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 near the Campanian Amphitheatre. A stairway leads to a narrow vestibule; on the right an arch opens into the apparitorium, on the left into a rectangular chamber about 12 metres long and 3 metres wide, with a barrel vault and skylights. Stone benches line the walls, and at the far end an altar stands before the Tauroctony fresco. The vault is painted yellow with green and red six-pointed stars, each centred on a piece of shiny glass paste.
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.
The barrel vault was painted yellow with many green and red stars, each with a shiny glass-paste centre that likely mimicked a starry sky by torchlight. Archaeologists have also found strange marks on the walls that remain undeciphered.
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