Israel Campos | Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (original) (raw)

Papers by Israel Campos

Research paper thumbnail of Initiatur in spelaeo: A Review of Ancient Terminology for Mithraic Cultic Spaces

Philologia Classica, 2023

The most common word accepted in Mithraic historiography to refer to places of worship is "Mithra... more The most common word accepted in Mithraic historiography to refer to places of worship is "Mithraeum". The historical sources, however, offer us a multitude of terms that diverge from this expression which could be evoking different realities and could be referring to other kind of cultic spaces. In this paper, we have collected all the mentions supported in the epigraphy and literary sources, to have a complete vision of all these terms. With these testimonies, we have revised the previous interpretations related to the use of these different names. The variety of them has little to do with location or period. Still, we propose that this terminological variation is related to the consideration that ancient Mithra's followers had with the moment when they erected the cultic space. It is possible to connect the choice of the word "spelaeum" or "templum" with the first idea they had of what must be an "original Mithraic cave" if we consider the meaning of the verbs used by the dedicators in their inscriptions. The validity of this interpretation will allow for a better understanding of the symbolic universe in which the followers of Mithra moved, instead of the common acceptance of the modern word "mithraeum".

Research paper thumbnail of Continuity and Change in the cult of Mithra

After the rejection that Cumont’s hypothesis received, the continuity between the god Mithra wors... more After the rejection that Cumont’s hypothesis received, the continuity between the god Mithra worshipped among the Persians and the god that presided over the Mithraic mysteries, there have been few tries to search the connection between both religious traditions. We offer with this article an approach focus toward this relationship, assisting to special elements that do not offer doubt on their clear western origin and that they played an evident role in the daily Mysteric practice. Starting from there, we make the question: to what extent were the own Roman followers conscious of the Mithra’s connections with the Iranian framework?"

Research paper thumbnail of El culto de Mitra en Hispania Review by Israel Campos

Bryn Mawr Classical Review, 2020

This is a review of the book: J. Alvar, "El culto de Mitra en Hispania", Madrid: Dykinson, 2018.

Research paper thumbnail of Sensory Experiences in the Cybelic Cult: Sound Stimulation through Musical Instruments

SENSORIVM: The Senses in Roman Polytheism

In terms of the specific case investigated in this chapter, mystery cults provide a field of stud... more In terms of the specific case investigated in this chapter, mystery cults provide a field of study that is extraordinarily rich in details relevant to the sensory experiences of participants. The textual, epigraphic, archaeological, and iconographic sources are replete with sensory references. Despite this rich evidential base, this category has not been a historiographical priority in the past. Our intention in the present study is to carry out a first approach to the way in which it is possible to identify the base of this sensory, or rather multi-sensory, experience. In pursuing this goal, we focus on the cult of the goddess Cybele, the mystery cult that was most popular not only throughout the Roman Empire but also in the capital city of Rome itself. The epigraphic and iconographic expressions of the cult of Cybele, as well as ancient testimonies describing both its ritual and liturgical manifestations, allow us to reconstruct a context in which we can identify the specific purpose at work in the sensory stimulation of the devotees: making the experience of encountering the deity possible through corporal transcendence.

Research paper thumbnail of Palabras persas en el mitraísmo: la construcción de una imagen oriental del culto mitraico = Persian Words in Mithraism: The Construction of an Oriental Image of Mithraic Cult

Espacio Tiempo y Forma. Serie II, Historia Antigua, Dec 3, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Vínculos familiares en el contexto mitraico: las inscripciones pro salute

Klio, 2015

ResumenEl mitraísmo está considerado dentro de las religiones orientales practicadas en el Imperi... more ResumenEl mitraísmo está considerado dentro de las religiones orientales practicadas en el Imperio romano, como la que más firmemente mantuvo su rasgo mistérico. Ajeno a manifestaciones externas, desarrolló su culto dentro de los mitreos, excluyendo además a un importante sector de la población romana: las mujeres. A través de los textos epigráficos que vamos a analizar, comprobaremos que esta percepción no es tan monolítica como se piensa, sino que los propios iniciados encontraron mecanismos con lo que hacer una cierta proyección hacia afuera de sus creencias y también encontraron el medio para incluir en sus creencias a sus mujeres, hijos y demás familiares.

