Sanctuary of Isis and the Magna Mater, Mainz

The Sanctuary of Isis and the Magna Mater in Mainz was a significant religious site from the Roman period, dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis and the Anatolian mother goddess Magna Mater (Kybele). The temple, founded in the 1st century, remained active until the 3rd century, reflecting the influence of the Roman Empire's expansion and its introduction of diverse cults to provincial cities.

Discovered in 1999 during the construction of the Römerpassage shopping arcade, the sanctuary's remains offer a glimpse into the religious life of Roman Mainz (then known as Mogontiacum). The sanctuary's structure, inscriptions, and artifacts suggest that it may have been founded under the Flavian dynasty, a period when the Roman Empire fostered various religious practices. The Flavian rulers, particularly Emperor Vespasian, had ties to Eastern cults, including those of Isis, likely reinforcing the significance of the site.

Isis, often revered as Panthea ("All-Goddess") and Regina ("Queen"), and Magna Mater, a deity introduced from Anatolia and later merged with Roman practices, were worshipped by the Roman military, who brought these cults to Mainz. The temple complex underwent several reconstructions over its 200-year existence, with its inclusion inside the city's protective walls around 250 AD.

By the late 3rd century, the sanctuary had been abandoned, though the reasons remain unclear. Its remains were later built over in the Middle Ages, first by monasteries like the Poor Clares and later by patrician courts. Today, visitors can explore the site in a small museum beneath the Römerpassage, where multimedia displays and select finds bring the ancient worship of these goddesses to life.