 Coin of Emperor Probus, circa 280, with Sol Invictus riding a quadriga, with legend SOLI INVICTO, "to the undefeated Sun". Note how the Emperor (on the left) wears a radiated solar crown, worn also by the god (to the right). Sol Invictus ("the undefeated Sun") or, more fully, Deus Sol Invictus ("the undefeated sun god") was a religious title applied to at least three distinct divinities during the later Roman Empire: El Gabal, Mithras, and Sol. Image File history File links Coin of Roman emperor Probus. ...
Image File history File links Coin of Roman emperor Probus. ...
This antoninianus minted under Probus (c. ...
A quadriga (from the Latin language quadri-, four, and jungere, to yoke) is a four-horse chariot, raced in the Olympic Games and other sacred games, and represented in profile as the usual chariot of gods and heroes on Greek vases and bas-reliefs. ...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
Elagabalus Sol Invictus, was a Roman sun god, introduced in Rome, during the Severan dynasty, by the Roman emperor Elagabalus (also called Heliogabalus), who was the hereditary high priest of the god, Baal (lord) of Emesa (in ancient Syria), or El-Gabal, latinised as Elagabalus. ...
Mithras and the Bull: fresco from the mithraeum at Marino, Italy, (3rd century AD) Mithras was the central god of Mithraism, a syncretic Hellenistic mystery religion of male initiates that developed in the Eastern Mediterranean in the 2nd and 1st centuries BC and was practiced in the Roman Empire from...
Standards Of Learning SOL stands for The Standards Of Learning. ...
Unlike the earlier, agrarian cult of Sol Indiges ("the native sun" or "the invoked sun" - the etymology and meaning of the word "indiges" is disputed), the title Deus Sol Invictus was formed by analogy with the imperial titulature pius felix invictus ("dutiful, fortunate, unconquered"). Helios in his chariot In Greek mythology the sun was personified as Helios or Helius (Greek á¼Î»Î¹Î¿Ï‚ / ἥλιος). Homer often calls him Titan and Hyperion. ...
A festival of the birth of the Unconquered Sun (or Dies Natalis Solis Invicti) was celebrated when the duration of daylight first begins to increase after the winter solstice, — the "rebirth" of the sun. A solstice is either of the two events of the year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the equatorial plane. ...
The Sol Invictus festival ran from December 22 to December 25. It has traditionally been assumed that eradicating the remnants of this pagan holiday was a reason why Christmas was picked by Church leaders as the birthday of Jesus Christ. More recently there is evidence[1] [2]that Christian celebration of Christmas pre-dates the Sol Invictus festival. Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday that marks the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. ...
Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...
Elagabalus
The title first gained prominence under the emperor Elagabalus, who abortively attempted to impose the worship of El Gabal, the sun-god of his native city Emesa in Syria. With the emperor's death in 222, however, this religion ceased, though emperors continued to be portrayed on coinage with the radiant sun-crown, for close to a century. A bust depicting Elagabalus. ...
Elagabalus Sol Invictus, was a Roman sun god, introduced in Rome, during the Severan dynasty, by the Roman emperor Elagabalus (also called Heliogabalus), who was the hereditary high priest of the god, Baal (lord) of Emesa (in ancient Syria), or El-Gabal, latinised as Elagabalus. ...
Emesa was an ancient city on the Orontes River in Syria. ...
Events Pope Urban I succeeds Pope Callixtus I Roman Emperor Alexander Severus succeeds Heliogabalus Kingdom of Wu is established in China Sun Quan defeats Liu Bei at the Battle of Yi Ling Deaths March 11 - Roman Emperor Heliogabalus murdered Tertullian, theologian Pope Callixtus I Claudius Aelianus, teacher and rhetorician Ma...
