Mysterious ancient altar found in Roman fort (In England)

Discovery ^ | Rossella Lorenzi

[decimon]

This 1.5-ton, four-foot high carved stone relic shows a godlike figure standing on a bull, with a thunderbolt in one hand and a battle axe in the other. It is a representation of the Anatolian god Juppiter of Doliche, which was believed to be a favorite deity among Roman soldiers.

A massive altar dedicated to an eastern cult deity has emerged during excavations of a Roman fort in northern England.

Weighing 1.5 tons, the four-foot high ornately carved stone relic, was unearthed at the Roman fort of Vindolanda, which was built by order of the Emperor Hadrian between 122-30 A.D.

The Romans built the defensive wall across the north of Britain from Carlisle to Newcastle-on-Tyne, to keep out invading armies from what is now Scotland.

[decimon]

Ante-Semitic ping.

[squarebarb]

Anatolian god Juppiter?

Sorry, Jupiter was a Roman god. And he could spell it right I imagine.

Unless the writer means Ppluto.Or Ppan.

At any rate it is probably Mithras who was the soldier’s diety and was concerned with bulls.

[theFIRMbss]

>The Romans built the defensive wall across the north of Britain ... to keep out invading armies from what is now Scotland

The Scotts aren't bad when they're not painting themselves like the Blue Man group . . .

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

Anatolian god Juppiter?

Sorry, Jupiter was a Roman god. And he could spell it right I imagine.

No, the identification is correct (though you're rght, the name is spelled wrong, by our typical English standard). "Jupiter of Doliche" indicates that this god was a local syncretisation of an Anatolian god with Jupiter, in much the same way that Zeus/Jupiter would be syncretised with any other Eastern god. The battle axe symbol probably does indicate some syncretism with Mithraic concepts, though the lack of the Phrygian cap would seem to suggest that this figure is not Mithra himself.

[decimon]

The Scotts aren't bad

When the Scotts are Scots and hott.

[decimon]

Sorry, Jupiter was a Roman god. And he could spell it right I imagine.

Unless the writer means Ppluto.Or Ppan.

Nitppicking.

[blam]

"The Scotts aren't bad
when they're not painting themselves
like the Blue Man group . . ."

They didn't wear kilts when the Romans were there.

[Focault's Pendulum]

the lack of the Phrygian cap would seem to suggest that this figure is not Mithra himself.

That was my first thought.

Mithras was a soldier's god during Roman times. It was also speculated that the historical Arthur (Arturo the Bear, yes he did exist) was a follower of Mithras.

[theFIRMbss]

>They didn't wear kilts when the Romans were there

Anachronisms ... Don't harsh my mellow. Bet the go-go boots miss, too.

[Sudetenland]

I thought Mithras was that funny character in Babylon 5 who had a brother named Mithras. :)

[Focault's Pendulum]

I thought Mithras was that funny character in Babylon 5

A descendant thrice removed.

[ottbmare]

I dunno, did Mithras have to wear a cap? The standing-on-bull thing tempts one to believe this might have been a depiction of Mithras.

[blam]

" Bet the go-go boots miss, too. "

Yup, ha, ha.

Mel Gibson was historicaly incorrect by wearing a kilt in the movie 'Braveheart' too, but he knew it. Kilts came after the William Wallace period.

[theFIRMbss]

>Mithras was a soldier's god during Roman times. It was also speculated that the historical Arthur (Arturo the Bear, yes he did exist) was a follower of Mithras

Mithraism was
popular I've read among
Roman versions of

upper middle-class
soldiers, traders, craftsmen and
some of the elite.

Does anyone know
if conspiracy types think
the cult has survived

in the modern world?
I've looked around the net and
don't see many links.

[Terabitten]

Some folks think it survived, minus the bull, in Christianity.

There are certainly some parallels.

[Ladycalif]

ping for later

[theFIRMbss]

>Does anyone know if conspiracy types think the cult has survived in the modern world?

The reason I ask
is the phrase "Sol Invictus"
is linked to Mithras.

Of course "Invictus"
was Timothy McVeigh's choice
for his "final words" . . .

[akorahil]

Is there any one
reason that you wish to use
haikus for your posts?

[Andyman]

“I’m Larry, and this is my brother Mithras and my other brother Mithras.”