FF:RLMgB066 Mithraism - Course Information

RLMgB066 Mithraism

The course is not taught in Spring 2025

Extent and Intensity

1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).

Teacher(s)

Mgr. Aleš Chalupa, Ph.D. (lecturer)

Guaranteed by

Mgr. Aleš Chalupa, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Matouš Vencálek
Supplier department: Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts

Prerequisites (in Czech)

! RLB66 Mithraism

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

• Study of Religions (programme FF, N-RL_) (3)

Course objectives

The 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, soteriology etc.), 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.

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, students will be able to:

reproduce the elementary facts about Mithraism;

summarize the history of its study during the 20th century and major trends at the beginning of 21st century;

critically interpret the most important literary sources and archeological findings;

understand the position of Mithraism among other religious traditions of the Late Antiquity.

Syllabus

• Introductory lecture
• Mithraism and Its Role in the Religious World of the Late Antiquity
• Origins of Mithraism: A Problem of Continuity I
• Origins of Mithraism: A Problem of Continuity II
• Mithraeum
• Iconography of the Cult
• Astrological Interpretations of Mithraism
• Mithraic Initiatory Grades
• Mithraic Ideology and Ritual I
• Mithraic Ideology and Ritual II
• Social Structure of Mithraism
• Mithraism and Christianity
• Final Discussion

Literature

required literature
• 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

recommended 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. 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

Teaching methods

The course consists of lectures and seminar discussions based on home preparation in the form of obligatory reading.

Assessment methods

Conditions for the successful completion of the course:
- In time submission of two position papers (20%)
- Active participation in the final seminar discussion (20%)
- Preparation and in time submission of a semestral paper on a chosen topic (60%)

Language of instruction

Czech

Further comments (probably available only in Czech)

The course is taught once in two years.
The course is taught: every week.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Zápis mimo religionistiku je podmíněn souhlasem vyučujícího.

• Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  
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