ItwouldappearthenthatatRomeinthequietearlydaysoftheChristianChurch，theritesandceremonialsofMithraandCybele，probablymuchintermingledandblended，wereexceedinglypopular。BothreligionshadbeenrecognizedbytheRomanState，andtheChristians，persecutedanddespisedastheywere，foundithardtomakeanyheadwayagainstthem——themoresoperhapsbecausetheChristiandoctrinesappearedinmanyrespectstobemerelyfaintreplicasandcopiesoftheoldercreeds。Robertsonmaintains[1]thatahe-lambwassacrificedintheMithraicmysteries，andhequotesPorphyryassaying[2]
that“aplaceneartheequinoctialcirclewasassignedtoMithraasanappropriateseat；andonthisaccounthebearstheswordoftheRam[Aries]whichisasignofMars[Ares]。”SimilarlyamongtheearlyChristians，itissaid，aramorlambwassacrificedinthePaschalmystery。
[1]PaganChrists，p。336。
[2]DeAntro，xxiv。
ManypeoplethinkthattheassociationoftheLamb-godwiththeCrossarosefromthefactthattheconstellationAriesatthattimeWASontheheavenlycrossthecrosswaysoftheEclipticandEquator-seediagram，ch。