Μίθρας

Ancient Greek

Alternative forms

• Μῐ́θρης (Míthrēs) — Ionic

Etymology

From an Old Iranian language *Miθra. Compare Avestan 𐬨𐬌𐬚𐬭𐬀 (miθra), Old Persian 𐎷𐎰𐎼 (mi-θ-r /⁠miθra⁠/).

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /mí.tʰraːs/ → /ˈmi.θras/ → /ˈmi.θras/

• (5^th BCE Attic) IPA^(key): /mí.tʰraːs/
• (1^st CE Egyptian) IPA^(key): /ˈmi.tʰras/
• (4^th CE Koine) IPA^(key): /ˈmi.θras/
• (10^th CE Byzantine) IPA^(key): /ˈmi.θras/
• (15^th CE Constantinopolitan) IPA^(key): /ˈmi.θras/

Proper noun

Μῐ́θρᾱς • (Míthrās) m (genitive Μῐ́θρου); first declension

1. Greek form of Iranian Mithra (e.g. Herodotus Histories I,131; Plutarch, Isis and Osiris 46.7)
2. Greek name of the figures of various syncretic Helleno-Zoroastrian cults of Asia Minor (100 BC-200 AD)
3. Greek form of Latin Mithras, cult figure of the Roman mystery religion that flourished between 100 and 400 AD.

Inflection

First declension of ὁ Μῐ́θρᾱς; τοῦ Μῐ́θρου (Attic)

Case / #	Singular
Nominative	ὁ Μῐ́θρᾱς ho Míthrās
Genitive	τοῦ Μῐ́θρου toû Míthrou
Dative	τῷ Μῐ́θρᾳ tôi Míthrāi
Accusative	τὸν Μῐ́θρᾱν tòn Míthrān
Vocative	Μῐ́θρᾱ Míthrā
Notes:	This table gives Attic inflectional endings. For declension in other dialects, see Appendix:Ancient Greek dialectal declension.

Derived terms

• Μῐθραῖον (Mithraîon)
• Μῐθράκανᾰ (Mithrákana)
• Μῐθρῐᾰκός (Mithriakós)

Descendants

• → Coptic: ⲙⲓⲑⲣⲁⲥ (mithras)
• → Latin: Mithrās
  • → English: Mithras

References

• “Μίθρας”, in Liddell & Scott (1940) A Greek–English Lexicon, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Woodhouse, S. C. (1910) English–Greek Dictionary: A Vocabulary of the Attic Language‎^[1], London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Limited, page 1,017