Research paper thumbnail of Beck, R. The Religion of the Mithras Cult in the Roman Empire. Mysteries of the Unconquered Sun. Review by: Dr. Israel Campos Méndez

The professional career of R. Beck in the study of Mithraism is long and quite prolific. In fact,... more The professional career of R. Beck in the study of Mithraism is long and quite prolific. In fact, R. Beck along with the three other scholars to whom this book is dedicated (R. Gordon, J. Hinnells and L. Martin) are among the main contributors to the progress in the understanding of the cult of Mithra achieved in the second half of the twentieth century, after the seminal works of F. Cumont and M.J. Vermaseren. This book should be read in the context of R. Beck's maturity and his ability to perform an overall interpretation of Mithraism in order to offer several interesting developments on some of the most obscure points of the Mithraic Cult. R. Beck's objective is to redirect the investigation that has been done on the Mithraic Mysteries until now. To do so, the book focuses on two main controversial issues already introduced in previous studies: a) the excessive prominence given to the interpretation of the topic of iconography as a vehicle for the reconstruction of the Mi...

Research paper thumbnail of Las persecuciones religiosas en la Persia Sasánida: la creación de la identidad nacional en torno a la religión zoroastriana

A través de la inscripción del jefe de los magos zoroastrianos Kartir, asistimos a un episodio de... more A través de la inscripción del jefe de los magos zoroastrianos Kartir, asistimos a un episodio de represión religiosa dirigida hacia los demás cultos religiosos presentes en el territorio del Irán antiguo durante los primeros reinados de la dinastía sasánida. __________________________________... the reading of the inscription of the chief of the Zoroastrian magicians Kartir, we are present at an episode of religious repression directed to other religious cults present in the territory of the ancient Iran during the first reigns of the Sassanian dynasty.

Research paper thumbnail of La Razón De Estado en La Política Religiosa De Los Reyes Aqueménidas: ¿Tolerancia O Intolerancia Religiosa? The Reason of State in the Religious Policy of Achaemenid Kings: Religious Tolerance or Intolerance?

RESUMEN Dos palabras podrían englobar la política religiosa que caracterizó al período de más de ... more RESUMEN Dos palabras podrían englobar la política religiosa que caracterizó al período de más de dos siglos que supuso el Imperio Aqueménida: tolerancia y utilización partidista. Dentro de lo que parece haber sido una línea programática, los reyes aqueménidas tuvieron una actitud inicial de aceptación de todas las prácticas religiosas que se fueron encontrando a lo largo de sus conquistas territoriales. El panorama religioso del Imperio Aqueménida se encuentra definido en torno a un politeísmo generalizado, en relación directa con el carácter heterogéneo de sus poblaciones y con independencia de la existencia de una religión oficial. La razón y el interés político ocupan, pues, un papel central a la hora de comprender las razones por las cuales no se actuó de forma contundente contra las prácticas rituales de los pueblos que eran sometidos. Palabras clave: Tolerancia religiosa, dinastía aqueménida, Persia. Abstract. Two words would summarize what characterized the religious policy d...

Research paper thumbnail of VICARIOS DE MITRA: Mediadores con lo divino en los misterios mitraicos

Introducción El misterio del Mitraísmo practicado en el Imperio Romano a partir del siglo I de nu... more Introducción El misterio del Mitraísmo practicado en el Imperio Romano a partir del siglo I de nuestra era se mantiene aún vigente en nuestros días, debido de manera principal, a que aún siguen sin poder ser resueltas diferentes incógnitas relacionadas no sólo con su mitraico (mitreos), además de las inscripciones relacionadas con Mitra y las representaciones estatuarias e iconográficas. Los grados mitraicos Una de las especificidades que desde muy temprano llamó la atención de los autores clásicos y que sigue representando un punto de interés en torno al mitraísmo, es la organización interna de sus seguidores en lo que se ha denominado como los grados iniciáticos. El punto de partida para este dato fue la mención que aparece en una carta de San Jerónimo en la que hace referencia a la intervención de un cristiano recién convertido, que en calidad de prefecto de Roma, protagoniza la destrucción de un mitreo: Ante paucos annos propinquus uester Graccus nobilitatem patriciam nomine son...

Research paper thumbnail of Devotees of the invincible god: Mithraists in the Roman Empire (Devotos del dios invencible: mitraistas en el imperio romano)

Ubi Sunt. Revista de Historia, 2015

This paper explains the motivations that led to the Mithraic initiation of a significant number o... more This paper explains the motivations that led to the Mithraic initiation of a significant number of men from the Roman Empire.

