Mithras
Mithras is a Greek form of the name of an Indo-European god, Mithra or Mitra. His origins have been traced to Persian, Mittanian and Indian mythology.
In the sixth and seventh century BCE, a vast reformation of the Persian pantheon was undertaken by Zarathustra (Zoroaster), a prophet from the kingdom of Bactria, whose legacy was the Avesta, the holy book of Zoroastrianism. Ahuramazda became the supreme god of goodness, whereas Ahriman became the ultimate embodiment of evil, establishing a system of dualism. Ahuramazda was represented in aniconic form by the sacred fire, and was as the only god to be worshipped. Zarathustra retained the pantheon of the hundreds of Persian deities, assembling them into a complex hierarchical system and dividing them so that they came under the rule of either Ahuramazda or Ahriman.
In the original Persian pantheon, Mithra, which means "contract," was an angel lower than Ahuramazda, but higher than the Sun. In Zarathustra's system, Mithra became the "Judger of Souls" and the divine representative of Ahuramazda on earth, protecting the righteous from the evil of Ahriman. Mithra was omniscient, undeceivable, infallible, eternally watchful, never-resting, and ensured prosperity through good contractual relations between men. Ahuramazda created Mithra to be as great and worthy as himself. Mithra was a psychopomp, conducting the souls of the righteous dead to paradise.
Persian traditions indicate that Mithra incarnated as a human Saviour. His mother was Anahita, an immaculate virgin mother once worshipped as a fertility goddess. Anahita conceived Mithra from the seed of Zarathustra preserved in the waters of Lake Hamun in the Persian province of Sistan.
Mithra was born of a mother-rock by a river under a tree or from a cave on 25 December, the old date of the midwinter solstice. He came into the world with the Phrygian cap on his head, and a knife in his hand. It is said that shepherds watched his birth.
One of the central motifs of Mithraism is the sacrifice by Mithra of a sacred bull created by Ahuramazda. Ahuramazda sends a command to Mithra using a raven. Mithra reluctantly obeys, and stabs the bull to death. Mithra is assisted by a dog, a snake and a scorpion, and is attended by the twin Torchbearers, Cautes and Cautopates. From the body of the dying bull spring plants, animals, and all the beneficial things of the earth. Ahriman sends his unclean creatures to prevent or poison these productions but in vain.
The bull, resigning itself to death, is transported to the heavenly spheres, redeemed by its sacrifice. In an abstract way, Mithra dies for the good of mankind, as the bull is an aspect of himself.
Finally man is well established on earth and Mithra's work is done. He celebrates a last supper with Helios and his other companions, is taken in his fiery chariot across the ocean to heaven. Mithra's ascension to heaven was said to have occurred in 208 B.C., 64 years after his birth. From heaven Mithra protects his followers from the evil influence of Ahriman.
Mithra is the Mediator between God and man. His followers were strongly inclined towards asceticism; abstention from food and absolute continence seemed to them noble and praiseworthy, though not obligatory. They battled on Mithra's side against all impurity, against all evil within and without. They made sacrificial offerings of cattle and birds, along with libations of Haoma, a hallucinogenic drink used by Zoroastrian and Hindu priests, equated with the hallucinogen Soma described in the Vedic scriptures. They believed in the immortality of the soul, and that after death they would pass through the seven spheres of the planets, through seven gates leaving at each planet a part of their lower nature, until they stood before Ahuramazda.
Mithra is destined to be victorious over evil at the last battle and will sit in judgement on mankind. At the end of the world he will descend to earth on another bull, which he will sacrifice, and mixing its fat with Haoma he will make all drink the beverage of immortality. He will then lead his followers over a river of fire to immortality.
Persian Mithraism spread to the Babylonians, who assimilated Ahuramazda to Baal, Anahita to Ishtar, and Mithras to Shamash, their solar god of justice, victory and protection.
According to Plutarch, Mithraism began to be absorbed by the Romans during Pompey's campaign against Cilician pirates around 70 BCE. As a result of the association of Mithras with the sun by the Babylonians, Roman worshippers referred to him as "Sol invictus," or the invincible sun.
Mithras was emphatically a soldier religion as he offered salvation based not just on faith and compassion, but fidelity, honesty, high moral standards, manliness and bravery. Mithras was said to be "Mighty in strength, mighty ruler, greatest king of gods! O Sun, lord of heaven and earth, God of Gods!"
The initiations in Mithraism were very severe. Members would ascend through seven grades of initiation, each aligned with a symbol, and a planet. From low to high, the grades were:
· Corax (raven, under Mercury)
· Nymphus (a constructed word meaning male bride, under Venus)
· Miles (soldier, under Mars)
· Leo (lion, under Jupiter)
· Perses (the Persian, under the moon)
· Heliodroums (the courier of the sun, under the sun)
· Pater (father, under Saturn)
Those members who reached "pater" level could themselves head a congregation.
Worship took place in a temple, or "mithraeum", an artificial cave probably constructed to resemble the place of Mithras's birth. Although some of these temples were built specifically for the purpose, most of them were rooms inside larger structures which had a different purpose, such as a private home or a bath house. Worshippers gathered for a common meal along the reclining couches lining the walls. It is worth noting that most temples could hold only thirty or forty individuals.
Mithraism became an almost universal religion throughout the entire Roman empire. Sites of Mithraic worship have been found in Britain, Italy, Romania, Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Turkey, Persia, Armenia, Syria, Israel, and North Africa. Mithraism was the leading rival of Christianity in Rome, and was more successful in the first four centuries CE.
In every Mithraic temple, the place of honor was occupied by a tauroctony - the representation of Mithras killing a sacred bull. Many scholars believe it is an astrological allegory and not an actual animal sacrifice, with Mithras, the bull, the scorpion and the dog representing constellations. Mithras is associated with Perseus, whose constellation is above that of Taurus. The Roman Mithras was portrayed as wearing a Phrygian cap, a short cape of the Greek style and Persian trousers.
