Ritual & Epiphany in the Mysteries of Mithras
The Secret Cult of Saturn in Imperial Rome
by Peter Mark Adams
From acclaimed esoteric scholar Peter Mark Adams comes a landmark study that redefines our understanding of Western Europe’s most enigmatic mystery cult. Ritual & Epiphany in the Mysteries of Mithras – The Secret Cult of Saturn in Imperial Rome takes readers deep into the heart of the Mithraic mysteries, offering a profound exploration of the cult’s ritual practices and transformative visionary experiences. Blending cutting-edge scholarship with first-hand accounts of initiation and contemporary ethnographies of ritual performance, Adams provides an unparalleled glimpse into this ancient esoteric tradition.
Approaching the material from an emic (insider’s) perspective, the author examines the cult’s hierarchical grade structure, ceremonial roles, and ritual mechanics—revealing how initiates invoked the serpent power and encountered the awe-inspiring epiphany of Saturn-Kronos, the sovereign time-deity.
Through a richly interdisciplinary lens—drawing on Orphic metaphysics, Greco-Roman ritual theory, art history, and comparative ethnographies of initiation—Adams vividly animates Mithraic iconography, frescoes, and reliefs as ritual grammar encoding the lived phenomenology of participation.
Richly illustrated and deeply insightful, this volume revives the Cult of Mithras as Western Europe’s preeminent mystery tradition, offering readers both scholarly rigor and spiritual resonance.
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Table of Contents
Introduction
PART I: Origins
PART II: Orphism - The Esoteric Tradition in Hellenism
PART III: The Tauroctony - From Star Talk to Spiritual Virtues
PART IV: The Augoeides - Moulding the Initiatic Body
PART V: The Mithraic Grades - Their Ritual Roles and Responsibilities
PART VI: Henosis - The Sleep of Kronos
PART VII: Eros and Psyche
Epilogue: The End of Mithraism
Appendix I - The Allegory of the Chariot from Plato’s Phaedrus
Appendix II - Commentary on the Hymn to Protogonos
Appendix III - The Mithras Liturgy
Bibliography
List of Figures
Index
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Numerous colour and greyscale illustrations and photographs.
Fine Hardcover Edition - Limited to 888 copies
272 pages. Bound in high quality tangerine-coloured fine cloth, manufactured in Germany. Printed and embossed cover, lettering on rounded spine. Printed on premium 120gsm wood-free paper, metallic auburn-coloured endpapers, gold headbands and a gold ribbon bookmark.
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Press, reviews, endorsements
“Ritual & Epiphany in the Mysteries of Mithras is one of the most delightfully surprising reads of the year. Not because I have come to expect anything other than erudition from Peter Mark Adams, but because those expectations were entirely eclipsed. It is not just about the Mysteries of Mithras, it is a beautiful example of the process of cross-referencing ancient accounts of what certain philosophers said about rites, mysteries, epiphanies, and theurgic practices in parallel with contemporary ethnographic accounts of living spiritual traditions… and using each to illuminate the other.”
Illumination Substack - read the full review here
“This book may look surprisingly simple for this subject, with its short chapters and the abundance of iconography. But, be not mistaken, as it has, in fact, a very dense content. Peter Mark Adams is at the peak of his narrative powers and is in full control of his subject: its originality resides on the how they were expressing their devotion through rituals and brotherly bondage, unlike many other scholars focusing into what the Mithraic cultists thought & believed. If you keep this in mind, the reading of this book will astonish you!”
Via-Hygeia - read the full review here
Interview with Peter Mark Adams, by Andreu Abuín for Watkins Books - watch on YouTube here
Interview with Peter Mark Adams on the SittingNow podcast - listen here
Book Review by Foolish Fish - watch on YouTube here
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About the Author
Peter Mark Adams is an author, poet, esotericist and professional energy worker specialising in the ethnography and visuality of ritual, sacred landscape, esotericism, consciousness and healing.
Peter’s esoteric non-fiction is published by Scarlet Imprint; non-fiction concerning energy healing and consciousness by Inner Traditions. Peter’s literary prose and poetry has appeared in Corbel Stone Press’ literary journal Reliquiae: Journal of Nature, Landscape & Mythology and the Bosphorus Review of Books. Reviews of esoterically related works have appeared on the dedicated esoteric book review site, Paralibrum.
A range of essays examining other than human encounters have appeared in the peer reviewed journals Paranthropology: Journal of Anthropological Approaches to the Paranormal and The Journal of Exceptional Experiences and Psychology, and are available on Peter’s academia.edu page. With a background in Philosophy from the University of Liverpool, Peter pursues advanced studies on iconology and iconographic; Renaissance art and material culture with the Warburg Institute’s School of Advanced Studies in London.
