Rating: 
Summary: Found it kind of hard going, actually.. Not for beginners
Review: A very scholarly work with tons of references and excellent documentation. It makes its point very well. The problem is that I didn't realize what the point was for a couple chapters. I'm sure most of the problem is that I came into this with very little knowledge of Mithraism or of the societies Ulansey is dealing with. It's clear that the writer is capable and meticulous, and I'm sure this book is a groundbreaker in terms of its theories. It has that feel, for sure. I just need a more general overview of the subject before I can plunge into something this specific.Don't get me wrong -- I'm glad I've got it. I like having "must have" books in my collection. And I love seeing good debunks of popular misperceptions of history -- this book accomplishes that in spades. I just found it very difficult reading. It felt like Ulansey assumed I knew about this or that writer or theory like I'd know how to walk erect and brush my teeth, and I'd never heard of them or their theories -- I'd have liked seeing a little more explanatory material so I wouldn't be struggling so much. It felt like I got dropped into a world of constellations and cosmologies without really an explanation of what it was all about, who got into this religion and why, what purpose it had in society.. but this isn't a general overview of Mithraism. It's a careful examination of ONE aspect of it, and an aspect most people would never have heard of. It does its job excellently and masterfully. But it felt like it was being marketed to a general audience, and it is not a general-audience sort of book. It's a very specialized one. I'd also have liked knowing whatever happened to Mithraism.. it seems like it was assimilated into some army or other and then just vanished, without a trace. But this is definitely a book to have if you are a history lover. I give it 3 stars for the general history reader's benefit. This book, as fascinating and as scholarly as it is, is not really for the reader who's never heard of Mithraism.
Rating:
Summary: Where are the Mysteries?
Review: From dictionary.com:
Mystery \Mys"ter*y\, n.; pl. Mysteries. [L. mysterium, Gr. ?, fr. ? one initiated in mysteries; cf. ? to initiate into the mysteries, fr. ? to shut the eyes. Cf. Mute, a.] 1. A profound secret; something wholly unknown, or something kept cautiously concealed, and therefore exciting curiosity or wonder; something which has not been or can not be explained; hence, specifically, that which is beyond human comprehension. 2. A kind of secret religious celebration, to which none were admitted except those who had been initiated by certain preparatory ceremonies; -- usually plural; as, the Eleusinian mysteries. The "mysteries" of mystery religions are spiritual journeys through the "underworld" to meet the God or Goddess of death and rebirth. They appeal to the deep part of human psychology as Jung wrote about extensively. Mithraism celebrated its mysteries in caves and caverns beneath the ground, a representation of entering the underworld of the soul. Mithraism is a "mystery cult." Its religious teachings were mysteries, journeys through the underworld of the soul. David Ulansey interprets the symbols on Mithraic art, and proposes a theory on the origin of the Mithraic religion. The most common Mithraic art is the "tauroctony" which is a picture of Mithras slaying a bull beneath astrological symbols. Ulansey proposes that Mithraism originated in Tarsus during the first century BCE. He theorizes that Mithras is the constellation Perseus, seen above the constellation Taurus, and portrayed as slayer of Taurus. He theorizes that the astronomical discovery of the precession of the calendar through the astronomical signs caused a major religious upheaval in lands where Gods were astrological. He theorizes that the Stoic philosophers and religious leaders in Tarsus, a city in Asia Minor, created the Mithraic religion because of this new scientific revelation. The spring equinox at that time was coming out of Aries and moving into Pisces. Two thousand years later it is now moving out of Pieces into Aquarius, the so-called age of Aquarius. Ulansey theorizes that the Stoic philosophers in Tarsus, using the new scientific of the precession of the solar rotation, calculated backward more than two thousand years to an age of Taurus, and based the Mithraic religion on the end of the age of Taurus, supposedly envisioned as Perseus slaying Taurus. The new religion was then supposedly picked up by Clinician pirates and spread throughout the Roman Empire. Ulansey's analysis leaves a lot out and raises more questions than he answers. The first question that comes to mind is why the name Mithra instead of Perseus? He suggests that the name comes from the King of Tarsus who was named for Mithra, an Iranian God. He suggests that since the images of Perseus and Apollo were both often seen on Cilicean coinage in similar images, it was obvious to call God by the name of the King, Mithra. The reader may be left wondering where this leap of logic happened. Also left out entirely is any explanation or theory about the involvement of the Iranian God Mithra, whose worship predates Roman Mithraism by at least several centuries, and for whom the succession of Kings of Tarsus was named. It seems unlikely that Mithraism doesn't have roots in an earlier version, as evidenced by the previous succession of Kings of Tarsus. I was left wondering. But the biggest thing left out of the book is the "Mithraic Mysteries" the subject promised by the title. Not addressed, described, or even mentioned is the secret religious rituals, celebrations or initiations of the mystery cult. It may be that nobody knows what they were, similar to the lost Eleusinian mysteries, but if they are unknown why are we promised an explanation of their origins in the title? On the whole I was disappointed, not because the author's explanation was lacking, but because I read through to the end and the subject of the Mithraic Mysteries had not even been mentioned.
