proper noun · masculinefirst declension
Mithrās
Mithrās m sg (genitive Mithrae)
Classical[ˈmɪ.tʰraːs]Ecclesiastical[ˈmiː.tras]
Meaning
- A Roman god, cult figure of the 2nd–4th century Roman mystery religion known as the "Mysteries of Mithras" (now colloquially Mithraism)
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | Mithrās | — |
| genitive | Mithrae | — |
| dative | Mithrae | — |
| accusative | Mithrān | — |
| ablative | Mithrā | — |
| vocative | Mithrā | — |
Mĭthras and Mĭthres, ae, m., = Μίθρας.
I. The sun-god of the Persians, Stat. Th. 1, 717; Curt. 4, 13, 12; Mart. Cap. 2, § 191; Claud. Laud. Stil. 1, 63.—
II. The proper name of a priest of Isis, App. M. 11, p. 267, 35.—
III. A Roman surname, Inscr. Fab. p. 384, 38.—Hence, Mithrĭăcus, a, um, adj., of or belonging to a Mithras (post-class.):
sacra, Lampr. Commod. 9.Origins
Probably via Ancient Greek Μίθρας (Míthras) from some unattested Old Iranian intermediary, ultimately from vocative Avestan 𐬨𐬌𐬚𐬭𐬀 (miθra) (cf. Mithra). Until the 1970s, the character of Roman Mithras was widely assumed to be a continuation of that of Iranian Mithra (and thus also of Indo-Iranian *mitra). This notion is no longer followed today, and it is generally agreed that borrowing (e.g. of the name) does not constitute continuation.