RLB66 Mithraism

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2016
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Aleš Chalupa, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. David Zbíral, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Šárka Londa Vondráčková
Supplier department: Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
each even Thursday 12:30–14:05 K23
Prerequisites (in Czech)
Základní orientace v antických náboženstvích, dějinách antického světa a znalost religionistické terminologie. Vzhledem k téměř naprosté neexistenci odborné literatury na dané téma v českém jazyce je rovněž doporučena znalost anglického (případně německého) jazyka.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The primary objective of this course is to provide students with a comprehensive introduction into many historical, social and cultural aspects of Mithraism. Besides basic elements of Mithraism (cult’s architecture, iconography, inner structure, ritual or soteriology etc.), the attention will be also paid to the broader role of Mithraism in the religious and social world of the Late Antiquity. Various methodological concerns connected with the study of this religious cult will be also taken into account, e.g. the questionability of supposed continuity of Mithraism with Persian religious tradition, complications following from interpretation of archaeological sources without the corroboratory support of ancient literary texts, the implausibility of many astrological interpretations of Mithraic iconography and ideology etc.
At the end of this course, students should:
- know elementary facts about Mithraism
- know the history of its study during the 20th century and major trends at the beginning of 21st century
- be able to critically interpret our most important literary sources and archeological discoveries
- know and understand the position of Mithraism among other religious traditions of the Late Antiquity
Syllabus
  • 0. Introductory lecture; 1. Mithraism and Its Role in the Religious World of the Late Antiquity; 2. Origins of Mithraism: A Problem of Continuity I.; 3. Origins of Mithraism: A Problem of Continuity II. 4. Mithraeum; 5. Iconography of the Cult; 6. Astrological Interpretations of Mithraism; 7. Mithraic Initiatory Grades; 8. Mithraic Ideology and Ritual I.; 9. Mithraic Ideology and Ritual II.; 10. Social Structure of Mithraism; 11. Mithraism and Christianity; 12. Final Discussion
Literature
  • Roger Beck, The Religion of the Mithras Cult in the Roman Empire: Mysteries of the Unconquered Sun . Oxford: Oxford University Press 2006.
  • TURCAN, Robert. Mithra a mithraismus. Praha: Vyšehrad, 2004. ISBN 80-7021-708-1. info
  • CLAUSS, Manfred. The Roman Cult of Mithras: The God and His Mysteries. Edinburgh, 2000. ISBN 0-7486-1396-X. info
  • TURCAN, Robert. The cults of the Roman Empire. Translated by Antonia Nevill. Oxford: Blackwell, 1996, xiii, 399. ISBN 0-631-20047-9. info
  • BURKERT, Walter. Ancient mystery cults. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1987, ix, 181 s. ISBN 0-674-03387-6. info
Assessment methods
Contents of the semester:
Lectures and class discussions. Reading of texts concerning themes of individual lectures is required.
Completion pre-requisites:
general condition: sufficent attendence of lectures and seminars (at least 9 from 12). a) students of the Study of Religion: submission of a semestral paper + successful completion of colloquium (discussion about a semestral paper; examination of factual and interpretative knowledge of Mithraism); b) students of subjects other than the Study of Religions: successful completion of colloquium (examination of the factual and interpretative knowledge of Mithraism)
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught once in two years.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Zápis mimo religionistiku je podmíněn souhlasem vyučujícího.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2006, Spring 2007, Autumn 2007, Spring 2009, Spring 2012, Spring 2018, Autumn 2020.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2016, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2016/RLB66