Although the surviving evidence is scarce, it nevertheless proves that the connection between Zagreus and Mithra existed on the part of both cults and had common points of convergence. And Zagreus' role in Mithraism seems interesting and rather enigmatic.
Sabazios with Mithras from Bolsena
This unusual bronze bust of Sabazios features multiple symbolic elements, with Mithras depicted in his characteristic pose of slaying the bull, positioned just below Sabazios’ chest.
Why is the typical iconography of Mithras suddenly depicted on Sabazius' bust and under his chest? What was this supposed to symbolize?
This refers to a younger figure under the supervision and authority of a more major figure. Mithra kills the bull under the authority of Sabazius, which is more metaphysical than literal.
Further, mutual reference and mention of Sabazius occur on the part of Mithraism.
On the relief of Borghese, next to Mithra’s knife, over the bull it is written: NAMA SEBEZIO. The form SEBEZIO is close to the way of writing the name – Σεβαζιος.
According to Franz Cumont, NAMA SEBEZIO is either a spell or a Persian greeting. The more credible version, however, is that nama stands for the Sanscrit nama used in the expressions nama Vishnu, nama Shiva and translated as glory, bow, reverence; in Turkish and Farsi, namaz means prayer. This way the inscription has the general meaning of: glory, bow, prayer for Sabazios.
This is unexpected. The recitation of a prayer/praise to Sabazius during the killing of the bull sounds suspiciously like an offering. In addiction, the bull was a very typical offering to the Thunderers, and Sabazius' personal enmity with Cybele (whose symbolic animal was also the lunar bull) further fuels this assumption. Is it really possible that Mithra is making an offering to Sabazius in this iconography? It seems to be.
The interaction between the cults of Mēn and Mithra deserves separate attention.
A Roman bronze group of Mithras-Sabazios, but, in fact, turned out to be statue of Mēn Askaenos.
Circa 2nd-3rd century A.D.
However, this misinterpretation doesn't seem to be maliciously erroneous. Mithra and Sabazius-Mēn shared many symbols. And yes, Mēn also had solar functions.
Mēn, Attis and Mithras in Asia Minor. The enrichment of specific features of lunar-type deities in the Anatolian provinces by Iulian Moga provides many useful notes on the interactions of their cults:
"Having an Indo-Iranian origin, Mēn was very popular especially amongst certain different regions belonging to the Oriental Lydia and Phrygia. He was considered the master of the animal and vegetal world, a deity of fertility and procreation, the ruler of both the living people and the dead ones. He had thaumaturgic and oracular functions of a chthonian and also of an ouranian significance. His authority was performed not only over the earthly universe but also over the subterranean one. According to another etymology, the name of the deity could come from the Lydian word for “bright” or “powerful”.
All over the Anatolian world, from Caria to Pontus, under the name of Mēn there was venerated a god considered to have a celestial action when helping the plants to grow and assuring the prosperity and reproduction of the cattle and poultry. Nowhere was he more popular than in the countryside, that the peasants invoked him to protect their farms and homeland.
Perhaps the most significant aspect is the mention of Mēn among the so-called theoi epekooi, a syntagma having the meaning of “the gods who listen to the prayers”. This category was proper to some deities usually considered to be “healer” or “saviour” gods. Usually, the epiclesis applied ta the deities was associated with the representation of the ears on the monuments signifying the obedience towards the orders given by the gods and also the attention the deities paid to the praises addressed by their devotees. We know that at the sanctuary of Mēn Caros, situated between Laodicaea and Carura, a great school of medicine was established under the guidance of Zeuxis and later of Alexandros Philalethes. The latter was a Greek physician who lived during the reign of Ptolemaios Lagos.
The representations of Mēn in the region of Pontus prove his identification with Mithra, thus becoming a god with solar attributes. The images presented at the end of the column show Attis, Mēn, Mithra, and the Dadophores in the hypostasis of shepherds, wearing Oriental costumes with short tunics and the usual Phrygian caps. Mēn and Mithra are represented on the back of bulls.
We don'l know for sure vet how these inutuale influences were reflected in the oultual forms and ceremonies dedicated to these gods during the centuries. However, the iconography reveals some common traits which proves the fact that these motives and symbols had a large acceptance in the Anatolian world. Among the symbols often employed when referring to the gods of Asia Minor we can mention the pine-cone (in connection with Attis, Sabazios-Mēn and Mithra), the bull (in the cults of Men, Jupiter Dolichenus, Mithra, Cybele and even of the Hurrite god of die tempest Teshub), the snake (Apollo, Aesculapius, Glykon, Mithra, Men, Artemis of Ephesus), the cock (Mēn) and the almond (of Attis).
