The Mysteries of Mithra Hardcover – August 18, 2008

A great academic coverage of this early religion. Great for general knowledge and for research puposes. Well footnoted and documented. One needs to focus when reading it, but it is easily understood. Highly recommend it to scholars and anyone who is interested in the evolution of religion thrpughout the world.

This is still an authoritative book in this mysterious oriental religion that drew on many aspects of Christianity. Although more recent research may have eclipsed some of Cumont's findings and statements, it is a good overview of Mithraism. Read this book to get up to speed on the "Cattle thief" god whom many Roman legionaries followed in the 2nd-5th centuries.

Reviewers say Cumont's work is the bedrock standard on understanding Mithraism. I found this book helpful, but a little out of date. I found Payam Nabarz's book more readable and informative. But I do appreciate the background I got from reading Cumont first.

Great content; however, this book was translated from another language. Therefore, it is very difficult to understand the idioms and syntax used throughout.

Have a collection of items from this religion of Roman soldiers and Senators. Adds lots of interesting facts.

Cumont's work is generally considered to be the quintessential work on the Mithraic cult. His book presents a well researched and easily readably description of this religion. Mostly he focuses upon how the religion was spread in the Roman Empire, where it originated and some of its basic dogmas. However, if you are looking for a description of the secret initiation rituals you will have to look elsewhere. While he does mention these rituals in brief, there is no extensive description or analysis on them.

Before Christianity and a power that threatened it.

The title did not match the content of the book. The book continued to point out the same few points repetitively. The only "facts" used to postulate about the religion was the discussions about artifacts. The book was written by a fervent Christian who felt his religion was vastly superior to that of Mithra. It failed to make the comparisons between the two religions that is commonly known and was known at the time. Although this was the "standard" book for many years on the subject of the Mysteries of Mithra, it is useless to use for any serious modern academic study of the subject matter.

Very good and I would buy again. I am interested in the subject and met my requirements, a good read.

Cumont “The Mysteries of Mythra”I knew before buying this book that, although it had held sway among scholars for a century, it was no longer thought to be authoritative. However I was disappointed that there was not more of the archaeological evidence here, even though this is the more popularist version of his work. I was expecting loads! However what I find is a very sparse level of archaeological evidence and the text is very little connected with it! Even the “descriptions” of the few finds shown are at a level of unwarranted and unconscious interpretation. There is no dispassionate examination of the evidence here, Cumont has already interpreted even before he has thought.And then what of the main thesis. The virtual identity of “Mithraism” with “Mazdaism”? One might as well say that I am a Magus on the evidence of my habits of twice daily walks with my dogs! Let me explain (something which Cumont rarely does!).In winter, as today, we hunt the Sun and it’s ‘divine’ warmth. In the morning always walking the hill tops where the Sun has already cast its strength. In the evening, when the Sun has warmed the valley and perhaps dried up the mud we may delve into the fruits of the Sun, the abundant vegetation growing in the valley.In summer we have a very different pattern. The Sun has banished the mud and is in danger of flying too close to the earth and scorching it up! We hunt the shadows of the Olive, always recognizing in fearful respect the power of the Sun and his ineffable greatness! We only dare a walk on the hills in the freshness of the morning.Is it not absolutely clear from what I have written that we are Sun worshippers and that I am in a direct line from Mithras, Apollo, Shamash etc. right back to the Zoroastrian Magi and beyond! You could reconstruct a whole theology and ritual based on what I have described which would have just as much evidence and logic as what Cumont has written! In fact this theology of the Sun worshipping Magus and his four dog acolytes would have MORE scholarly justification than Cumont!As a former teacher I can say that I have rarely seen such LACK of reasoned scholarship except in the essays of school children. But what astounds me more is all those “Scholars” who for a century accepted this load of drivel and described it as good scholarship! Is this not a huge testament to their lack of scholarship too!!!Truly disappointing! I had hoped that, despite known weaknesses, I could learn something from this book. However in fact due to the fact that his prejudices and assumptions are only sometimes declared ( “…the Magi…”, “…like Mazdaism…”) and his evidence is equally rarely declared, it is actually rather difficult to sift ANY truth from amidst the tatters!Oh and I haven’t yet mentioned his rather obnoxious Christian Bias. Didn’t the Christians persecute and destroy Mithraism enough back then? What we have here is just more of the same. The continued destruction and obfuscation of Mithraism under the guise of “Scholarship”!

Excelente contenido sobre la religión de Mithra, muy completa y se queda uno con un panorama y apreciación de lo que pudo haber sido la religión que quizá seguiríamos profesando los que ahora somos cristianos católicos.

Great work. A sumary of the author's research. Certainly, Mithra was an insporation for the creation of the Gospels.

A trip into a little known episode of cultural and religious evolution. Very popular then it influenced christianity in several aspects