Cautes and Cautopates

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Cautes and Cautopates are the two attendants of Mithras in the ancient Roman cult of Mithraism. Because Mithras (Sol Invictus, Latin: the invincible sun) represents the sun Cautes and Cautopates represent the stations of sunrise and sunset respectively. They appear in many depictions alongside Mithras.

1 Depictions
2 References
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Depictions

Both are depicted as smaller than Mithras to emphasize his significance, and both wear Persian style garments, notably a Phrygian cap, to emphasize the legendary oriental origins of the cult¹. Cautes (Sunrise) holds a burning torch aloft, whereas Cautopates (Sunset) holds a burning torch on the floor - the far right picture shows this more clearly, but interestingly sunset precedes sunrise here, suggesting a rebirth cult. Another interpretation is that they represent the Equinoxes. Cautes represents the Spring Equinox and Cautopates the Autum Equinox. Thus, represented on the left and right of the Tauroctony, they become a realistic cadre of the Clestical Equator and the Constellations included between the two Equinoxes during the Age of Taurus.