Rating: 
Summary: its all in the stars
Review: I bought the book hoping/expecting to read something about the relationship of the mithric mysteries to early christianity. this is certainly NOT what the book is about. if you desire this type of information try _background of early christianity_ by ferguson. but the book was not a disappointment at all, for it reads more like a detective story then anything else, certainly a quick and interesting read.
It is about the author's theory that the mithraic mysteries have nothing to do with the mithras of persian origin but rather has everything to do with the precession of the equinoxes. he builds a convincing case for me, not a professional astronomer by any means. the book is well done and at a layman's level requiring little to no background in astronomy to understand the arguments. what makes the book rather interesting in itself is that it is a good example of how to do scientific research. particularly how to interact with past theories so as to integrate new ideas without being to dependent on past heroes.
i am still looking for references on mithraic relationship to early christianity but i am glad i found this book. i've bought several books on this learning curve and they're often so partisan or reflect some off the wall religious beliefs so as to be useless for scholarship/understanding. this book is straightforward and a good example of legitimate scholarship directed at a field fraught with problems due to its religious nature.
Rating: 
Summary: An archeological, mystical thriller
Review: I devoured this book in a cheap, high-windowed hotel room in Rome on the eve of my first visit to the Mithraeum below the cathedral of San Clemente. It was the week before Easter and I was traveling with a group to whom I needed to explain something about Mithras. Being a religious studies major in college, I thought I knew all there was to know about this mysterious, seemingly dull cult of the Romans. How could I have guessed that this rainy April night, buried in a book, would so change my life? Ulansey brings to life a world, an era, a relationship to the stars which, in our time, is difficult to fathom. Ever since reading Origins Of The Mithraic Mysteries I am captivated by anything about Perseus; I am drawn to stare longingly at the name Tarsus on ancient maps. This sounds over-the-top effusive, but truly any other reaction from me would not do justice to his work. This is a rare scholarly investigation which extends out to the heavens themselves. Recommended to neophytes and mystics, the casually interested and committed scholars. My deepest thanks to the author (and to our mutual teacher, Paul Matthews who lent me the book).
Rating:
Summary: An archeological, mystical thriller
Review: I devoured this book in a cheap, high-windowed hotel room in Rome on the eve of my first visit to the Mithraeum below the cathedral of San Clemente. It was the week before Easter and I was traveling with a group to whom I needed to explain something about Mithras. Being a religious studies major in college, I thought I knew all there was to know about this mysterious, seemingly dull cult of the Romans. How could I have guessed that this rainy April night, buried in a book, would so change my life? Ulansey brings to life a world, an era, a relationship to the stars which, in our time, is difficult to fathom. Ever since reading Origins Of The Mithraic Mysteries I am captivated by anything about Perseus; I am drawn to stare longingly at the name Tarsus on ancient maps. This sounds over-the-top effusive, but truly any other reaction from me would not do justice to his work. This is a rare scholarly investigation which extends out to the heavens themselves. Recommended to neophytes and mystics, the casually interested and committed scholars. My deepest thanks to the author (and to our mutual teacher, Paul Matthews who lent me the book).
Rating:
Summary: Excellent scholarly detective work!
