The House of the Mithraeum reveals domestic history beyond the grand public buildings. Built outside the Roman enclosure around the late first or early second century CE, its rooms were arranged around courtyards providing light and ventilation. The name comes from nearby remains interpreted as a possible Mithras sanctuary; it does not automatically make the house a temple. Study the distribution and changes in flooring and decoration between rooms. The cosmological mosaic invites reflection on representations of the world and its forces, not only the skill of the mosaicists. Ask which features express prestige and which support everyday living. The enclosure connects with the Columbarium area, requiring additional time; check your visit and distinguish this house from the House of the Amphitheatre.
Sources checked on 21 October 2026. Opening and access may change. The walk does not include admission; allow extra time for interiors. Routes have not been audited for accessibility.
Plan this visit
A house that changed with its occupants
Rooms are organised around three courtyards, but structures and decoration belong to different alterations. Rather than imagining a dwelling finished in one operation, examine how one room relates to the courtyard opening, then compare another area. This reading explains the house as a building used and adapted over time, rather than merely an archaeological plan to complete.
From the route to the mosaic
Save the Cosmological Mosaic for a second scale of observation: first locate it within the domestic organisation, then select a figure and its relationship with the others. Avoid hurriedly identifying the entire pavement. If also visiting the MNAR, compare seeing a mosaic within a house with its museum presentation, asking what information each context adds.
