More things to see underground in Rome
Mithras was a Persian god introduced to Rome by the soldiers stationed in the east. The god Mithras was born from a rock and when he died, he ascended into heaven. Like Jesus, he came to earth to show the way and oppose evil. His followers were baptized in bull’s blood. He is always depicted wearing a conical hat with the top folded forwards, which was associated with Persians and Eastern European tribes at the time.
The legionaries built temples to the god Mithras all over the empire. This religion was very popular with the Roman aristocracy and was in direct competition with Christianity until it was outlawed in 395. Rome Mithraeum temples usually date between 100 BC and 300 AD.
The god Mithras shown killing the bull
One of the best examples that you can visit is under the basilica
of San Clemente. San Clemente is like a time machine of Rome across the
centuries. Constructions from the first, third, fourth centuries, Middle Ages
and then additions in the eighteenth century are overlaid on four levels.
At the lowest level, under the basilica of San Clemente, in the courtyard of a first century apartment block, a Mithraeum was erected, which included a pronaos (vestibule) and triclinium (dining room). In the latter are the altar and the benches where the participants of this mysterious religion sat. The vault of the grotto represented the heavens, that is, the universe. On the ceiling were stars and the constellations known at that time. This religion put emphasis on loyalty and faith and, for this, held particular sway on the military. The Roman legions introduced it in all parts of the empire and remains of Mithraeums have been found in many countries.
The mithraeum under San Clemente with the altar and seating benches
The muscular god Mithras is represented while killing a bull, whose blood makes the earth fertile. Even though the cult originated in Persia, a bearded and reclining Roman god, possibly Oceanus or Neptune, often assists in the foreground of the scene. A dog instrumental in finding the bull is sometimes depicted while the tail of the bull terminates in a large stalk of grain that symbolizes the cycle of life made possible by the blood of the animal.
It has been estimated that during the third century about
2000 mithraeums flourished in the city. For another example, excavations underground
at Santa Prisca have brought to light an extraordinarily complete Mithraeum.
This cult was very popular in the early days of Christianity and after it fell
out of favor, frequently churches were built over the unused buildings. At
least 3 other rooms have been recovered, one used by the Pontifex and the
ministers to don the sacred liturgical vests for the procession and sacred
functions. It is open to the public the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month. 
The mithraeum under Santa Prisca
Other sites that have excavated remains are the Mithraeum of Circus Maximus, the mithraeum beneath the opulent Palazzo Barberini, The Baths of Caracalla and the Mithraeum of the Seven Spheres, in Ostia Antica. Although the mithraeum under San Clemente is always available to visitors, most of the others have limited access.
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