Review: It can't be too often that someone sets out to understand an "ancient mystery" and actually reaches his goal! Ulansey may be wrong, but his hypothesis that the discovery of the precession of the equinoxes gave birth to a mystery-cult in the highly learned town of Tarsus is absolutely fascinating. He argues that the cult originally centered on Perseus (the city divinity of Tarsus) but later merged into the Persian Mithras as King Mithradates allied himself with the Cilician pirates -- the first reported locus of the new Roman "Mithra" worship. It hangs together, it makes sense, and it is steeped with the atmosphere of the time and the place. A very absorbing book!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent scholarly detective work!
Review: It can't be too often that someone sets out to understand an "ancient mystery" and actually reaches his goal! Ulansey may be wrong, but his hypothesis that the discovery of the precession of the equinoxes gave birth to a mystery-cult in the highly learned town of Tarsus is absolutely fascinating. He argues that the cult originally centered on Perseus (the city divinity of Tarsus) but later merged into the Persian Mithras as King Mithradates allied himself with the Cilician pirates -- the first reported locus of the new Roman "Mithra" worship. It hangs together, it makes sense, and it is steeped with the atmosphere of the time and the place. A very absorbing book!
Rating:
Summary: What a great book! It really covers the topic nicely.
Review: There aren't many books that you come away from feeling like you really sunk your teeth into the issue. But this one delivers. And Ulansey's analysis is sure to endure for a long, long time.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent in-depth review on the Mithraic Mysteries
Review: This book is simply great. The theories introduced by David Ulansey are absolutely innovative if compared to what is the current average knowledge of scholars, archeologist and experts on the religion of Mithra. The book provides large evidence in support of the theories, as well as disseminates intriguing questions and answers about cosmogony and salvation in the ancient world. Most of all it is a book written with an outstanding passion, but also very easy to read, and therefore may easily suit not only the scholar but also anyone interested in the subject, or simply curious and also students from high school onwards.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely riveting explanation of Mithraic origins!
Review: Ulansey writes with such contagious enthusiasm that it is almost impossible to not share in his excitement as he unfolds his theory on the origins of Mithraism. This author clearly loves what he does and he engages the reader in a writing style that is not merely explanatory, but is exceptionally captivating and addicting. He writes not as a distant scholar, although his work is exceptional scholarship, he is a nearby instructor. On many occasions I said to myself "wow, amazing!". Though this work is short it is a complete and exceptional explanation of Mithraic origins. Describing the various iconography of this mystery religion, and the beliefs and intellectual environment of its birthplace of Tarsus, he effectively explains how the discovery of the rotation of the cosmic equator (known to us as the wobbling of the earth around its axis) that results in the movement of the familiar constellations led to a new astral religion that was extremely attractive and cohesive. The amazing 2nd century B.C.E. discovery by Hipparchus of the rotating cosmic equator presaged a new religion of a cosmic god that was exceedingly more powerful than any god imagined before him. A god that was powerful enough to move the entire heavens at will, that ruled the cosmic sphere, and had the ability to usher in entirely new ages of history. One can see echoes of Pauline Christianity in such ideas: Paul's cosmic Christ has exactly the same features and power. All of the iconography that is found in the ancient mithraeum (sp?) makes perfect sense in light of his extraordinary theory. One often wonders how ancient peoples could hold to beliefs that to the modern mind seem so mysterious and peculiar, but Ulansey essentially takes the reader back to the time period in question and relates how an earth-shattering discovery of how the heavens operated could easily lead to the founding of this new religion. Considering the relative simplicity of these people's astonomical understanding, it is easy to see how this could happen. The mystery of how Mithraism could originate and spread becomes obvious to the reader in the light of this knowledge. Ulansey focuses, as the title suggests, on the origins and not the practices and theology of ancient Mithraism. He only briefly alludes to some of the practices and belief systems. I found myself wanting to know more; most especially regarding the substance and significance of the new life imagined by the practice of the killing of the bull and the particular beliefs regarding the afterlife. The belief that the Milky Way contained the spirits of those entering and exiting this world is also fascinating. Really an outstanding book and extremely engaging; I read it in one sitting.
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