Sol Invictus
Unlike the earlier, agrarian cult of Sol Indiges ("the sun in-the-earth"), the title Deus Sol Invictus was formed by analogy with the imperial titulature pius felix invictus ("dutiful, fortunate, unconquered").
The title first gained prominence under the emperor Heliogabalus, who abortively attempted to impose the worship of Elegabal, the sun-god of his native city Emesa in Syria. With the emperor's death in AD 222, however, this cult ceased, though emperors continued to be portrayed on coinage with the radiant sun-crown.
In the second instance, the title invictus was applied to Mithras in private inscriptions by devotees. It also appears applied to Mars.
Finally, the emperor Aurelian introduced an official cult of Sol Invictus in AD 270, making the sun-god the premier divinity of the empire, and wearing his rayed crown himself (image, right). While not officially identified with Mithras, Aurelian's Sol borrowed many features from Mithraism, including the iconographical representation of the god as a beardless youth. The cult of Sol Invictus continued to be a cornerstone of official paganism until the triumph of Christianity – before his conversion, even the young Constantine portrayed Sol Invictus on his official coinage.
See also
See Sol Invictus (band) for the English Pagan folk band.
