Mithraism

American  

[mith-ruh-iz-uhm] / ˈmɪθ rəˌɪz əm /

Also Mithraicism

noun

1. an ancient Persian religion in which Mithras was worshiped, involving secret rituals to which only men were admitted: a major competitor of Christianity in the Roman empire during the 2nd and 3rd centuries a.d.

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Mithraism British  

/ ˈmɪθreɪˌɪzəm, mɪθˈreɪɪˌsɪzəm, mɪθˈreɪɪk /

noun

1. the ancient Persian religion of Mithras. It spread to the Roman Empire during the first three centuries _ad

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Mithraic
  adjective
• Mithraist
  noun
• Mithraistic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Mithraism

Mithra(s) + -ism

Example Sentences

According to Dr. Mehravari, the origins of Yalda date back to pre-Zoroastrian Mithraism, the worship of the god of the sun.

From New York Times • Dec. 6, 2021

Roman soldiers campaigning in Persia brought Mithraism back to Rome since Mithras’s identity as a former soldier made his worship all the more appealing to members of the Roman military.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2020

“Yalda” means birth, and in the pre-Zoroastrian religion Mithraism, the god of the sun was believed to have been born on the longest night of the year.

From New York Times • Dec. 5, 2014

Of Aryan origin, Mithraism was one of the Oriental sects that contended for control of the declining Roman Empire.

From Time Magazine Archive

Mithraism passed directly from Asia into the Latin world.

From The Oriental Religions in Roman Paganism by Cumont, Franz