Re: About the claim that the Mithran cult influenced Paul...
Posted: Sun Dec 25, 2022 6:56 am
Link to a cult image: Mithraeum of Dura-Europos:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... -large.jpg
Click on image to enlarge image in order to see the Greek dedicatory inscription and the seven balls between the bull's front hooves.
"The Greek dedicatory inscription reads: "For the god Mithras, made by Zenobios, who is also called Eiaebas, son of Yaribol, strategos of the archers, in the year 482 (170-171 AD)". To the right of the bull there are spectators, which otherwise is not documented for tauroctony scenes. Three of the viewers have captions. The largest figure, on the far right, is Zenobius, the donor of the relief. The other two characters are Jariboles and Barnaadath. Another peculiarity of the relief are seven balls between the bull's front hooves. The interpretation is uncertain, but the Iranian worldview divides the world into seven continents. So the representation of these seven parts of the world may be an allusion to Mithras, Lord of the whole world."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithraeum_of_Dura-Europos
Click to enlarge image to see the Greek dedicatory inscription and the seven balls between the bull's front hooves.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... -large.jpg
Click on image to enlarge image in order to see the Greek dedicatory inscription and the seven balls between the bull's front hooves.
"The Greek dedicatory inscription reads: "For the god Mithras, made by Zenobios, who is also called Eiaebas, son of Yaribol, strategos of the archers, in the year 482 (170-171 AD)". To the right of the bull there are spectators, which otherwise is not documented for tauroctony scenes. Three of the viewers have captions. The largest figure, on the far right, is Zenobius, the donor of the relief. The other two characters are Jariboles and Barnaadath. Another peculiarity of the relief are seven balls between the bull's front hooves. The interpretation is uncertain, but the Iranian worldview divides the world into seven continents. So the representation of these seven parts of the world may be an allusion to Mithras, Lord of the whole world."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithraeum_of_Dura-Europos
Click to enlarge image to see the Greek dedicatory inscription and the seven balls between the bull's front hooves.