Mithra
Mithra is an Old Persian name. Odeberg suggested that the name Metatron might have been adopted from the Old Persian name Mithra, drawing up several parallels that appeared to link Mithra and Metatron based on their positions in heaven and duties.
↻ synthesized from 19 sources
When
- First attested
- 1500 BCE
- Attested period
- -1500 – 2020
- Historical notes
- Avestan deity that evolved into various Middle Iranian forms and was conflated with Greek and local figures in Hellenistic Asia Minor.
Relationships
- syncretized with
- Metatron, Apollo-Helios-Mithras-Hermes-Stilbon, Zhun, Mihr, Mher, Sol, Sol Invictus, Theandrios, Maitreya, Apollo-Mithras-Helios, Helios, Tyrian Heracles, Apollo, Sūrya
- co occurs with
- Saoshyant, El, Hathor, Bull of Heaven, Gavaevodata, Heiðrún, Kamadhenu, Mehet-Weret, Lunus, Sin, men, Sabazius, Ahriman, Jeh, Gawiewdad, Vohu Manah, Zurvān, Dyaus, Varuna, Wōdan, Saulė, Mitra, Luna, Hvare-khshaeta, Háldi, Oceanus, Saturn, Victoria, Mars, Jupiter, Hercules, Silvanus, Sol Indiges, Jupiter Dolichenus, Angra Mainyu, Ahura Mazda, Tishtrya, Fravashis, spenta mainyu, Paitisha, Marduk, Shamash, Aredvi Sura Anahita, Ištar, Athena, Asclepius, Ahura Mazda, Lagamal, Inshushinak, Ishmekarab, Adiriron, Dapdapiron, Attis, Zeus, Nanã, Diana, Artemis (Diana)
- aspect of
- Mitra
- allied with
- Mah, Sol, Rashnu, Anāhitā, Ahura Mazda, Sraosha, Cautes, Ahura Berezant, Cautopates, Arshtat, Vayu-Vata, Verethragna, Nairyosangha, Khvarenah, Peshotanu
- enemy of
- Xotli, Aži Dahaka, daevas, Aeshma, Bushyasta
- manifested by
- Mitra
- served by
- Haoma
Mentioned by
- Theandrios
- Maitreya
- Apollo-Mithras-Helios
- Helios
- Tyrian Heracles
- Apollo
- Sūrya
- Adiriron
- Dapdapiron
- Attis
- Zeus
- Nanã
- Diana
- Artemis (Diana)
- Cautes
- Ahura Berezant
and 12 more
Sources
Source passages
“Odeberg also suggested that the name Metatron might have been adopted from the Old Persian name Mithra. Citing Wiesner, he drew up several parallels that appeared to link Mithra and Metatron based on their positions in heaven and duties.”
#2186 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“The name Mithra was adopted by the Greeks and Romans as Mithras, chief figure in the mystery religion of Mithraism. At first identified with the Sun-god Helios by the Greeks, the syncretic Mithra-Helios was transformed into the figure Mithras”
#3892 · extracted by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5
“F Grenet also believes that Zhun might have been connected with the Iranian solar god Mithra, and this god might have been the one shown on the painting at Dokhtar-i Noshirvan”
#15583 · extracted by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.5
“The motif of spies resurfaces in the Avesta, where the god Mithra is described as possessing "one thousand ears" and is said to spy "with ten thousand (eyes)."”
#15633 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“It is also possible that the sun and the moon represented Mithra and Mah, though in some cases a feminine face appears inside the latter. In some cases Nana was also depicted in a diadem decorated with a crescent. Harry Falk argues that it is implausible that Nana's crescent represents the moon, and that the halo present around her head in Kushan art is a reflection of the sun as argued by other researchers, as both of these celestial bodies are represented as independent deities in Kushan art, ”
#15967 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001