Research paper thumbnail of El dios Mitra: análisis de los procesos de adaptación de su culto desde el marco social, político y religioso del Irán antiguo al del Imperio Romano

dialnet.unirioja.es

Sistema abierto de información de revistas publicadas en castellano, documental, subscripciones, ... more Sistema abierto de información de revistas publicadas en castellano, documental, subscripciones, alertas, catálogos, dsis...

Research paper thumbnail of Continuity and Change in the cult of Mithra

Mithras Journal: an academic and religious journal of Greek, Roman and Persian Studies, 2006

ABSTRACT After the rejection that Cumont’s hypothesis received, the continuity between the god Mi... more ABSTRACT After the rejection that Cumont’s hypothesis received, the continuity between the god Mithra worshipped among the Persians and the god that presided over the Mithraic mysteries, there have been few tries to search the connection between both religious traditions. We offer with this article an approach focus toward this relationship, assisting to special elements that do not offer doubt on their clear western origin and that they played an evident role in the daily Mysteric practice. Starting from there, we make the question: to what extent were the own Roman followers conscious of the Mithra’s connections with the Iranian framework?"

Research paper thumbnail of Anahita and Mithra in the Achaemenid royal inscriptions

Research paper thumbnail of "Factors determining the outside projection of the Mithraic Mysteries", in Mithras Journal: an academic and religious journal of Greek, Roman and Persian Studies

ABSTRACT This paper analyses some of the special features in the social composition of those init... more ABSTRACT This paper analyses some of the special features in the social composition of those initiated into the Mithraic mysteries. It also examines how the relationship of the Mithraic Cult with the Roman political power was and how a god of Persian origin could establish this relationship. In the complex and assorted market represented by the religious scene present in the Greek-Roman world of the last Era, any study of what could be the offer made by any new religion to neophytes in trying to get hold of a share of the mentioned market becomes very interesting. That is particularly true if we attend to the fact that these new religions had beaten the initial barriers to entry into society and obstacles long established by the Roman local authorities on the religious practices that came from the East. Regardless of whether the general parameters of the religiousness had changed during the Greek period or not, we want to focus on the main characteristics of Mithraic Cult in order to study in-depth what an individual could find at this time of new religious offerings. Together with the salvation and eternal life promises inherent to other mystery practices developed in the East, it should be also recognized that a strong psychological component contained in the group of ritual practices

Research paper thumbnail of Mujer y gnosis en el cristianismo primitivo

Mujeres en Movimiento I: Historia y Literatura, 2006

Papel de la mujer dentro de las sectas gnósticas del Cristianismo primitivo

Research paper thumbnail of Orígenes de la Iconografía Cristiana

Research paper thumbnail of El dios Mithra en los nombres personales

Aula Orientalis, 2006

El dios Mithra en los nombres personales durante la dinastía persa aqueménida Israel Campos Ménde... more El dios Mithra en los nombres personales durante la dinastía persa aqueménida Israel Campos Méndez – Universidad de Las Palmas de G.C . [The use of divinities to construct personal names is a practice recorded since the beginnings of history. Its verification has been considered to be a sign of expression of the direct nature of the devotion to certain divinities at particular moments and in particular places. Nevertheless, certain provisos should be borne in mind regarding the reliability of the information offered by theophoric names for reconstructing the worship or implantation of a certain divinity. In this paper, we attest to the abundance of mithraphoric names recorded in various written sources from the Achaemenid period, and attempt to relate them to the place that the worship of Mithra might have occupied in Persia in a period in which this divinity was traditionally believed to have been excluded from the official pantheon.] 1. Introducción El testimonio que proporciona l...

Research paper thumbnail of Theophoric names as a matter of faith

Conference: III International Online Conference on the Study of Religions, "Religion and Everyday Life: past, present, future", 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Plutarco y La Religión Persa: El Dios Mitra

En medio del conjunto de testimonios que Plutarco aporta en su prolífica obra en relación con los... more En medio del conjunto de testimonios que Plutarco aporta en su prolífica obra en relación con los persas, su historia, sus gobernantes, sus costumbres y su religión, queremos llamar la atención sobre la individualización que ha recibido una divinidad en muchos de sus escritos. Plutarco supone una fuente relevante para los investigadores modernos que hemos querido ahondar en el conocimiento y estudio del dios persa Mitra. Este hecho es relevante, si tenemos en cuenta que el contexto histórico y geográfico en el que Plutarco escribe le sitúa en un contacto más directo con el modo en el que esta divinidad se instaló en el marco del Imperio romano, conformando lo que se conoce como Misterios Mitraicos o Mitraísmo.

