Tauroctony
/ˌtɔːr.ɒkˈtəʊ.ni/noun
The ritual or artistic representation of the bull-slaying central to the ancient Roman mystery religion of Mithraism.
Did you know?In Mithraic temples, the tauroctony was often positioned as the religion’s central image, surrounded by solar, lunar, and zodiacal symbolism.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*tauros
“Bull; a reconstructed Indo-European word associated with the animal”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ταῦρος (taûros)
“Bull”
Classical Greek
Greek
ταυροκτόνος (tauroktónos)
“Bull-killing or bull-slayer, formed from taûros, “bull,” and kteínein, “to kill””
Roman Imperial Period
Greek/Latin
tauroctony
“Modern scholarly term for the Mithraic bull-slaying scene, based on the Greek compound”
19th Century
English
tauroctony
“The bull-slaying image or rite associated with Mithraism”
Modern English
English
tauroctony
“The characteristic bull-killing representation in Mithraic art and religion”