Zartosht ataollahi in name of the creator of life and wisdom. The mysteries of mithra hittitezoroastrianmacedonicphrygian mithraism from 1400 bce until. Roman orientalist cults are often compared to the adoption of indian religions by the hippies. Official site first of all, i would like to express my gratitude to my friend dr. Mithraism, a sect of zoroastrianism characterized by the worship of mithra as the defender of the truth, was a monotheistic mystery religion prevalent in the roman empire before the acceptance of christianity in the fourth century. Modern authors call mithraism a mystery sect because entry into a. This definitive treatment of mithra by a leading authority on classical religions pieces together its mysteries. Mithraic mystery cult, a connection which seems on the one hand so conclusive and yet.
In antiquity, texts refer to the mysteries of mithras, and to its adherents, as the mysteries of the persians. The mithraic mysteries were rites performed in secret and concealed from the view. Mithraism has since been treated principally as a syncretistic transmission of iranian religion. Mithraism, a sect of zoroastrianism characterized by the worship of mithra as the defender ofthe truth, was a monotheistic mystery religion prevalent in the roman empire before the acceptance of christianity in the fourth century. Known as mithras in the roman empire during the 2nd and 3rd centuries ce, this deity was honoured as the patron of loyalty to the emperor. Mithraism mithraism is the ancient roman mystery cult of the god mithras. Mithraism, a sect of zoroastrianism characterized by the worship of mithra as the defender ofthe truth, was a monotheistic mystery religion prevalent in the. If he and his followers sought the root of mithraic mysteries in ancient. The religion was inspired by iranian worship of the zoroastrian angelic divinity yazata mithra. David ulansey explains it is called such because like the other ancient mystery religions, such as the eleusinian mysteries and the mysteries of isis, the mithraic cult maintained strict secrecy about its teachings and practices, revealing them. Pdf the origin of zoroastrianism and mithraism vedveer. To the christians, the central, most appealing aspect of the mystery cults was. Christmas, mithras and paganism history for atheists.
Mithra is the persian god of the rising sun, contracts, covenants, and friendship. History and development of the mysteries of mithras, and. Only very little is known of roman mithras character, or of the beliefs and practices of his cult themithraic mysteries, from latin mysteria mithrae. Which is the most popular book on mithra and mithraism. Roman mithraism is not actually related to contemporary persian religion. They have concocted that the hypothetical proto indoeuropean language. Mithras is the normative latin name of the central figure of a roman mystery religion that is attested between the 1st4th centuries. Mithras was a pre zoroastrian persian deity, worshiped throughout persia and the roman empire in the 1st through the 4th centuries. Let us learn about mithraism, also known as the roman cult of mithras.
On mithra and mithraism authentic gatha zoroastrianism. It was one of many popular orientalist fantasies, such as the cult of isis and the syrian bona dea. Mithraism, the worship of mithra, the iranian god of the sun, justice, contract, and war in pre zoroastrian iran. Mithraism had in fact been a product of earlier zoroastrian beliefs. Peter clark, zoroastrianism, an introduction to an ancient faith, pp. Every person needs to do her or his part to enable that goal to be reached and to battle. While third century ce philosopher porphyry wrote that zoroaster was the first person to worship mithras in a persian cave that had flowers and. But the element of the myths around mithras and christmas that is repeated most often is the claim that mithraists celebrated the gods birthday on december 25th and that this is the reason we celebrate christmas on this date. Mithraism with its persian roots remained stranger to romans who viewed it as the official ideology of the persian empire. In the early prechrist era, mithraism was the sole savior and guide to the way of life and was considered a serious contender to christianity. As the great bull of the sun, mithra sacrificed himself for world peace. Among the religions, mithraism, the ancient persian prezoroastrian religion, and.
The mysteries of mithras by payam nabarz overdrive. Mithraism was a roman mystery cult that drew upon the mythology of mithras from the persian zoroastrian religion. The religion was inspired by iranian worship of the zoroastrian angelic divinity mithra, though the greek mithras was linked to a new and distinctive imagery, and the level of continuity between persian and grecoroman practice is debated. The mysteries of mithras presents a revival of the magical practices and initiatory system of mithraism, the ancient roman mystery religion that was immensely popular in the roman legions from the late second century b. Zoroastrianism and mithraism were influences on early christianity and developed in. Christianity and mithraism unam sanctam catholicam. Mithra was born on december 25th of the virgin anahita. Mystery cult, secret society, fraternity excluding women, mithraism probably had more in common with freemasonry, dungeons.
This it was that appealed in rome to all, slave and master alike. Even so, recent studies such as mary boyces and frantz grenets history of zoroastrianism 1991 approach the relationship between zoroastrianism and mithraism in an entirely new light. In sasanian time, zoroastrianism was the official ideology of persians. Colonial linguists and historians have found similarities of sanskrit, avestan, latin and greek languages which led to the evolution of hypothetical linguistics of modern times. He also oversaw the orderly change of the seasons, maintained cosmic order, and was responsible for bestowing divine grace on kings, legitimizing their rule and, as a protector of the faithful, was also invoked by warriors before battle and so became known as a god of war. Haywood, editor, the builder the theory that modern freemasonry is in some sense a direct descendant from the ancient mysteries has held a peculiar attraction for masonic writers this long time, and the end is not yet, for the world is rife. The name of the indoaryan godforce avestan mithra, vedic mitra, is based on the common noun mitra to mediate, bring about a meeting of spiritsminds, mutual understanding, agreement. The colorful mithraic religion originated in persia, enjoyed enormous popularity in europe, and was ultimately destroyed by christianity. Jamshid jamshidi for his kind and rich suggestions. Mithraism and astrology article about mithraism and. Mithraism and astrology religion, spiritualism, and occult mithraism was an enigmatic hellenistic mystery religion that drew heavily on astrology and astrological symbolism. As the last pagan state religion in europe, it was the. Pdf the mysteries of mithra hittitezoroastrianmacedonic. Arguably the worlds first monotheistic faith, its one of the oldest religions still in.
