Secret Sacred - Mystery Cults in Ancient Greece and Rome

With numerous images of artifacts, an illuminating investigation of the clandestine cults of the ancient world.

The Secret Sacred explores the hidden religious practices of the classical world. These cults, shrouded in secrecy, promised initiates a transformative afterlife. While many rituals remain mysterious, artworks and historical texts provide glimpses of their underlying beliefs. The book examines Greco-Roman religious traditions and their divergence into mystery cults, including Bacchic ceremonies depicted in frescoes, Orphic gold tablets guiding souls in the underworld, and the Eleusinian Mysteries celebrating Demeter and Persephone's cycle of rebirth. Eastern deities like Mithras, Isis, and Cybele also feature in the cults discussed. The possible influence of mystery religions on early Christianity is also explored, drawing parallels with modern-day beliefs. Featuring the most recent archaeological discoveries and stunning museum artifacts, this is a lively account of the concealed faiths of the ancient world.

About the author

Damien Stone is an archaeologist who lives in Sydney, Australia. His books include The Hittites: Lost Civilizations (Reaktion Books, 2023).

Product details

• Authors: Damien Stone, Damien Stone, Stone Damien
• Publisher: Reaktion Books
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 01.09.2025
• EAN: 9781836391098
• ISBN: 978-1-83639-109-8
• No. of pages: 216
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Regional and national histories; European History, HISTORY / Ancient / Rome, Ancient Greece, HISTORY / Ancient / Greece, RELIGION / Cults, Ancient Rome, Ancient History, Ancient history: to c 500 CE, European history: the Romans, Contemporary non-Christian & para-Christian cults & sects