1,700-Year-Old Aramaic Inscription Captures Christianity Replacing Mithraism in Roman Turkey

An Aramaic inscription discovered at Zerzevan Castle in present-day Turkey documents the closure of a temple dedicated to the Roman cult of Mithras. Dating to the third or fourth century AD, the ancient text is considered rare written evidence of a religious transition during the late Roman period. The inscription notably references both Mithras and Jesus Christ, as well as the Holy Cross, indicating a shift toward Christianity. This find contributes to a growing body of early Christian archaeological evidence uncovered in Turkey.