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.