Research paper thumbnail of Initiatur in spelaeo: A Review of Ancient Terminology for Mithraic Cultic Spaces

Philologia Classica, 2023

The most common word accepted in Mithraic historiography to refer to places of worship is "Mithra... more The most common word accepted in Mithraic historiography to refer to places of worship is "Mithraeum". The historical sources, however, offer us a multitude of terms that diverge from this expression which could be evoking different realities and could be referring to other kind of cultic spaces. In this paper, we have collected all the mentions supported in the epigraphy and literary sources, to have a complete vision of all these terms. With these testimonies, we have revised the previous interpretations related to the use of these different names. The variety of them has little to do with location or period. Still, we propose that this terminological variation is related to the consideration that ancient Mithra's followers had with the moment when they erected the cultic space. It is possible to connect the choice of the word "spelaeum" or "templum" with the first idea they had of what must be an "original Mithraic cave" if we consider the meaning of the verbs used by the dedicators in their inscriptions. The validity of this interpretation will allow for a better understanding of the symbolic universe in which the followers of Mithra moved, instead of the common acceptance of the modern word "mithraeum".

Research paper thumbnail of Continuity and Change in the cult of Mithra

After the rejection that Cumont’s hypothesis received, the continuity between the god Mithra wors... more After the rejection that Cumont’s hypothesis received, the continuity between the god Mithra worshipped among the Persians and the god that presided over the Mithraic mysteries, there have been few tries to search the connection between both religious traditions. We offer with this article an approach focus toward this relationship, assisting to special elements that do not offer doubt on their clear western origin and that they played an evident role in the daily Mysteric practice. Starting from there, we make the question: to what extent were the own Roman followers conscious of the Mithra’s connections with the Iranian framework?"

Research paper thumbnail of El culto de Mitra en Hispania Review by Israel Campos

Bryn Mawr Classical Review, 2020

This is a review of the book: J. Alvar, "El culto de Mitra en Hispania", Madrid: Dykinson, 2018.

Research paper thumbnail of Sensory Experiences in the Cybelic Cult: Sound Stimulation through Musical Instruments

SENSORIVM: The Senses in Roman Polytheism

In terms of the specific case investigated in this chapter, mystery cults provide a field of stud... more In terms of the specific case investigated in this chapter, mystery cults provide a field of study that is extraordinarily rich in details relevant to the sensory experiences of participants. The textual, epigraphic, archaeological, and iconographic sources are replete with sensory references. Despite this rich evidential base, this category has not been a historiographical priority in the past. Our intention in the present study is to carry out a first approach to the way in which it is possible to identify the base of this sensory, or rather multi-sensory, experience. In pursuing this goal, we focus on the cult of the goddess Cybele, the mystery cult that was most popular not only throughout the Roman Empire but also in the capital city of Rome itself. The epigraphic and iconographic expressions of the cult of Cybele, as well as ancient testimonies describing both its ritual and liturgical manifestations, allow us to reconstruct a context in which we can identify the specific purpose at work in the sensory stimulation of the devotees: making the experience of encountering the deity possible through corporal transcendence.

Research paper thumbnail of Palabras persas en el mitraísmo: la construcción de una imagen oriental del culto mitraico = Persian Words in Mithraism: The Construction of an Oriental Image of Mithraic Cult

Espacio Tiempo y Forma. Serie II, Historia Antigua, Dec 3, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Vínculos familiares en el contexto mitraico: las inscripciones pro salute

Klio, 2015

ResumenEl mitraísmo está considerado dentro de las religiones orientales practicadas en el Imperi... more ResumenEl mitraísmo está considerado dentro de las religiones orientales practicadas en el Imperio romano, como la que más firmemente mantuvo su rasgo mistérico. Ajeno a manifestaciones externas, desarrolló su culto dentro de los mitreos, excluyendo además a un importante sector de la población romana: las mujeres. A través de los textos epigráficos que vamos a analizar, comprobaremos que esta percepción no es tan monolítica como se piensa, sino que los propios iniciados encontraron mecanismos con lo que hacer una cierta proyección hacia afuera de sus creencias y también encontraron el medio para incluir en sus creencias a sus mujeres, hijos y demás familiares.

