MithraGod of the Upper air Culture Persian/Iranian
Mithra
God of the Upper air
Culture Persian/Iranian
Known period of worship circa 400 bc to 200 common era.
Aliases Mitra (Hindu) Mithras (Roman)
Cult Center Persian influence
Literary Sources: The Avesta
The Avesta is the primary collection of
religious texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in Avestan language.
commonly
known as Mehr, is the Zoroastrian angelic divinity (yazata) of covenant, light,
and oath.
Originating
in India Mitra is a god of light who is translated in the attended of the God
Ahura Mazda in the light religion of Persian. From this he was adopted into the
Roman deity Mithras. He is regarded as the fertilizing power of warm light air.
According to the Avesta, he possesses 10,000
eyes and ears and rides in a magical chariot.
He represent
truth in the endless battle between light and darkness. He is responsible for
keeping oaths and contracts. In addition
to being the divinity of contracts, Mithra is also a judicial figure, an
all-seeing protector of Truth, and the guardian of cattle, the harvest, and of
the Waters.
He was born
from a rock, and legends tells us that he engaged in a primeval battle with
Ahura Mazda’s first creation, a wild bull.
He subdued
and restrained the bull. A crucial victory in the battle against chaos. The
bull later escaped but was captured by Mithra who slit his throat. From his
blood sprang the first plant life.
Mitra is not
worshipped on his own but served as the intercessor between gods and men he was
an integral part of the worship.
