Archaeologists have uncovered an extraordinary Roman-era sanctuary dedicated to the god Mithras in the historic centre of Regensburg – the oldest such site ever identified in Bavaria and the first Roman sanctuary discovered in the city’s old town.
The find emerged during routine archaeological investigations at Stahlzwingerweg 6, carried out ahead of a residential construction project by SDI GmbH & Co. KG. Sabine Watzlawik of ArchäoTeam GmbH led the excavation. As expected in Regensburg’s densely layered old town, the team encountered traces of settlement dating back to prehistory, the Roman period, and the Middle Ages. At first glance, the individual artefacts appeared unremarkable.
It was only after months of excavation—conducted in several phases between spring and autumn 2023 due to the site’s confined conditions—and a comprehensive evaluation by archaeologist Dr Stefan Reuter that the significance of the discoveries became clear. Together, the finds pointed to the former presence of a Mithraeum, a sanctuary used by followers of the Mithras cult.
Although the temple itself was built of wood and has largely perished, a combination of clues proved decisive. Among the discoveries were a votive stone with an illegible inscription, fragments of votive plaques typical of Mithraic shrines, cult-niche fittings, and numerous coins.
The coin evidence dates the sanctuary to between about 80 and 171 AD, during the period of the Roman cohort fort in Kumpfmühl and the associated Danube settlement, before the establishment of the legionary camp at Regensburg.
Additional finds strengthened the identification: fragments of ceramic vessels decorated with snake motifs, incense burners, and handled jugs. Such objects are closely associated with Mithraic ritual practices, which included communal ceremonial meals. Drinking vessels, experts note, were an integral part of these rites.
Maximilian Ontrup, MA, a specialist in provincial Roman archaeology at the Regensburg City Museums, emphasised the importance of the discovery. “The find is unique in two ways,” he said. “It is the first Roman sanctuary ever identified in Regensburg’s old town, and it is the oldest of the nine Mithraic shrines known in Bavaria to date.”
The Mithras cult reached its height in the late second century, before declining and ultimately disappearing as Christianity became dominant in the fourth and early fifth centuries.
Researchers describe the discovery as one of the most significant advances in Roman Regensburg research in the past decade. Beyond reshaping understanding of the city’s early Roman settlement—still relatively underexplored—the sanctuary provides valuable new evidence for the rituals and material culture of the enigmatic Mithras cult across the Roman world.
Given the importance of the find, the City of Regensburg and the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments are jointly funding an ongoing evaluation project. The developer will transfer the recovered artefacts to the Regensburg City Museums, where they will play a central role in a new exhibition concept.
Museum Director Dr Sebastian Karnatz welcomed the challenge ahead. “We will contextualise and visualise what initially seem like unspectacular finds, bringing them to life for the public,” he said. “The effort will be worthwhile—the Mithraeum artefacts will add a crucial new dimension to our understanding of Roman Regensburg.”
Sources: regensburg.de
