‘Images of Mithra‘, is the first in a new series of works, ‘Visual Conversations’ that aims to tackle a variety of questions about the study of material culture and religion. With a history of use extending back to Vedic texts of the second millennium BC, derivations of the name Mithra appear in the Roman Empire, across Sasanian Persia, and in the Kushan Empire of southern Afghanistan and northern India during the first millennium AD. Even today, this name has a place in Yazidi and Zoroastrian religion. But what connection have Mihr in Persia, Miiro in Kushan Bactria, and Mithras in the Roman Empire to one another?

Over the course of the volume, specialists in the material culture of these diverse regions explore appearances of the name Mithra from six distinct locations in antiquity. Author Dominic Dalglish (Archaeology, University of Oxford) joins an expert panel to discuss the book and its themes.

Dominic is joined by:

Richard Gordon (Ancient Religions, Erfurt University)

Vesta Curtis (British Museum)

Peter Stewart (Classics, University of Oxford)

This event will be chaired by: Jospehine Quinn (Classics, University of Oxford)

Free and all welcome. Lunch will be available from 12.30, with discussion from 13.00-14.00.

Part of Book at Lunchtime, a fortnightly series of bite size book discussions, with commentators from a range of disciplines.