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Sol Invictus

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see Sol Invictus :''For the folk music band, see Sol Invictus (band).'' Image:ProbusCoin.jpg thumb|350px|Coin of Emperor [[Probus, circa 280, with ''Sol Invictus'' riding a quadriga, with legend SOLI INVICTO, "to the undefeated Sun".]] '''Sol Invictus''' ("the unconquered sun") or, more fully, '''Deus Sol Invictus''' ("the unconquered sun god") was a religious title applied to three distinct divinities during the later Roman Empire. (Elagabalus Sol Invictus El Gabal, Mithras, and Sol) Unlike the earlier, agrarian cult of Helios 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"). A festival of the birth of the Unconquered Sun (or ''Dies Natalis Solis Invicti'') was celebrated when the duration of daylight first begins to increase after the winter solstice,—the "rebirth" of the sun.

Elagabalus
The title first gained prominence under the emperor Elagabalus, who abortively attempted to impose the worship of Elagabalus Sol Invictus Elegabal, the sun-god of his native city Emesa in Syria (Roman province) Syria. With the emperor's death in 222, however, this religion ceased, though emperors continued to be portrayed on coinage with the radiant sun-crown, for close to a century. In the second instance, the title ''invictus'' was applied to Mithras in private inscriptions by devotees. It also appears applied to Mars (god) Mars.

Aurelian
Image:Antoninianus-Aurelianus-Palmyra-s3262.jpg thumb|right|200px|[[Aurelian in his radiated solar crown, on a silvered bronze coin struck at Rome, 274-275]] Emperor Aurelian introduced an official religion of Sol Invictus in 270, making the sun-god the premier divinity of the empire, and wearing his radiated crown himself. 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. Aurelian dedicated the Sol Invictus Temple on December 25, 274 in a festival called ''dies natalis Solis Invicti'' or birthday of the invincible Sun.

Constantine
Image:Follis-Constantine-lyons RIC VI 309.jpg thumb|200px|Coin of Emperor [[Constantine I (emperor)|Constantine I depicting Sol Invictus with the legend SOLI INVICTO COMITI, circa 315.]] The religion of Sol Invictus continued to be a cornerstone of the emperors until Theodosius I's decree on February 27, 390, that only Nicene Christianity was acceptable. Before his conversion on his deathbed, even the young Constantine I (emperor) Constantine portrayed Sol Invictus on his official coinage. Constantine on March 7, 321 decreed ''dies Solis'' — day of the sun, from which "sunday" — as the Roman day of rest [CJ3.12.2]: :''On the venerable day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country however persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits because it often happens that another day is not suitable for grain-sowing or vine planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost.''

Sol Invictus and Christianity
Image:ChristJulii.jpg thumb|180px|Representation of Christ as the sun-god Helios/Sol Invictus riding in his chariot. Third century mosaic of the Vatican grottoes under St. Peter's Basilica, on the ceiling of the tomb of the [[Pope Julius I|Julii.]] Christianity apparently adopted some of the attributes of the Sol Invictus religion, as apparent in the first examples of Christian iconography, depicting Christ with solar attributes such as the radiated crown or, in a few instances, a solar chariot. Sol Invictus had been adopted by the Church of Rome as evidenced by Christ as Helios Apollo-Helios in a mausoleum discovered under St. Peter's Basilica and dated to 250{{ref|1|ce_constantine}}, and, from the beginning of the third century, "Sun of Justice" was used as a title of Christ{{ref|2|ce_christmas}}. The date for Christmas may also bear a relation to the sun worship. According to the scriptor Syrus, writing in the fourth century: :"It was a custom of the Pagans to celebrate on the same 25 December the birthday of the Sun, at which they kindled lights in token of festivity. In these solemnities and revelries the Christians also took part. Accordingly when the doctors of the Church perceived that the Christians had a leaning to this festival, they took counsel and resolved that the true Nativity should be solemnised on that day."

See also
*Festival of the birth of the Unconquered Sun *Saturnalia

External links
{{Commons|Sol Invictus}}
- Encyclopedia Britannica Online: Sol
- Probus and Sol, includes images of coins
- Roman-Emperors: Aurelian
- Gibbon's Decline and Fall: Triumph of Aurelian
- Gibbon's references for Aurelian's Temple of Sol Invictus
- Clement A. Miles, ''Christmas in Ritual and Tradition, Christian and Pagan'' (1912): December 25 and the Natalis Invicti
- Catholic Encyclopedia: Christmas
- Ancient sources

Notes
{{ent|1|ce_constantine}} "Constantine the Great" , ''New Catholic Encyclopedia'', 1967. {{ent|2|ce_christmas}} ''ibid.'', "Christmas". Category:Christmas-linked holidays Category:Roman gods Category:Winter festivals pt:Deus Sol Invicto de:Sol Invictus pl:Sol Invictus uk:Соль

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