Mithras Slaying the Bull

This marble sculpture (2nd c.) from the Mithraeum of the Terme del Mitra (Baths of Mithras) shows Mithras performing the tauroctony, plunging his dagger into the sacred bull. His lunging body and the bull’s strained twist highlight the drama of the sacrifice. Installed in a windowless, cave-like sanctuary beneath private baths, it framed initiation rites centered on secrecy and ascent. The imagery evokes cosmic renewal, a core promise of the Mithraic cult.