Mithra, << MIHTH ruh, >> was a god of the tribes of the Aryans who settled in ancient Persia. Mithra, also known as Mithras, is the same god as Mitra, the sun god who appears in the ancient literature of Hinduism called the Vedas. According to Zoroastrian religious tradition, Mithra was the god of light, closely associated with the sun. Mithra was said to be an ally of the supreme god Ahura Mazda. Under Ahura Mazda’s leadership, Mithra and other gods fought against Angra Mainyu, the Zoroastrian god of evil (see Zoroastrianism ).
The Persians spread the worship of Mithra, called Mithraism, throughout Asia Minor. The cult became popular, especially among Roman soldiers and slaves. By about A.D. 100, they had spread it into Europe. Mithraism ranked as a principal competing religion of Christianity until the 300’s.
