of Mithras. The journey may be over, but the work continues.

History, Mystery, and Majesty

The last couple of days have been a whirlwind of activity. I flew out Wednesday evening and landed in London around noon on Thursday. That afternoon, I attended a meeting of Britannia Legion No. 1 of the Mysteries of Mithras and received the II°. I also assisted in conferring the I°. The evening concluded with a fantastic Festive Board.

Friday morning, I made my way into central London and took a bus to Stonehenge. Located on the windswept Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, Stonehenge is one of the most iconic and mysterious monuments of the ancient world. Comprised of a circular layout of massive upright stones, it stands as a testament to Neolithic engineering, religious devotion, and social organization. The most prominent stones (each weighing up to 25 tons) are made of dense sandstone sourced from the Marlborough Downs, about 20 miles north. Interspersed among them are smaller bluestones, weighing 2 to 5 tons, transported from the Preseli Hills in southwest Wales (over 150 miles away). This feat of transportation and construction remains astonishing.

Construction began around 3100 BC and unfolded over 1,500 years in several major phases. The earliest stage featured a circular ditch and bank enclosure (the "henge") dug with antler picks, along with a raised inner bank and a wide entrance aligned with the midsummer sunrise. Within this circle, timber or early stone uprights may have been erected. Soon after, 56 pits (now called Aubrey Holes) were dug, possibly for posts, stones, or cremated remains.

By 2900 BC, timber structures dominated the site, which likely served as a sacred burial and ceremonial space. Around 2600 BC, the most dramatic transformation occurred: the arrival of the bluestones and the beginning of the iconic stone circle. Their transportation likely involved sledges, rollers, and possibly river or sea routes.

Around 2500 BC, massive sandstone blocks from the Marlborough Downs were added to form the outer circle and the inner horseshoe of trilithons (two upright stones with a horizontal lintel). These stones are aligned with solstice events, suggesting a deeply spiritual, astronomical purpose. Builders used sophisticated joinery techniques such as mortise-and-tenon joints and tongue-and-groove fittings, indicating advanced woodworking knowledge applied to megalithic construction.

Later generations rearranged the bluestones, added ceremonial avenues, and constructed surrounding barrows and mounds. By 1600 BC, construction ceased, though the site remained a place of pilgrimage for centuries. Even into the Iron Age and Roman periods, Stonehenge saw sporadic activity before gradually falling into ruin.

After visiting Stonehenge, the bus took me to Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. Originally built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century after his victory in 1066, Windsor Castle has been continuously inhabited for nearly 1,000 years. The castle’s site was chosen for its strategic military advantages as well as its proximity to London. 

Initially, a motte-and-bailey structure with a wooden keep, the castle evolved significantly over time. Under King Henry II, stone replaced wood, and by King Henry III’s reign, a royal chapel and improved living quarters had elevated it to a major royal residence.

King Edward III, born at Windsor, began a sweeping Gothic transformation and founded the Order of the Garter in 1348, using St. George’s Chapel as its spiritual home. This chapel remains a masterpiece of late medieval architecture and a key site of royal worship.

The Tudor monarchs made minor alterations. King Henry VIII used Windsor for hunting and security, while Queen Elizabeth I sought refuge there during political and religious unrest. During the English Civil War, Parliamentary forces seized the castle and used it as a prison. Restoration came under King Charles II, who refurnished the interiors in Baroque splendor.

Subsequent monarchs, notably King George IV, transformed Windsor into the Gothic revival palace seen today. Queen Victoria made it her principal residence and established it as both a family home and a national symbol. Following the devastating 1992 fire, the castle was meticulously restored, funded in part by the first-ever public tours of Buckingham Palace.

Today, Windsor Castle remains a functioning royal residence, hosting state events, serving as the home of the Order of the Garter, and housing the tombs of monarchs, including King Henry VIII, King Charles I, King George VI, Prince Philip, and Queen Elizabeth II.

On Saturday, I set out to explore parts of London I had missed on my previous visit. In the early morning, I visited the Museum of the Order of St. John. Formally known as The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, this royal order of chivalry traces its lineage to the medieval Knights Hospitaller.

