Mithra

Revision History

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12/7/2022, 9:35 PM Mike C update #113
11/16/2019, 11:04 AM Mike C update #105
12/8/2017, 12:41 PM Mike C update #97
12/3/2014, 12:28 AM Mike C update #89
2/12/2007, 1:03 AM Mike C earliest recorded revision

Gender Masculine
Usage Persian Mythology
Scripts 饜幏饜幇饜幖(Old Persian) 饜饜瑢饜瑲饜饜瑎(Avestan)
Pronounced Pron. MITH-r蓹(English)

Meaning & History

From Avestan 饜饜瑢饜瑲饜饜瑎 (mithra) meaning "oath, covenant, agreement", derived from an Indo-Iranian root *mitra meaning "that which binds". According Zoroastrian mythology Mithra was a god of light and friendship, the son of the supreme god Ahura Mazda. Worship of him eventually spread outside of Persia to the Roman Empire, where it was known as Mithraism.