The growth of Christianity is reflected in the Aramaic inscriptions recently carved in the temple of Mithras
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Archaeologists have recently uncovered rare written evidence of the rise of Christianity over the Roman mystery religion. They found an ancient text, which was written in the same language that Jesus Christ spoke.
The painting was found in the underground temple of Mithras at Zerzevan Castle, a Turkish stronghold 40 kilometers north of the Syrian border.
The inscription dates back 1,700 years and was written in Aramaic, which was widely spoken throughout the ancient Near East, including Jesus Christ.
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The temple was dedicated to Mithras, a god worshiped by followers of a “mystery cult” associated with light and cosmic order.
During the second and third centuries AD, Mithraism had spread throughout the Roman Empire – and the underground sanctuary of Zerzevan is considered one of its best-preserved temples.
A 1,700-year-old Aramaic inscription at the Roman temple of Mithras in Turkey records its closure by early Christians, archaeologists say. (Heritage Images / Heritage Images via Getty Images; Aziz Aslan/Anadolu via Getty Images)
An inscription is found at the entrance of the temple, along with an image of the cross. Its meaning had eluded researchers since it was discovered in 2017.
The inscription is the first known Aramaic inscription recording the closing of the temple of Mithras, Mardin Artuklu University professor Mehmet Sait Toprak told Turkish news agency Anadolu Agency (AA), which first reported the discovery.
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Toprak analyzed the text’s language and letter forms to find their meaning.
Comparing it with Syriac and Aramaic inscriptions from the second and third centuries AD, he concluded that the text was written in the third or fourth century AD.
The ancient inscription was found at Zerzevan Castle, where it remains one of the best-preserved Roman temples of Mithras in the world. (Aziz Aslan/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The text mentions Mithras and Jesus Christ – indicating a transition from one faith to another, according to Toprak.
The professor told AA that the text also contains references to the Holy Cross.
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“This is a very important archaeological find,” Toprak told the outlet.
Excavation director Aytaç Coşkun told AA that previous coin finds suggested the temple was abandoned in the third or fourth century, but the newly described inscription provides new direct evidence that it was closed and symbolically closed by Christians.
The script’s language and letterforms helped researchers date the engraving to the third or fourth century AD (Aziz Aslan/Anadolu via Getty Images)
He added that, when the Roman emperors of the fourth century accepted Christianity, Mithraism was considered a controversial religion.
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The latest discovery is one of many early Christians rediscovered in Asia Minor.
“This is a very important archaeological find,” said professor Mehmet Sait Toprak, pictured above. (Aziz Aslan/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Last summer, archaeologists excavating the ancient city of Olympus found the remains of a fifth-century Christian church, with an inscription that had been hidden for more than a thousand years.
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In the same year, archaeologists excavating Kaunos discovered the remains of a Roman hospital that was later converted into a Christian sanctuary.
