Mitra

Mitra or Mithra is an important deity of Persian and Indic culture; he appears in the Vedas as one of the Adityas, a solar deity and the god of honesty, friendship, and contracts. In Persian civilization, where his name was rendered as Mithra, he later came into increased prominence as a major deity of Zoroastrianism. He can be identified with a proto-Indo-Persian deity whose name can be reconstructed as *Mitra.

Related Topics:
Persian - Indic culture - Vedas - Aditya - Solar deity - Persian - Zoroastrianism

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In both cultures, he is distinguished by his close relationship with the god who rules over the asuras (Persian ahuras) and protects rta (Persian asha): Varuna in India and Ahura Mazda in Persia.

Related Topics:
Asuras - Rta - Varuna - Ahura Mazda

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The Hellenistic and Roman god Mithras, worshipped by male initiates from the 1st century BC to the 5th century AD, combined the Persian Mithra with other Persian and perhaps Anatolian deities in a syncretic cult.

Related Topics:
Hellenistic - Roman - Mithras - Male initiates - 1st century BC - 5th century AD - Anatolia - Syncretic

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