Mithridates

The name Mithridates (more accurately, Mithradates) is derived from the Persian sun-god Mithra and the Indo-European root da, "to give" — i.e. "given by Mithra." That name was borne by a large number of kings, soldiers and statesmen in Asia Minor:

Related Topics:
Persian - Mithra - Indo-European - Asia Minor

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• Mithradates, a eunuch who helped Artabanus to assassinate Xerxes I.
• Mithradates, who fought first with Cyrus the Younger and after his death with Artaxerxes against the Greeks, and is the ancestor of the kings of Pontus.
• Mithridates of Persia, a son-in-law of Darius III
• Mithridates I of Parthia (171–138 BC)
• Mithridates II of Parthia (110–87 BC)
• Mithridates III of Parthia (58–57 BC)
• Mithridates IV of Parthia (AD 128–147)
• Mithridates I of Kios
• Mithridates II of Kios (337–302 BC)
• Mithridates I of Pontus (302–266 BC)
• Mithridates II of Pontus (c. 250–c. 220 BC)
• Mithridates III of Pontus (c. 220–c. 185 BC)
• Mithridates IV of Pontus (170–c. 150 BC)
• Mithridates V of Pontus (c. 150–120 BC)
• Mithridates VI of Pontus (120–63 BC)
• Mithridates I of the Bosporus
• Mithridates II of the Bosporus
• Mithridates I of Kommagene
• Mithridates II of Kommagene
• Mithridates of Armenia (AD 35–51)

Also, the word mithridates was once synonymous with antidote, and mithridatism meant the practice of taking repeated low doses of a poison with the intent of building immunity to it. Mithridates was also a common title for books containing samples of several languages. These meanings were inspired by legends about Mithridates VI of Pontus.

Related Topics:
Antidote - Poison - Mithridates VI of Pontus

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