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Critical Survey of Mythology and Folklore: Gods and Goddesses

Mithrism

by Marc Goldstein

Date: c. 2000 bce-c. 500 ce

Locale: Asia Minor, Persia, Europe

Related civilizations: Persia, Greece, Imperial Rome

Significance: This religious tradition, which probably originated in Persia, was associated with Sun worship in ancient Greece and Rome and was the most important rival of early Christianity in Europe.

Mithrism, also known as Mithraism, a religion centered on worship of the god Mithras, seems to have originated in Persia (later Iran). The earliest documents relating to this belief system date from the fourteenth century bce in Iran and India and indicate that the god had already been worshiped for about two thousand years.

The early history and the rituals of Mithrism are largely unknown, mainly because it was a secret society, and initiates were forbidden to reveal details of its practice. In addition, most of the contemporary reports of Mithrism were composed by early Christians who were trying to abolish paganism and thus must be viewed with some suspicion. In ancient Persia, Mithras was often associated with Ahura Mazda, god of light, and with the Sun. In India, he was associated with Varuṇa, lord of heaven. As the cult spread, it became associated with Sun worship.

Mithrism apparently reached the Roman Empire by way of pirates from Asia Minor. By this time, Mithras was associated both with contractual agreements and social relationships and with victory for the righteous in battle. These associations were extremely appealing to the Romans, and Mithrism quickly spread through the Roman Legions. Nero (r. 54-68 ce) often had himself depicted as a Sun god and readily accepted Mithrism in conquered areas, associating himself with the god.

Mithrism was an exclusively male cult into which members were initiated at adolescence. Initiation ceremonies may have involved severe tests, including exposure to heat and cold, scourging, and long fasts, though as these reports were made by Christians, they must be treated with some circumspection. There are also reports of human sacrifice during the ceremonies, but no firm evidence supports these claims. Animal sacrifice was probably involved, especially of bulls, with which Mithras was associated from very early times.

Mithrism was Christianity’s main rival. When the Christians came to power, they persecuted adherents of Mithrism but also adopted some of their rituals in an attempt to make the opposing belief less appealing.

Constantine the Great (r. 306-337 ce), the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity, waged a major campaign to wipe out Mithrism. Although the cult probably persisted to some extent for several centuries thereafter, Mithrism, already shrouded in secrecy, had become an enemy of the Roman Empire, and virtually no records exist of the worship of Mithras after Constantine’s campaign.

Further Reading

1 

Ferguson, John. The Religions of the Roman Empire. Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 1970.

2 

Turcan, Robert. The Cults of the Roman Empire. Translated by Antonia Nevill. Cambridge, Mass.: Blackwell, 1996.

3 

Vermuseren, M. J. Mithras, the Secret God. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1963.

Citation Types

Type
Format
MLA 9th
Goldstein, Marc. "Mithrism." Critical Survey of Mythology and Folklore: Gods and Goddesses, edited by Michael Shally Jensen, Salem Press, 2019. Salem Online, online.salempress.com/articleDetails.do?articleName=CSGods_0080.
APA 7th
Goldstein, M. (2019). Mithrism. In M. S. Jensen (Ed.), Critical Survey of Mythology and Folklore: Gods and Goddesses. Salem Press. online.salempress.com.
CMOS 17th
Goldstein, Marc. "Mithrism." Edited by Michael Shally Jensen. Critical Survey of Mythology and Folklore: Gods and Goddesses. Hackensack: Salem Press, 2019. Accessed December 14, 2025. online.salempress.com.