Editing Mithraism (section)

===Mithras before the Roman Mysteries===
[[File:Mithra&Antiochus.jpg|thumb|Mithras-Helios, with solar rays and in Iranian dress,<ref name=Grenet-2016-EncIranica/> with Antiochus&nbsp;I of [[Commagene]]. ([[Mount Nemrut|Mt.&nbsp;Nemrut]], 1st&nbsp;century BCE)]]
[[File:Taq-e Bostan - High-relief of Ardeshir II investiture.jpg|thumb|[[Coronation of Ardashir II|4th-century relief of the investiture]] of the [[Sasanian Empire|Sasanian]] king {{nobr|[[Ardashir II]]}}. [[Mithra]] stands on a [[Lotus Flower]] on the left holding a [[Barsom]].<ref name=Grenet-2016-EncIranica>
{{cite encyclopedia
 |first=Franz |last=Grenet
 |year=2016
 |title=Mithra&nbsp;(ii). Iconography in Iran and Central Asia
 |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Iranica]]
 |edition=online
 |url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/mithra-2-iconography-in-iran-and-central-asia
 |access-date=19 May 2016
}}
</ref>]]

According to the archaeologist Maarten Vermaseren, evidence from [[Commagene]] from the 1st century BCE demonstrates the "reverence paid to Mithras" but does not refer to "the mysteries".{{efn|
Other early evidence of the first decades [[BCE]] refers only to the reverence paid to Mithras without mentioning the mysteries: examples which may be quoted are the tomb inscriptions of King Antiochus&nbsp;I of Commagene at Nemrud Dagh, and of his father Mithridates at Arsameia on the Orontes. Both the kings had erected on vast terraces a number of colossal statues seated on thrones to the honour of their ancestral gods. At Nemrud we find in their midst King Antiochus (69–34&nbsp;BCE) and in the inscription Mithras is {{nobr|mentioned ... — Vermaseren (1963)<ref>
{{cite book
 |last=Vermaseren |first=M.J.
 |year=1963
 |title=Mithras: the Secret God
 |location=London, UK
 |publisher=Chatto and Windus
 |page=29
}}
</ref>}}
}}
In the colossal statuary erected by King [[Antiochus I of Commagene|Antiochus&nbsp;I]] (69–34&nbsp;BCE) at [[Mount Nemrut]], Mithras is shown beardless, wearing a [[Phrygian cap]]<ref name="hopfe-5"/><ref name="CIMRM 29">
{{cite book
 |last=Vermaseren |first=M.J. <!--Maarten Jozef-->
 |year=1956
 |title=Corpus inscriptionum et monumentorum religionis mithriacae
 |location=The Hague
 |publisher=Martinus Nijhoff
 |id=CIMRM&nbsp;29
 |quote=Head of a beardless Mithras in Phrygian cap, point of which is missing.
}}
</ref>
(or the similar headdress – a Persian [[tiara]]), in [[Iranian clothing|Iranian]] (Parthian) clothing,<ref name=Grenet-2016-EncIranica/> and was originally seated on a throne alongside other deities and the king himself.<ref>
{{cite book
 |last=Vermaseren |first=M.J.<!--Maarten Jozef-->
 |year=1956
 |title=Corpus inscriptionum et monumentorum religionis mithriacae
 |location=The Hague
 |publisher=Martinus Nijhoff
 |id=CIMRM 28
 |quote=The gods are represented in a sitting position on a throne and are: ''Apollo-Mithras'' (see below); ''Tyche-Commagene''; ''Zeus-Ahura-Mazda''; Antiochus himself and finally ''Ares-Artagnes''.
}}
</ref>
On the back of the thrones there is an inscription in Greek, which includes the compound name ''Apollo-Mithras-Helios'' in the genitive case (''Ἀπόλλωνος Μίθρου Ἡλίου'').<ref>
{{cite book
 |last=Vermaseren |first=M.J. <!--Maarten Jozef-->
 |year=1956
 |title=Corpus inscriptionum et monumentorum religionis mithriacae
 |location=The Hague
 |publisher=Martinus Nijhoff
 |id=CIMRM&nbsp;32, verse&nbsp;55
}}
</ref>
Vermaseren also reports about a Mithras cult in Fayum in the 3rd&nbsp;century BCE
<ref name=Barnett-1975>
{{cite conference
 |last=Barnett |first=R.D.
 |title=[no title cited]
 |editor=Hinnells, John R.
 |publication-date=1975
 |book-title=Mithraic Studies
 |conference=International Congress of Mithraic Studies
 |place=Manchester, UK
 |publisher=Manchester University Press
 |volume=II |pages=467–468
}}
</ref>{{rp|style=ama|p= 467}}
R.D.&nbsp;Barnett has argued that the royal seal of King&nbsp;Saussatar of the [[Mitanni]] from {{circa|1450&nbsp;BCE}} depicts a tauroctonous Mithras.{{efn|
"I ... see these figures or some of them in the impression of the remarkable royal seal of King Saussatar of Mitanni ({{circa|1450&nbsp;BCE}} great-great-grandfather of Kurtiwaza), the only royal Mitannian seal that we possess ... Mithra-''tauroctonos'', characteristically kneeling on the bull to despatch it. We can even see also the dog and snake ... below him are twin figures, one marked by a star, each fighting lions ... below a winged disc between lions and ravens, stands a winged, human-headed lion,&nbsp;..."<ref name=Barnett-1975/>{{rp|style=ama|pp= 467–468}}
}}