Abstract
Since Franz Cumont wrote his two classical books on the diffusion of Oriental cults in the Roman Empire, there have appeared agr eat number of studies devoted to individual aspects of this phenomenon. During this period of active interest, there was an immense progress of archaeological researches for remains of these religions throughout the Roman Empire, while there was no remarkable discovery of new literary sources.
After the Second World War, Professor Vermaseren inaugurated a new series of monographs contributed by scholars of Oriental cults of various nationalities, that is, Les études preliminaires aux religions orientales dans l'empire romain. In spite of its very modest title («préliminaire»), this series includes substantial, comprehensive, or even decisive works on each topic. In the particular field of Mithraic studies, his Corpus Inscriptionum et Monumentorum Religionis Mithriacae is also a monumental work, a worthy successor of Cumont's Textes et monuments.
At present Professor Vermaseren's interest tends towards a new synthesis of each Oriental cult, which would be realized only through the international cooperation of scholars of same interest.
Since 1971, another international school, which is devoted exclusively to the study of Mithraic cults has been active in England. With the publication of Journal of Mithraic Studies and the international conference, which is to be held every four years, this new society intends to revolutionize Cumont's classical theories concerning various aspects of Mithraic religion. It is not clear at present, whether this challenge would be very fruitful in near future.