Research paper thumbnail of Beck, R. The Religion of the Mithras Cult in the Roman Empire. Mysteries of the Unconquered Sun. Review by: Dr. Israel Campos Méndez

The professional career of R. Beck in the study of Mithraism is long and quite prolific. In fact,... more The professional career of R. Beck in the study of Mithraism is long and quite prolific. In fact, R. Beck along with the three other scholars to whom this book is dedicated (R. Gordon, J. Hinnells and L. Martin) are among the main contributors to the progress in the understanding of the cult of Mithra achieved in the second half of the twentieth century, after the seminal works of F. Cumont and M.J. Vermaseren. This book should be read in the context of R. Beck's maturity and his ability to perform an overall interpretation of Mithraism in order to offer several interesting developments on some of the most obscure points of the Mithraic Cult. R. Beck's objective is to redirect the investigation that has been done on the Mithraic Mysteries until now. To do so, the book focuses on two main controversial issues already introduced in previous studies: a) the excessive prominence given to the interpretation of the topic of iconography as a vehicle for the reconstruction of the Mi...

Research paper thumbnail of Las persecuciones religiosas en la Persia Sasánida: la creación de la identidad nacional en torno a la religión zoroastriana

A través de la inscripción del jefe de los magos zoroastrianos Kartir, asistimos a un episodio de... more A través de la inscripción del jefe de los magos zoroastrianos Kartir, asistimos a un episodio de represión religiosa dirigida hacia los demás cultos religiosos presentes en el territorio del Irán antiguo durante los primeros reinados de la dinastía sasánida. __________________________________... the reading of the inscription of the chief of the Zoroastrian magicians Kartir, we are present at an episode of religious repression directed to other religious cults present in the territory of the ancient Iran during the first reigns of the Sassanian dynasty.

Research paper thumbnail of La Razón De Estado en La Política Religiosa De Los Reyes Aqueménidas: ¿Tolerancia O Intolerancia Religiosa? The Reason of State in the Religious Policy of Achaemenid Kings: Religious Tolerance or Intolerance?

RESUMEN Dos palabras podrían englobar la política religiosa que caracterizó al período de más de ... more RESUMEN Dos palabras podrían englobar la política religiosa que caracterizó al período de más de dos siglos que supuso el Imperio Aqueménida: tolerancia y utilización partidista. Dentro de lo que parece haber sido una línea programática, los reyes aqueménidas tuvieron una actitud inicial de aceptación de todas las prácticas religiosas que se fueron encontrando a lo largo de sus conquistas territoriales. El panorama religioso del Imperio Aqueménida se encuentra definido en torno a un politeísmo generalizado, en relación directa con el carácter heterogéneo de sus poblaciones y con independencia de la existencia de una religión oficial. La razón y el interés político ocupan, pues, un papel central a la hora de comprender las razones por las cuales no se actuó de forma contundente contra las prácticas rituales de los pueblos que eran sometidos. Palabras clave: Tolerancia religiosa, dinastía aqueménida, Persia. Abstract. Two words would summarize what characterized the religious policy d...

Research paper thumbnail of VICARIOS DE MITRA: Mediadores con lo divino en los misterios mitraicos

Introducción El misterio del Mitraísmo practicado en el Imperio Romano a partir del siglo I de nu... more Introducción El misterio del Mitraísmo practicado en el Imperio Romano a partir del siglo I de nuestra era se mantiene aún vigente en nuestros días, debido de manera principal, a que aún siguen sin poder ser resueltas diferentes incógnitas relacionadas no sólo con su mitraico (mitreos), además de las inscripciones relacionadas con Mitra y las representaciones estatuarias e iconográficas. Los grados mitraicos Una de las especificidades que desde muy temprano llamó la atención de los autores clásicos y que sigue representando un punto de interés en torno al mitraísmo, es la organización interna de sus seguidores en lo que se ha denominado como los grados iniciáticos. El punto de partida para este dato fue la mención que aparece en una carta de San Jerónimo en la que hace referencia a la intervención de un cristiano recién convertido, que en calidad de prefecto de Roma, protagoniza la destrucción de un mitreo: Ante paucos annos propinquus uester Graccus nobilitatem patriciam nomine son...

Research paper thumbnail of Devotees of the invincible god: Mithraists in the Roman Empire (Devotos del dios invencible: mitraistas en el imperio romano)

Ubi Sunt. Revista de Historia, 2015

This paper explains the motivations that led to the Mithraic initiation of a significant number o... more This paper explains the motivations that led to the Mithraic initiation of a significant number of men from the Roman Empire.

Research paper thumbnail of El dios Mitra: análisis de los procesos de adaptación de su culto desde el marco social, político y religioso del Irán antiguo al del Imperio Romano

dialnet.unirioja.es

Sistema abierto de información de revistas publicadas en castellano, documental, subscripciones, ... more Sistema abierto de información de revistas publicadas en castellano, documental, subscripciones, alertas, catálogos, dsis...

