Santa Maria Capua Vetere Mithraeum, Underground Roman temple in Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Italy.
The Santa Maria Capua Vetere Mithraeum is an underground Roman temple located beneath the streets of Santa Maria Capua Vetere, in the Campania region of southern Italy. The chamber has a barrel-vaulted ceiling painted with green and red six-pointed stars, and two parallel stone benches run along both side walls.
The temple was built in the 2nd century and served as a gathering place for followers of the Mithras cult, who met in secret underground spaces. When archaeologists uncovered it in 1922, much of the painted decoration and the stone furniture were still in place.
The name comes from Mithras, a deity especially popular among Roman soldiers and craftsmen. Visitors today can still see the two long stone benches along the walls where worshippers sat side by side during ritual meals.
The site sits underground, with low ceilings and narrow passages, so sturdy footwear and a careful step are recommended throughout the visit. Checking opening hours ahead of time is a good idea, as access can be limited, and a guided visit helps make sense of the painted walls and overall layout.
Small fragments of blue glass found on the floor suggest that strings of colored glass beads once hung alongside the painted stars on the ceiling. This detail points to a level of decoration that goes well beyond what the bare stone surfaces visible today might suggest.
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