The Mystery of Mithras: A Pagan Christmas?
The Ancients24 Dec 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.

Avsnitt(599)

The Birth of Indo-European

The Birth of Indo-European

From the steppes of prehistoric Eurasia to the languages we speak today, the story of Indo-European is one of ancient roots and global impact. But what exactly is Indo-European? Who spoke it? And how ...

24 Apr 202542min

The Praetorian Guard: Rise to Power

The Praetorian Guard: Rise to Power

From Gladiator to Rome Total War to I, Claudius, today the Cohortēs praetōriae are one of the most distinctive military units of Imperial Rome. It was their job to protect the Roman Emperor and his ho...

20 Apr 20251h 5min

John the Baptist

John the Baptist

From the wilderness of ancient Judea to the pages of the New Testament, John the Baptist is one of the most compelling and mysterious figures in biblical history. But who really was he? What was his m...

17 Apr 202555min

Cassandra: Priestess of Troy

Cassandra: Priestess of Troy

*This episode discusses sexual assault*Cursed by Apollo to always speak the truth but never be believed; what makes Cassandra's story so timeless and compelling?Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr Emily Ha...

13 Apr 202545min

The Great Jewish Revolt

The Great Jewish Revolt

70 AD. Tens of thousands of Roman troops surround Jerusalem. What follows is one of the most brutal sieges in ancient history—and the dramatic climax of the Great Jewish Revolt.In this episode of The ...

10 Apr 202553min

Rise of Humans

Rise of Humans

How did we go from ancient apes to the dominant species on Earth? The story of human evolution is one of survival, adaptation, and extinction - stretching back 7 million years.In this episode of The A...

6 Apr 202558min

Herculaneum

Herculaneum

In 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius unleashed devastation on the Roman world, burying entire towns beneath volcanic ash. While Pompeii is world-famous, another extraordinary site met the same fate - Herculaneum....

3 Apr 20251h 3min

Prehistoric Nigeria: The Nok

Prehistoric Nigeria: The Nok

In the heart of ancient Nigeria, a mysterious civilisation flourished - known today only through archaeology. The Nok Culture, symbolised by its striking terracotta figurines, remains one of Africa’s ...

30 Mars 202554min

Populärt inom Historia

motiv
massmordarpodden
historiska-brott
p3-historia
olosta-mord
historiepodden-se
historianu-med-urban-lindstedt
rss-brottsligt
rss-massmordarpodden
rss-seriemordarpodden
konspirationsteorier
nu-blir-det-historia
rss-historien-om
krigshistoriepodden
podme-bio-4
militarhistoriepodden
vetenskapsradion-historia
harrisons-dramatiska-historia
palmemordet
rss-arkiv-stieg