Pdf in religious studies, the influence of mythology and religion on each. The mysteries of mithras were not practiced until the 1st century ad. Mithraism, also known as the mithraic mysteries, was a roman mystery religion centered on the god mithras. Yazata are the zoroastrian gods and goddesses who were created by the supreme god ahura. This text is freely downloadable as a pdf on academia. Zoroastrianism presages a world when goodness will overcome evil, and truthfulness will overcome deceit and the lie. An overview of mithraism, the ancient roman mystery religion popular in the roman legions provides a comprehensive history of mithraism, including its influence on christianity and islam includes rituals, meditations, and teaching tales for readers who wish to follow the mithraic path. One of the most elusive and hotly debated issues in the study of zoroastrianism is the precise nature of the connection between the iranian deity mithra and the military roman mithraic mystery cult, a connection which seems on the one hand so conclusive and yet on the other so disturbingly remote.
The babe was wrapped in swaddling clothes, placed in a manger and attended by shepherds. An empire, which deprived them from becoming the worlds absolute power. The romans had a mystery cult based on this persian saviorgod, who was supposedly born on december 25, of a virgin mother, and depicted with a halo. It is a most happy festival of love, red wine, pomegranates, nuts and amore. It was christianitys last great competitor during the period immediately prior to the official conversion of the roman empire to the religion of jesus. Among the religions, mithraism, the ancient persian pre zoroastrian religion, and christianity have the most similar and common points that indicate logical influence. Since the early 1970s, the dominant scholarship has noted dissimilarities between the persian and roman traditions, making it, at most, the result of roman perceptions of pseudo zoroastrian ideas.
You can find the mention of deity mithras in very old hindu and zoroastrian religious texts. Although traces of his cult have been found all over the erstwhile roman empire, it is not sufficient for a. The mysteries of mithra by cumont, franz valery marie, 18681947. Followers of mithra became less common after the roman emperors. Free pdf download books by franz valery marie cumont. After the acceptance of christianity by the emperor constantine in the early 4th century. This is repeated endlessly in smug articles about the pagan origins of christmas. Publication date 1903 topics mithraism, rome religion publisher chicago. Christianity and mithraism it is common fare among secularists and opponents of christianity in general to cite alleged similarities between early christianity and mithraism as an argument that the church adopted many of its beliefs and practices from one or more pagan mystery religions. Mithraism dealt with issues leading to the political defeat of mithraism. He was considered a great traveling teacher and master. Eclipsed as it was in later centuries by the faith of christ, mithraism or rather, its romanised form sol invictus was the first universal religion of the grecoroman world mithraism waged and lost a threehundred year battle with the upstart religion of christ, into which much of its ritual, and many of its practitioners, were subsumed. Mithraism is an example of a mystery religion that flourished in the near east at that time.
What we know comes mainly from christian detractors and archaeological evidence from mithraic temples, inscriptions, and artistic representations of the god and other aspects of the cult. The romans attributed their mithraic mysteries the mystery religion known as mithraism to persian i. Zoroastrianism is an ancient persian religion that may have originated as early as 4,000 years ago. October 2 nd marks the beginning of mithra festival culminating on october 8 th. The mystery cult, meanwhile, was a distinctively mediterranean form of religious worship, a cult. In the zoroastrian scriptures, the avesta, mithra is the guardian of truthfulness, keeping ones word and the bonds of friendship. This religion was very popular with the roman military in the 1st century, even rivaling christianity for a time. Iconographic studies, especially those focused on the astrological aspects of the cult, abound, while other scholars examine the philosophical and. The gospel of mithras first edition of the universal.
Because of the parallel presence of the two powerful religious establishments december 25, which was mithras birthday. The zoroastrian teaching of twin spirits made each individual a soldier, in the battle of life and hence mithraism was peculiarly favorable for the development of individual effort and human energy. Myth of simorghian mithraism mehrparasti by masato tojo, ph. Full text of mithraism freemasonry and the ancient mysteries h haywood see other formats mithraism. During the first semester of his second year at crozer, king wrote this paper for enslins course on greek religion. Roman worship of mithras began sometime during the early roman empire, perhaps during the late first century of the common era hereafter ce, and flourished from the second through the fourth centuries ce. While mithras is still venerated today by the parsis, especially living in india, who are the descendants of the persian zoroastrians, not many people know about mithraism today. Griffiths essay, the roman cult of mithras is known as a mystery cult, which is to say that its members kept the liturgy and activities of the cult secret, and more importantly, that they had to participate in an initiation. Roman mithraism was a mystery religion with sacrifice and initiation. Like other mystery cults, theres little recorded literary evidence. Pdf the influence of mithraism on christianity researchgate. The sacred bull was in its true nature a fetishist manifestation phallus, of a multitudeform creator solar deity, a symbol of. Full text of mithraism freemasonry and the ancient.
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