The Mystery of Mithras: A Pagan Christmas?
The Ancients24 Des 2020

The Mystery of Mithras: A Pagan Christmas?

The clichéd Christmas: white snow, hot fires, mulled wine and a feast. This might not be the case were the holiday not to fall on 25 December and, although many things have been missed in 2020, the usual questions of whether this is the right date arrived reliably on time. So, for this episode, Tristan spoke to Professor Matthew McCarty to find out whether Christmas Day was really placed in December to supplant non-Christian worship, in particular that of Mithras. Matthew is Assistant Professor of Roman Archaeology at the University of British Columbia. He has been directing the field excavation of a mithraeum in Apulum (Romania), the first scientifically excavated mithraeum in the province of Dacia. In this festive episode, he shares his insight into the social dynamics of ritual practices in the sanctuary at Apulum and elsewhere.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episoder(597)

The Romans and India with William Dalrymple

The Romans and India with William Dalrymple

Ancient India was the single greatest trading partner of the Roman Empire. For centuries, Indian sailors navigated the Indian Ocean and Red Sea to bring goods, ideas and religious beliefs to the Greco...

5 Sep 202448min

Battle of Teutoburg Forest: The Roman Invasion

Battle of Teutoburg Forest: The Roman Invasion

Tristan Hughes travels to the site of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, one of the most epic defeats of the Roman army when an alliance of Germanic peoples ambushed three Roman legions.Across two ep...

1 Sep 202441min

Petra: Ancient Wonder of the World

Petra: Ancient Wonder of the World

Despite being one of the most visited historic spots on the planet today, Petra was once a so-called ‘lost city,’ hidden from western eyes in a vast desert landscape for hundreds of years.What is the ...

29 Aug 202444min

The Sirens

The Sirens

The word 'Sirens' conjures up many images, possibly of beautiful mermaid-like creatures luring sailors to their watery deaths. These ancient Greek mythical creatures, linked to the Queen of the Underw...

25 Aug 202439min

Origins of Beer

Origins of Beer

It's one of the most popular alcoholic drinks in the world. But did you know that beer is also one of the world's oldest beverages, with a history that stretches back more than 10,000 years. Beer was ...

22 Aug 202444min

The First Cats

The First Cats

Cats! These much loved furry friends have brightened people’s lives for millenia. And it was the same in ancient times. They were pets. They were pest control against rats. They were even in some case...

18 Aug 202436min

The Parthenon: Wonder of Athens

The Parthenon: Wonder of Athens

It is the most famous monument of ancient Greece. Its remains standing tall above modern Athens today, more than 2,000 years old. The Parthenon. A temple, treasury, the residence of a powerful general...

15 Aug 202458min

Mycenae: Cradle of Bronze Age Greece

Mycenae: Cradle of Bronze Age Greece

Overlooking the Argolid Plain in the eastern Peloponnese, Mycenae was once the envy of the Mediterranean world. It rose to prominence in the late Bronze Age, centuries before the great Greek states of...

11 Aug 202452min

Populært innen Historie

rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
henrettelsespodden
rss-historiske-romanser
rss-katastrofe
historier-som-endret-norge
rss-nadelose-nordmenn-gestapo
rss-benadet
sektledere
historier-som-endret-verden
aftenposten-historie
rss-frontkjemperne
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
rss-gamle-greier
med-egne-oyne
vare-historier
sannhet-eller-konspirasjon
undersattene
historiepodden-ww2
rss-alt-var-bedre-for
historiepodden