Konjic Mithraeum

Konjički mitrej
Location of Konjic in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the temple is found
Alternative name	Konjički Mithraeum
Location	Repovica Hill, Konjic
Region	Herzegovina-Neretva Canton
Coordinates	43°39′41″N 17°57′53″E / 43.6614648°N 17.964752°E / 43.6614648; 17.964752
Type	Temple, sanctuary
Length	around 9 metres (30 ft)
Width	around 5 metres (16 ft)
Height	floor level is at ground level
History
Founded	early 4th century AD
Abandoned	Not known
Periods	Roman Imperial
Site notes
Excavation dates	January 1897
Archaeologists	Karlo Patsch
Ownership	Public

The Konjic Mithraeum, or Konjički Mithraeum (Serbo-Croatian: Konjički mitrej), is a Mithraeum, a temple dedicated to God of the Sun, Mithra, discovered in Konjic, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

History

The mithraeum in Konjic was a temple dedicated to God of the Sun, Mithra. The god was worshiped and cult of Mithraism spread to other parts of Roman Empire, throughout the Mediterranean basin, by slaves and merchants from the Orient, and by Roman soldiers who came into contact with the followers of the cult in the East.^[1][2][3]

Discovery and protection

The remains of the Mithraeum in Konjic were discovered January 1897. The Konjic site is atypical as its floor level is at ground level. This means that temple main characteristic is absence of cave, hollow ground or even constructed spelaea. The Mithraism followers sought as a norm to found their places of worship in caves, whereas in absence of such topographical features they would excavate the soil, where the terrain permitted, and built small single-celled temple, known as spelaea, to reinforce the impression of a cave. However, in case of Konjic, temple was established on open ground, and only protection and seclusion was provided by dense forest, which disappeared by times of its discovery.^[3]