Mithraea

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A mithraeum is an ancient Roman temple dedicated to the deity Mithras, typically featuring an underground chamber used for religious rites and gatherings
2. The structure known as a mithraeum served as a sacred space for followers of Mithras, often incorporating altars and elaborate frescoes within
3. Within a mithraeum, worshippers participated in rituals honoring Mithras, marking it as an important site for the mystery religion of Mithraism during the Roman Empire

Etymology: Mithraea is the plural of "mithraeum", a term coined in the 19th century by combining the name of the god Mithras with the Latin suffix "-eum", which was used to form nouns naming places or buildings. The god himself was worshipped across the Roman Empire, and the temples built for him were often cut into hillsides or built partly underground, which is why the Latin-style label fits them so neatly. The name was a modern invention rather than something ancient worshippers used. Roman sources describe the sanctuaries and the rites performed in them, but the word "mithraeum" was given to these buildings by scholars studying the remains. Its plural follows the regular Latin pattern, with "-eum" becoming "-ea" in the plural, so scholars speak of several mithraea in the way they would discuss several temples.