Suppressed in England by King Henry VIII in 1540 during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the order's lands were seized, and its presence faded until a Victorian revival in the 19th century. Inspired by Crusader ideals and driven by the need for organized medical aid, philanthropists founded the St. John Ambulance Association in 1877. A uniformed Brigade followed in 1887, and, in 1888, Queen Victoria granted a royal charter, re-establishing the order under the Crown.

Today, the order operates worldwide through charitable institutions like St. John Ambulance and the St. John Eye Hospital in Jerusalem, serving all regardless of background.

I then made my way to St. Bartholomew the Great, London’s oldest surviving church. Founded in 1123 by Rahere, a courtier-turned-cleric who experienced a vision of St. Bartholomew during a pilgrimage to Rome, the church began as part of a priory and hospital complex. Built in the Norman Romanesque style, it features thick walls, rounded arches, and massive columns. The chancel, transept, and ambulatory still survive, while the nave was destroyed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries under King Henry VIII.

Despite this, the choir was preserved as a parish church, and the Lady Chapel was finally restored in the 19th century. The church escaped both the Great Fire of 1666 and the World War II bombings. Today, it is a vibrant Anglo-Catholic parish in the Diocese of London and a living relic of England’s medieval past.

From there, I navigated the growing crowds to the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square. Founded in 1824 with the acquisition of banker John Julius Angerstein’s collection, the gallery was intended as a public institution - open to all, not just the elite. Its neoclassical building, completed in 1838, now houses over 2,300 works spanning the 13th to early 20th centuries.

The National Gallery is especially strong in the Italian Renaissance, Dutch Golden Age, and British schools. It stands out not only for its masterworks by Da Vinci, Rembrandt, Turner, and Monet, but also for its commitment to public access and conservation leadership.

My final stop was the Churchill War Rooms, located beneath the Treasury building in Whitehall. These underground chambers served as the nerve center of Britain’s wartime leadership during WWII. Constructed in 1939 just before war broke out, the rooms were operational by late August and remained active throughout the conflict.

Here, Churchill and his cabinet met, military movements were tracked in the Map Room, and decisions were made amid the Luftwaffe’s aerial attacks. After the war, the site was mothballed and largely forgotten until the 1970s. The Imperial War Museum opened it to the public in 1984, preserving it as a powerful reminder of Britain’s darkest and finest hours.

It was a quick trip, but an eventful one. From ancient stones to sacred churches, royal halls to wartime bunkers, I walked through centuries of history in just a few days. England remains a land where the mythic, the majestic, and the meaningful still converge.

Visit to London

It's been a fantastic week for me. I just finished spending 5 full days in the London area. Last Sunday I left home and flew into the UK (landing on Monday morning). After checking in to my hotel, I walked around London to get my bearings. I visited the British Museum and then visited Freemasons' Hall. It is a beautiful building, especially the Shrine and Grand Temple.

 

On Tuesday, I visited Tower Bridge, the Tower of London (and the Crown Jewels), the London Mithraeum, Mercer's Hall (just a quick picture), St. Paul's Cathedral (and yes I climbed all 500+ steps to the top), and then stopped by the plaque marking where the first Grand Lodge was established in 1717. It was an exhausting day, but I saw a lot; I probably did 2,000 steps just to climb stairs.

 

  

Wednesday morning I toured Temple Church. I could've spent all day in there, but once I had seen as much as I could I made my way over to Freemasons' Hall to attend the Provincial Grand Chapter and Provincial Grand Lodge of Surrey. I found it fascinating to watch the ceremonies of British Royal Arch and Craft Masonry. I was blown away by the fact that over 900 Brothers attended the Provincial Grand Lodge meeting.

 

Thursday morning and afternoon were a time of recovery and relaxation; I was also troubleshooting my phone before I realized there was an International Coverage Outage for Verizon and other carriers (Thanks Syniverse). Thursday night I was conducted through the Trial of Corax in Britannia Legion No. 1 of the Mysteries of Mithras. Afterward, we retired to the dining room and had a great meal. There were also toasts and a lot of socializing. I talked with Brothers from all over the world.

Friday I walked around Buckingham Palace (it's not open for tours until July), St. James Park, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and Parliament,  Trafalgar Square, and St. James Palace. I then found a nice pub to have a meal and beer before returning to my hotel to get ready for my flight home. I want to thank the English Brothers for all of their hospitality.

  

My flight from London to the US was enjoyable. It was the last flight for a Captain who had flown for nearly 36 years.