In the case of Mēn, his functions and attributes were multiplied. He was considered one of the saviour gods as it is proved by a votive stele dedicated to “(Dedicated to) Men the Saviour and the Giver of Wealth”. The stele, dated in the 2nd or the 3rd c. represents a typical example of the syncretic phenomena of the epoch. Thus, Mēn gains not only the traditional lunar attributes, but he also became a solar deity, a ruler (Tyrannos) of the celestial cycles and a giver of wealth and prosperity. This monument was alleged to be found in Attica but certainly brought from Asia Minor. Unlike other representations, the god is not wearing the usual Phrygian cap but a solar crown, with the sun and the crescent symbols in the centre. The curious composition presented on the votive stele is formed by a sort of ballance made of two-headed snake, each head being crowned by a crescent. The scales are composed of the attributes of Fortune (cornucopia), having a serpent on it, and of Hercules (club and bow). The attributes of Vulcan (the tongs), of Venus (the mirror) and of Nemesis (the wheel) are also present. In the centre of the image, supporting the ballance, there is a large bull's head with two solar disks and two crescents upon it, having a large eye surmounted by a crescent. The two pairs of torches that flank the representations are set upon n bull's and a goat's head, the symbols of Demeter's and Eleusinian mysteries. M. Rostovtzeff states that tbe four signs of the Zadiac situated at the bottom of the votive stele symbolise the four seasons as following: Virgo (Autumn), Capricorn (Winter), Aries (late Spring), and Lion (Summer).
In order to conclude, we would fînd appropriate to emphasize that just like Attis, Osiris, and Mithra, the Phrygian Mēn is not only a saviour god, but a triumphant god, which descend into the Inferno to fight the hostile forces and ultimately to manage to return in a new life: “When the quarter of the Moon comes into sight, the god inaugurates its mission, he fights against the demons of the darkness which had devorated the former moon. It reigns in its glorious splendour during the full Moon's time, it is devorated and beaten by the evil beast, descends for three days into the Inferno and finally triumphantly resurrects”.
But there is also other evidence that the sites of Zagreus and Mithra were close in Rome.
Lucian, The Tragic Zeus, ch. 8:
There is Bendis herself and Anubis yonder and by his side Attis and Mithra and Mēn, all resplendent in gold, weighty and costly you may be sure.
But one particularly interesting place is where the cult of Sabazius, Mithraism, and later even Christianity merger together.
This is part of a small complex of pagan burial chambers in Rome which were constructed along the Via Appia in the late 4th century CE. It is named for the burials of a woman named Vibia and her husband Vincentius, a priest of Sabazios.
Vibia and Vincentius were buried in the same arcosolium, which dates to the late 4th century CE and is decorated with multiple painted scenes. There are three scenes on the underside of the arch. The first of these depicts Vibia as Proserpina being abducted by Pluto on a quadriga, a scene which was a common visual metaphor for death in Roman art.
The lunette of the arcosolium is captioned inductio Vibies, and it shows Vibia being led by an angelic figure into the afterlife. She is then shown, like Vincentius above, reclining on a stibadium couch and feasting with six other figures, who, according to the caption, were also judged to be righteous (bonorum iudicio iudicati).
Lunette in the Vibia arcosolium featuring the Banquet Scene (above) and arch panel featuring the final judgement of Vibia (below)
Vincentius is named in an inscription above the graves that reads: "Here you see the peaceful harbour of Vincentius. Many have preceded me and I await you all. Eat, drink, be merry and come to me. Here is buried the priest of the Sabazius, Vincentius, who practised the sacred rites with devotion."
The question of why the tomb of the priest of Sabazius repeats the myth of King Hades and Queen Perspehone and shows Chthonia is not even worth asking. This is not surprising, considering that Zagreus is their son. Most likely, it was the final act of reverence of his priest.
Something else here is interesting.
The arcosolium across the gallery from that of Vibia and Vincentius was also decorated with paintings, although they have not been well-preserved. A nude depiction of Venus is painted on the underside of the arch, flanked by 4 figures. There are two figures on the wall into which the niche is carved, which are damaged and difficult to identify. While some claim that this burial is also connected to the cult of Sabazios, others have interpreted them as references to the Mithraic Mysteries. This is due to the figures flanking Venus on the right side of the arch, one of which is an armed figure which seems to represent the miles (soldier) level of Mithraic initiation.
Beside the unknown "soldier's" burial is another arcosolium, with an inscription to Caricus, a priest (sacerdos) of Mithras.
In another gallery down the corridor from Vibia and Vincentius, a funerary inscription was found dedicated to two more priests of Mithras (sacerdotibus dei Solis Invicti Mitrae). It identifies Aurelius Faustinianus and Aurelius Castricius as the priests, and a woman named Clodia Celeriana who is apparently the wife of Faustinianus and the mother of Castricus. The inscription was dedicated by multiple people, suggesting a relatively large family with a strong connection to the Mithraic cult.
There are many other small tombs which were connected to this complex by both ancient and modern passages. Some other inscriptions found include an epitaph for Clemens, an imperial freedman; an epitaph for Leontius, set up by his wife Laea; and an epitaph for Caelestina, set up by her husband Victorinus. Ferrua identified some of the burials as Christian, although it seems that the majority were pagan.
This shows that it was not only normal to bury the priest of Sabazius and the priests and initiates of Mithras in one place, under the original yoke of Zagreus, but also that their burial traditions were so similar or even identical that it is now difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish between them.
There is something comforting in the fact that, in their final resting place, the followers of Zagreus and Mithra have found a common place from which they will depart to the eternal reign of King Hades.
