Bavaria's Oldest Roman Temple Found in Regensburg

A routine construction project in Regensburg, Germany turned into the archaeological find of the decade when workers discovered Bavaria's oldest known Roman temple beneath the city's historic Old Town.

The ancient sanctuary, called a Mithraeum, was dedicated to Mithras, a mysterious god worshipped by Roman soldiers nearly 2,000 years ago. Archaeologist Sabine Watzlawik and her team from ArchaeoTeam GmbH were conducting standard excavations at a residential construction site when they stumbled upon something extraordinary.

At first, the dig seemed typical. The team found prehistoric settlements, Roman occupation layers, and medieval remains exactly as expected in this archaeologically rich area. But several large wooden structures puzzled the experts throughout 2023.

Only after archaeologist Dr. Stefan Reuter analyzed all the findings together did the truth emerge. The wooden structures formed a Roman temple dating between 80 and 171 AD, making it the earliest Mithras sanctuary ever found in Bavaria.

The temple itself had decayed over the centuries, but the evidence told a vivid story. Researchers found a votive stone typical of Mithras worship, fragments of metal plates from a shrine, and ritual objects that paint a picture of ancient religious life. Ceramic pieces decorated with snake motifs, incense cups, and drinking vessels revealed how worshippers gathered for ritual feasts, a central practice in Mithras cult traditions.

Ancient coins discovered at the site helped date the sanctuary precisely. The temple operated during the period of the Roman fort at Kumpfmühl, well before the larger military camp that would later define Roman Regensburg.

Why This Inspires

Maximilian Ontrup, a Roman archaeology expert at Regensburg's city museums, calls the discovery exceptional for two reasons. It's the only Roman sanctuary ever identified in Regensburg's Old Town, and it predates all other known Bavarian Mithraea by decades.

Most Mithras temples date to the late 2nd and 3rd centuries AD when the mysterious cult peaked across the Roman Empire. Finding one from the earlier period offers a rare window into how Roman religious practices evolved in frontier territories. The cult of Mithras, popular among soldiers, remained secretive, making each discovery precious for understanding ancient spiritual life.

The find reminds us that history still hides beneath our feet, waiting to surprise us with stories of how people lived, believed, and gathered thousands of years ago.