Mithras In the second instance, the title invictus was applied to Mithras in private inscriptions by devotees. It also appears applied to Mars. Mithras and the Bull: fresco from the mithraeum at Marino, Italy, (3rd century AD) Mithras was the central god of Mithraism, a syncretic Hellenistic mystery religion of male initiates that developed in the Eastern Mediterranean in the 2nd and 1st centuries BC and was practiced in the Roman Empire from...
Mars was the Roman god of war, the son of Juno and a magical flower (or Jupiter). ...
Aurelian
 Aurelian in his radiated solar crown, on a silvered bronze coin struck at Rome, 274-275 The Roman gens Aurelia was associated with the cult of Sol. After his victories in the East, the emperor Aurelian introduced an official cult of Sol Invictus, making the sun-god the premier divinity of the empire, and wearing his radiated crown himself. He founded a college of pontifices, and dedicated a temple to Sol Invictus in 274. It is possible that he created the festival called dies natalis Solis Invicti, "birthday of the undefeated Sun", which is recorded in 354 (in the Calendar of Filocalus) as celebrated on the 25th December; but no earlier reference to it exists.
Image File history File links Aurelian Silvered Æ Antoninianus. ...
Image File history File links Aurelian Silvered Æ Antoninianus. ...
Lucius Domitius Aurelianus (September 9, 214–275), known in English as Aurelian, Roman Emperor (270–275), was the second of several highly successful soldier-emperors who helped the Roman Empire regain its power during the latter part of the third century and the beginning of the fourth. ...
Lucius Domitius Aurelianus (September 9, 214–275), known in English as Aurelian, Roman Emperor (270–275), was the second of several highly successful soldier-emperors who helped the Roman Empire regain its power during the latter part of the third century and the beginning of the fourth. ...
Events The Gallic Empire (Gaul and Britain) is reconquered by Roman Emperor Aurelian With the conquests of the Palmyran Empire (272) and the Gallic Empire, the Roman Empire is united again Births Deaths Pope Felix I Cao Fang, emperor of the Kingdom of Wei Categories: 274 ...
Events Gallus deposed, executed at Antioch. ...
The Calender of Filocalus was a 4th century illuminated manuscript, which was produced in 354 AD for a Christian named Valentius. ...
Constantine
 Coin of Emperor Constantine I depicting Sol Invictus with the legend SOLI INVICTO COMITI, circa 315. Emperors up to Constantine portrayed Sol Invictus on their official coinage, with the legend SOLI INVICTO COMITI, thus claiming the Unconquered Sun as a companion to the Emperor. During the reign of Constantine the coinage ceases to be pagan in 325, and Sol Invictus disappears with the rest at that date. Image File history File links Follis-Constantine-lyons_RIC_VI_309. ...
Image File history File links Follis-Constantine-lyons_RIC_VI_309. ...
Head of Constantines colossal statue at Musei Capitolini Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus[1] (February 27, 272–May 22, 337), commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or (among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic[2] Christians) Saint Constantine, was a Roman Emperor, proclaimed Augustus by his troops on...
Head of Constantines colossal statue at Musei Capitolini Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus[1] (February 27, 272–May 22, 337), commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or (among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic[2] Christians) Saint Constantine, was a Roman Emperor, proclaimed Augustus by his troops on...
Head of Constantines colossal statue at Musei Capitolini Gaius Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus[1] (February 27, 272–May 22, 337), commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or (among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic[2] Christians) Saint Constantine, was a Roman Emperor, proclaimed Augustus by his troops on...
Constantine decreed (March 7, 321) dies Solis — day of the sun, "Sunday" — as the Roman day of rest [CJ3.12.2]: March 7 is the 66th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (67th in leap years). ...
Events Publication of the first blue law by Constantine I of the Roman Empire: trade is forbidden on Sundays; agriculture is allowed The Roman Catholic church is allowed to hold property Births Deaths Categories: 321 ...
Sunday is the first day of the week – between Saturday and Monday, and the second day of the weekend in some cultures. ...
