Archaeologists recently unveiled rare written evidence of Christianity's rise over a Roman mystery religion.They found an ancient inscription, written in the same language that was spoken by Jesus Christ.The engraving was found at an underground Mithras temple at Zerzevan Castle, a Turkish fortification roughly 40 miles north of the Syrian border. The inscription back 1,700 years and was written in Aramaic, which was widely spoken across the ancient Near East, including by Jesus Christ.ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNEARTH ANCIENT TREASURE CACHE AT BIBLICAL CITY CONNECTED TO GENESISThe temple was dedicated to Mithras, a deity worshiped by followers of a "mystery cult" associated with light and cosmic order.During the second and third centuries A.D., Mithraism was widespread throughout the Roman Empire — and the Zerzevan underground sanctuary is regarded as one of its best-preserved temples.A newly deciphered 1,700-year-old Aramaic inscription at a Roman Mithras temple in Turkey documents its closure by early Christians, archaeologists say.
(Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images; Aziz Aslan/Anadolu via Getty Images)The inscription is located at the entrance of the temple, along with a depiction of a cross.Its meaning had eluded researchers since it was discovered in 2017.The engraving is the first known Aramaic inscription documenting the closure of a Mithras temple, Mardin Artuklu University professor Mehmet Sait Toprak told Turkish state news outlet Anadolu Agency (AA), which first reported the discovery.TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZToprak analyzed the inscription's language and letter forms to determine its meaning.Comparing it with Old Syriac and Aramaic inscriptions from the second and third centuries A.D., he concluded the inscription dates to the third or fourth century A.D.The ancient inscription was discovered at Zerzevan Castle, where one of the Roman world's best-preserved Mithras temples still survives.
(Aziz Aslan/Anadolu via Getty Images)Th...