Research paper thumbnail of Continuity and Change in the cult of Mithra

Mithras Journal: an academic and religious journal of Greek, Roman and Persian Studies, 2006

ABSTRACT After the rejection that Cumont’s hypothesis received, the continuity between the god Mi... more ABSTRACT After the rejection that Cumont’s hypothesis received, the continuity between the god Mithra worshipped among the Persians and the god that presided over the Mithraic mysteries, there have been few tries to search the connection between both religious traditions. We offer with this article an approach focus toward this relationship, assisting to special elements that do not offer doubt on their clear western origin and that they played an evident role in the daily Mysteric practice. Starting from there, we make the question: to what extent were the own Roman followers conscious of the Mithra’s connections with the Iranian framework?"

Research paper thumbnail of Anahita and Mithra in the Achaemenid royal inscriptions

Research paper thumbnail of "Factors determining the outside projection of the Mithraic Mysteries", in Mithras Journal: an academic and religious journal of Greek, Roman and Persian Studies

ABSTRACT This paper analyses some of the special features in the social composition of those init... more ABSTRACT This paper analyses some of the special features in the social composition of those initiated into the Mithraic mysteries. It also examines how the relationship of the Mithraic Cult with the Roman political power was and how a god of Persian origin could establish this relationship. In the complex and assorted market represented by the religious scene present in the Greek-Roman world of the last Era, any study of what could be the offer made by any new religion to neophytes in trying to get hold of a share of the mentioned market becomes very interesting. That is particularly true if we attend to the fact that these new religions had beaten the initial barriers to entry into society and obstacles long established by the Roman local authorities on the religious practices that came from the East. Regardless of whether the general parameters of the religiousness had changed during the Greek period or not, we want to focus on the main characteristics of Mithraic Cult in order to study in-depth what an individual could find at this time of new religious offerings. Together with the salvation and eternal life promises inherent to other mystery practices developed in the East, it should be also recognized that a strong psychological component contained in the group of ritual practices

Research paper thumbnail of Mujer y gnosis en el cristianismo primitivo

Mujeres en Movimiento I: Historia y Literatura, 2006

Papel de la mujer dentro de las sectas gnósticas del Cristianismo primitivo

Research paper thumbnail of Orígenes de la Iconografía Cristiana

Research paper thumbnail of El dios Mithra en los nombres personales

Aula Orientalis, 2006

El dios Mithra en los nombres personales durante la dinastía persa aqueménida Israel Campos Ménde... more El dios Mithra en los nombres personales durante la dinastía persa aqueménida Israel Campos Méndez – Universidad de Las Palmas de G.C . [The use of divinities to construct personal names is a practice recorded since the beginnings of history. Its verification has been considered to be a sign of expression of the direct nature of the devotion to certain divinities at particular moments and in particular places. Nevertheless, certain provisos should be borne in mind regarding the reliability of the information offered by theophoric names for reconstructing the worship or implantation of a certain divinity. In this paper, we attest to the abundance of mithraphoric names recorded in various written sources from the Achaemenid period, and attempt to relate them to the place that the worship of Mithra might have occupied in Persia in a period in which this divinity was traditionally believed to have been excluded from the official pantheon.] 1. Introducción El testimonio que proporciona l...

Research paper thumbnail of Theophoric names as a matter of faith

Conference: III International Online Conference on the Study of Religions, "Religion and Everyday Life: past, present, future", 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Plutarco y La Religión Persa: El Dios Mitra

En medio del conjunto de testimonios que Plutarco aporta en su prolífica obra en relación con los... more En medio del conjunto de testimonios que Plutarco aporta en su prolífica obra en relación con los persas, su historia, sus gobernantes, sus costumbres y su religión, queremos llamar la atención sobre la individualización que ha recibido una divinidad en muchos de sus escritos. Plutarco supone una fuente relevante para los investigadores modernos que hemos querido ahondar en el conocimiento y estudio del dios persa Mitra. Este hecho es relevante, si tenemos en cuenta que el contexto histórico y geográfico en el que Plutarco escribe le sitúa en un contacto más directo con el modo en el que esta divinidad se instaló en el marco del Imperio romano, conformando lo que se conoce como Misterios Mitraicos o Mitraísmo.

Research paper thumbnail of El culto de Mitra en Hispania Review by Israel Campos

Bryn Mawr Classical Review, 2020

This is a review of the book: J. Alvar, "El culto de Mitra en Hispania", Madrid: Dykinson, 2018.