- On the venerable day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country however persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits because it often happens that another day is not suitable for grain-sowing or vine planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost.
The religion of Sol Invictus continued to be part of the state religion until paganism was abolished by decree of Theodosius I on February 27, 390.
An engraving depicting what Theodosius may have looked like, ca. ...
February 27 is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ...
Events In response to the murder of his general Butheric, Theodosius I orders a massacre of the inhabitants of Thessalonica. ...
Sol Invictus and Christianity  Alleged representation of Christ as the sun-god Helios/Sol Invictus riding in his chariot. Third century mosaic of the Vatican grottoes under St. Peter's Basilica, on the ceiling of the tomb of the Julii. Christian iconography adopted some of the artistic language of paganism. The depiction of Christ with a halo relates to late antiquity usage, but the radiated crown also appears. Julius I, pope from 337 to 352, was a native of Rome and was chosen as successor of Marcus after the Roman see had been vacant four months. ...
Iconography usually refers to the design or creation of images and more specifically to the historical study of art which aims at the identification, description and the interpretation of the content of images. ...
According to the New Catholic Encyclopedia, 1967, article on Constantine the Great: The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to today as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in 1913 by The Encyclopedia Press. ...
- "Besides, the Sol Invictus had been adopted by the Christians in a Christian sense, as demonstrated in the Christ as Apollo-Helios in a mausoleum (c. 250) discovered beneath St. Peter's in the Vatican."
However, there is a counter claim that it cannot be Sol Invictus, as it did not exist at that date[citation needed]. Helios in his chariot In Greek mythology the sun was personified as Helios or Helius (Greek á¼Î»Î¹Î¿Ï‚ / ἥλιος). Homer often calls him Titan and Hyperion. ...
St. ...
This article is about the famous building in Rome. ...
Indeed "...from the beginning of the 3rd century "Sun of Justice" appears as a title of Christ"[3]. Some consider this to be in opposition to Sol Invictus[citation needed]. Some see an allusion to Malachi 4:2.
The date for Christmas may also bear a relation to the sun worship. According to the scholiast on the Syriac bishop Jacob Bar-Salibi, writing in the twelfth century: Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday that marks the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. ...
Jacob Bar-Salibi also known as Dionysis Bar-Salibi was the best-known and most voluminous writer in the Syriac Orthodox Church of the 12th century. ...
- "It was a custom of the Pagans to celebrate on the same 25 December the birthday of the Sun, at which they kindled lights in token of festivity. In these solemnities and revelries the Christians also took part. Accordingly when the doctors of the Church perceived that the Christians had a leaning to this festival, they took counsel and resolved that the true Nativity should be solemnised on that day." (cited in "Christianity and Paganism in the Fourth to Eighth Centuries", Ramsay MacMullen. Yale:1997, p155)
The 1908 Catholic Encyclopedia: Christmas states: "The well-known solar feast, however, of Natalis Invicti, celebrated on 25 December, has a strong claim on the responsibility for our December date."
However this pagan feast is first documented only in 354 AD, see Aurelian above.
Use in popular culture In the roleplaying game Exalted, the Unconquered Sun appears as the most powerful god in all of Creation. His chosen, the Solar Exalted, are the default protagonists of the setting. Exalted is a role-playing game published by White Wolf Publishing. ...
The Solar Exalted are a sub-category of semi-divine heroes from the high fantasy role-playing game Exalted published by White Wolf Game Studio. ...
See also Saturnalia is the feast at which the Romans commemorated the dedication of the temple of the god Saturn, which took place on 17 December. ...
The Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun) was a religious ceremony of the Inca Empire in honor of the god Inti. ...
External links Image File history File links Commons-logo. ...
Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...
Notes - ^ Tighe, William J. Calculating Christmas, 2003
- ^ Schmidt, Alvin, J.(2001), "Under the Influence", HarperCollins, p377-9
- ^ New Catholic Encyclopedia, "Christmas"
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