Editing Mithraism (section)

===Birth from a rock===
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 | image1 = MitraRisingfromtherockMNIR.JPG
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 | caption1 = Mithras rising from the rock ([[National Museum of Romanian History]])
 | image2 = Mithras petra genetrix Terme.jpg 
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 | caption2 = Mithras born from the rock ({{circa|186}}&nbsp;CE; [[Baths of Diocletian]])
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Mithras is depicted as being born from a rock. He is often shown as emerging from a rock, already in his youth,  with a dagger in one hand and a torch in the other. He is nude, standing with his legs together, and is wearing a Phrygian cap.<ref name=Vermaseren-1951-birth/>

In some variations, he is shown coming out of the rock as a child, and in one holds a globe in one hand; sometimes a thunderbolt is seen. There are also depictions in which flames are shooting from the rock and also from Mithras' cap. One statue had its base perforated so that it could serve as a fountain, and the base of another has the mask of a water god. Sometimes Mithras also has other weapons such as bows and arrows, and there are also animals such as dogs, serpents, [[dolphin]]s, eagles, other birds, lions, crocodiles, [[lobster]]s and snails around. On some reliefs, there is a bearded figure identified as the water god [[Oceanus]], and on some there are the gods of the four winds. In these reliefs, the four elements could be invoked together. Sometimes Victoria, [[Selene|Luna]], [[Sol Invictus|Sol]], and [[Saturn (mythology)|Saturn]] also seem to play a role. Saturn in particular is often seen handing over the dagger or short sword to Mithras, used later in the tauroctony.<ref name=Vermaseren-1951-birth/>

In some depictions, Cautes and Cautopates are also present; sometimes they are depicted as shepherds.<ref>{{cite book |last=Vermaseren |first=M.J. |year=1951 |editor-first=László |editor-last=Gerevich |title=Studia Archaeologica |publisher=Brill |page=108 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HQ0VAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA93 |access-date=4 October 2011}}</ref>

On some occasions, an [[amphora]] is seen, and a few instances show variations like an egg birth or a tree birth. Some interpretations show that the birth of Mithras was celebrated by lighting torches or candles.<ref name=Vermaseren-1951-birth>{{cite book |last=Vermaseren |first=M.J.|year=1951 |chapter=The miraculous birth of Mithras |editor-first=László |editor-last=Gerevich |title=Studia Archaeologica |publisher=Brill |pages=93–109 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HQ0VAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA93 |access-date=4 October 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Commodian |title=Instructiones |at=1.13 |quote=The unconquered one was born from a rock, if he is regarded as a god.}}<br/>''See also'' the image of "Mithras petra genetrix Terme", inset above.</ref>