Research paper thumbnail of Beck, R. The Religion of the Mithras Cult in the Roman Empire. Mysteries of the Unconquered Sun. Review by: Dr. Israel Campos Méndez.

Mithras Reader, vol. 2, pp. 95-97, 2008

Research paper thumbnail of THE FIRST MITHRAIC TESTIMONY (El primer testimonio mitraico)

SOCIEDADES ANTIGUAS DEL CRECIENTE FÉRTIL TERRITORIOS, MEMORIAS E IDENTIDADES CULTURALES, 2021

The irruption of the god Mithras in history is related to the presence of the Indo-Aryan populati... more The irruption of the god Mithras in history is related to the presence of the Indo-Aryan population seated between the Hurrians of Mitanni and their inclusion in a peace treaty between this kingdom and the Hittite empire in the mid-fourteenth century B.C. His presence in this treaty foreshadows the characteristics that are at the origin of the role played by this divinity both in the Vedic pantheon and later in the Iranian-zoroastrian. Mithra appears with a group of deities that defi ne the relevant pantheon of the Vedic religion and its relationship with Varuna establishing a couple will also have its correlation with Asura in the Iranian sphere. The importance of this text has been relevant to determine not only the route but also the first configuration of these Indo-Iranian populations that are present in the area of Upper Mesopotamia in parallel to their introduction in the Indus Valley.
Our deal is to advance in the analysis of the information offered by this treaty. We try to understand the context in which the first public appearance of Mithra happened, to answer more clearly two questions: which were these first individuals who give prominence to this divinity and for what purpose they did it. Knowing the characteristics of this early document becomes an essential element to establish the starting point of any Mithraic study.

Research paper thumbnail of Sensory Experiences in the Cybelic Cult: Sound Stimulation through Musical Instruments

SENSORIVM: The Senses in Roman Polytheism, 2021

In terms of the specific case investigated in this chapter, mystery cults provide a field of stud... more In terms of the specific case investigated in this chapter, mystery cults provide a field of study that is extraordinarily rich in details relevant to the sensory experiences of participants. The textual, epigraphic, archaeological, and iconographic sources are replete with sensory references. Despite this rich evidential base, this category has not been a historiographical priority in the past. Our intention in the present study is to carry out a first approach to the way in which it is possible to identify the base of this sensory, or rather multi-sensory, experience. In pursuing this goal, we focus on the cult of the goddess Cybele, the mystery cult that was most popular not only throughout the Roman Empire but also in the capital city of Rome itself. The epigraphic and iconographic expressions of the cult of Cybele, as well as ancient testimonies describing both its ritual and liturgical manifestations, allow us to reconstruct a context in which we can identify the specific purpose at work in the sensory stimulation of the devotees: making the experience of encountering the deity possible through corporal transcendence.

Research paper thumbnail of JOSÉ MARÍA BLÁZQUEZ Y LAS RELIGIONES DE PERSIA

EPHEMERIS BLÁZQUEZ I: José María Blázquez y la Historia de las Religiones, 2020

En el Homenaje dedicado a J. Mª Blázquez: "EPHEMERIS BLÁZQUEZ I: José María Blázquez y la Histor... more En el Homenaje dedicado a J. Mª Blázquez: "EPHEMERIS BLÁZQUEZ I:
José María Blázquez y la Historia de las Religiones", esta es mi aportación sobre las investigaciones publicadas por Blázquez sobre la religión practicada por los persas aqueménidas

Research paper thumbnail of Fuentes para el estudio del Mitraísmo (Fonts for the study of Mithraism)

Lo que pretendemos con el presente libro es ofrecer una herramienta que permita acceder de forma ... more Lo que pretendemos con el presente libro es ofrecer una herramienta que permita acceder de forma completa y ordenada al conjunto significativo de fuentes escritas relacionadas con los misterios mitraicos desarrollados en el imperio romano. Han quedado, por tanto, excluidos el volumen de textos conservados que hacen referencia al dios Mitra en su contexto oriental (himnos
védicos y avésticos, etc.) Junto con esta recopilación que alcanza el número de treinta y seis autores, también ofrecemos un estudio sobre la evolución de la historiografía mitraica, además de una breve síntesis sobre las características generales de los misterios mitraicos y una recopilación de bibliografía mitraica. Esperamos haber puesto a disposición de todos aquellos interesados en el estudio y conocimiento del culto del dios Mitra en la Antigüedad un
instrumento útil para acceder el estado de los conocimientos disponibles en la actualidad sobre el mitraísmo, y poder consultar de forma conjunta a las fuentes escritas relacionadas con el dios Mitra.

