. ess of Mithras, sometimes Mithras was thus adopted as sun-godby the Romans towards the decline of pagan-ism, his peculiar Oriental rites were sanctuary was a cave, real or artificial,explained as signifying that Mithras was bornfrom a rock (Lyd. Mens. iii. 26) : it is morelikely that it symbolises the world of darknessagainst which the sun-god fights. A bull wassacrificed in these caves and the blood purifiedthe worshippers (Diet, of Ant. art. Taurobo-lium), who passed through various grades ofinitiation
. ess of Mithras, sometimes Mithras was thus adopted as sun-godby the Romans towards the decline of pagan-ism, his peculiar Oriental rites were sanctuary was a cave, real or artificial,explained as signifying that Mithras was bornfrom a rock (Lyd. Mens. iii. 26) : it is morelikely that it symbolises the world of darknessagainst which the sun-god fights. A bull wassacrificed in these caves and the blood purifiedthe worshippers (Diet, of Ant. art. Taurobo-lium), who passed through various grades ofinitiation as Kdpaxes, Kpv<piot, AtovTts and\eatvai (the lion seems to mean the sun),HA-ioSpouoi, and finally Palres or Ae-rot. Theinitiated were regarded as purified from theearth by these rites and by the fastings andpenances which they endured. The god iscommonly represented as a handsome youth,wearing the Phrygian cap and attire, andkneeling on a bull which is thrown on theground, and whose throat he is cutting. Fre-quently (as in the complete relief from which. Tho Sacrifice of Mithras. (From a relief now In the Louvre.) the engraving is tuken) the grotto in which thesacrifice is offered is shown. oi Mithradates (yiiBpthar-ns orMtflpaSoTijs), a common name among the Modes 568 MITHRJD ATE S and Persians, probably connected with that ofMithras the god of light. 1. I., king, or, moreproperly, satrap of Pontus, was son of I., and was succeeded by Ariobarzanes II. , about 363. The kings of Pontusclaimed to be lineally descended from one ofthe seven Persians who had conspired againstthe Magi, and who was subsequently estab-lished by Darius Hystaspis in the governmentof the countries bordering on the Euxine sea.(Xen. Cyr. viii. 8, 4; Diod. xv. 90, xix. 40; 43.)—2. II., king of Pontus (337-302), suc-ceeded his father Ariobarzanes II., and was thefounder of the independent kingdom of the death of Alexander the Great, he wasfor a time
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookidclassicaldic, bookyear1894
