Thursday, May 15, 2008

Phrygian Caps, Ancient Roman Empire and Mithraism

Ancient clothing, ancient beliefs. They are with us today. Here is a fair use and rescaled portion of a mosaic in Ostia Antica, the whole can be seen at www.ostia-antica.org/regio5/9/9-1_11.

For background where this was uncovered, see our views of Ostia Antica at Italy Road Ways, Ostia Antica; and at Italy Road Ways, Ostia, Death by Silt. See the cap, the forward-pulled peak.

Our focus here is on this headwear - known by its shape as the Phrygian Cap.










Now, see this same cap shape on a slave shown on the Arch of Septimius Severus in Rome, at Italy Road Ways, Rome, Colosseum, Arch of Septimius Severus.

It also was worn by worshippers of Mithra, Mithraism as a pagan Roman religion that competed in the early times with emerging Christianity, and was the dominant religion where Paul grew up. See its influence at ://sparklemjk.com/Yule.html. See also Bogomilia, Mithraism.

This cap has significance in any era where freedom was valued, and fought for - see Joy of Equivocating, Phrygian Cap; and sites listed there.

Origins are anchors. Ties to the past that light up the present. Wear your Phrygian Cap with pride. See its current significance in modern symbolism at Joy of Equivocating, Phrygian Caps.

The United States Army sports it with pride. This is a fair use portion of the official seal. See Joy of Equivocating site for more. Then look up the American Revolution, and the French Revolution. A search for Phrygian caps there as well. And connections to Rome - see ://www.crwflags.com/FOTW/flags/xf-cap.html