English Explanatory Dictionary

Mithraism

English dictionary entry

Meanings

name
  1. An astrology-based, middle-platonic mystery religion of the 1st-4th century Roman Empire that claimed to have been founded by Zoroaster, admitted only men, and was especially popular among the Roman military.

Pronunciation

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Sumxr-Mithraism.wav

Word forms

Mithraism

Etymology

Translation (1903) of French mithriacisme, as used in 1899 by Franz Cumont as shorthand for "mystères de Mithra". Cumont was convinced that Mithraism was "Roman Mazdaism", hence his (and earlier) treatments of Latin Mithras and Avestan Mithra as synonyms, and the continuing de-inflection of the Latin name (vocative) as French Mithra.

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