Research paper thumbnail of EL CULTO DEL DIOS MITHRA EN EL ANTIGUO IRAN Y EN EL IMPERIO ROMANO: ANÁLISIS Y REVISIÓN DE LOS ELEMENTOS DE CONTINUIDAD

Research paper thumbnail of El culto al dios Mithra en la Persia antigua (the cult of god Mithra in Ancient Persia)

Research paper thumbnail of El culto del dios Mitra. Orígenes de su culto anterior al mitraísmo romano. (The cult of god  Mithra. Origins of its cult before Román mithraism)

Study on the process of establishing the worship of the god Mithra from its origins in ancient In... more Study on the process of establishing the worship of the god Mithra from its origins in ancient India and Iran, until it reaches the borders of the Roman Empire to set the Mithraic mystery cult.

Research paper thumbnail of Plutarco y la religión persa: el dios Mitra (Plutarch and persian religion: the god Mithra)

Germán Santana Henríquez (ed.), Plutarco y las artes. XI Simposio Internacional de la Sociedad Española de Plutarquistas. Madrid, Ediciones Clásicas,, Dec 13, 2013

Research paper thumbnail of The incidence of Zoroastrian faith in the evolution of the funerary customs in Ancient Iran: “The towers of silence

Mummies and Science. World Mummies Research, 2008

This communication intends to provide an overall review of a complex reality: religion in Iran be... more This communication intends to provide an overall review of a complex reality: religion in Iran before the Islamic domination; a period that saw the development of an empire in three stages, each of which was linked to a different governing dynasty: the Achaemenids, the Arsacids, and the Sassanids. This paper will focus on the funeral practices in this empire, in order to illustrate, firstly, how the introduction of a new ideological element – the Zoroastrian religion –on a specific historical moment, affected afterwards to the existing burial practices, that were changed to adopt a new funeral modality: the exposure of the corpse. Secondly, the paper will discuss the evolution experienced by this funeral practice, which ended up by defining an architectural explicit space, which in the European tradition has been identified under the term: "towers of silence".

Research paper thumbnail of Actuación de los magistrados en la introducción de los Cultos Orientales en Roma

F. Suárez, ed. Lex Sacra: Religión y Derecho a lo largo de la Historia., 2010

Analizaremos en esta comunicación las diferentes respuestas que se dieron en determinados momento... more Analizaremos en esta comunicación las diferentes respuestas que se dieron en determinados momentos a la difusión del culto de Baco, el culto de la diosa Cibeles y el culto de Isis, concretadas en los obstáculos de cierta consideración que experimentaron en determinados momentos. Nuestro interés no se reduce a limitarnos a constatar estos hechos, sino que trataremos de analizar la manera en que se concretó la persecución y rechazo a estos cultos, centrando nuestra atención en el papel que desempeñaron “aquellos hombres tan entendidos en todo lo concerniente al derecho divino y humano” que mencionaba Plinio (31.16.8-9), a través de una acción legislativa precisa y la actuación que tuvieron los magistrados romanos en cada momento, como agentes encargados de hacer cumplir esas leyes.

Research paper thumbnail of Theophoric names as a matter of faith: the case of Mithras

III International Online Conference on the Study of Religions, "Religion and Everyday Life: past, present, future" , 2009

Research paper thumbnail of Un dios de los enemigos: condicionantes para la ausencia de proyección pública en los misterios mitraicos

e-Textos

En torno a la composición social interna de las comunidades mitraicas y el conocimiento que desde... more En torno a la composición social interna de las comunidades mitraicas y el conocimiento que desde fuera se tenía de este culto existen todavía algunos aspectos oscuros que encuentran una difícil solución, debido a la ausencia de fuentes que permitan avanzar en la investigación. Proponemos una revisión de algunos de estos puntos desde una visión de conjunto, para tratar de analizar las interpretaciones ofrecidas y aportar matices desde los cuales poder comprender algo más la especificidad interna y externa de los Misterios Mitraicos.

Research paper thumbnail of POSIBLE ADSCRIPCIÓN MITRAICA DE UNA CUEVA EN EL PARQUE DE LA INDEPENDENCIA DE JERUSALÉN

Research paper thumbnail of LOS MISTERIOS MITRAICOS: LOS SEGUIDORES DE MITRA

conference at I Jornadas Mithraicas at Cabra, 2009