House of the Mithra

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Dates

early Imperial to fourth century CE

Excavation Dates

unspecified

Garden Description

Excavations identified two building phases in the villa. The early Imperial phase of the villa contained a peristyle courtyard with a pool, central drain and possibly a garden. During the late Imperial phase (fourth century CE), the pool was converted into a double fountain with two semicircular exedras on its short sides, which housed sculptures of Mithra and Dionysus. The space which may have been a garden was transformed into a second pool around the original one by paving it and building a low wall at the base of the peristyle. The ruins show this second state.

Plans

Fig. 1: Plan of the House of the Mithra.

Credit: Gorges, Planche XXXIII.

Images

Fig. 2: Photo of the peristyle looking northwest.

Fig. 3: Photo of one of the mosaics from the House of Mithra on display at the municipal museum.

Bibliography

A. Blanco, J. García y M. Bendala, 'Excavaciones en Cabra (Córdoba). La Casa de Mitra (Primera campaña, 1972),' Habis 3, Universidad de Sevilla, (Sevilla 1973), 297-319. (worldcat)
M.ª C. Fernández Castro,Villas romanas en Hispania, (Madrid 1982). (worldcat)
J. L. Jiménez Salvador and M. Martín Bueno,La Casa del Mitra, Ayuntamiento de Córdoba, (Córdoba, 1991). (worldcat)

Egabrum on Gardens of the Roman Empire