Mithra

Mithra (Avestan: 𐬨𐬌𐬚𐬭𐬀 Miθra; Old Persian: 𐎷𐎰𐎼 Miθraʰ) is an ancient Iranian deity (yazata) associated with covenants, light, oaths, justice, the Sun, contracts, and friendship. Beyond overseeing contracts, Mithra functions as a judicial figure, an all-seeing guardian of Truth (Asha), and protector of cattle, harvests, and Waters.

Although Romans connected their Mithraic mysteries to Persian sources related to Mithra, scholarly consensus since the early 1970s has emphasized the significant differences between the Persian and Roman traditions. The Roman version represents, at most, Roman interpretations of Zoroastrian concepts rather than direct continuity.

The etymology of Mithra connects to both the Vedic noun mitra and the Avestan miθra, both deriving from Proto-Indo-Iranian mitrám (Mitra), from the root mi- ("to bind") with the "tool suffix" -tra- ("causing to"). Thus, mitra/miθra literally means "that which causes binding," preserved in the Avestan word for "Covenant, Contract, Oath."

In Middle Iranian languages (Middle Persian, Parthian, etc.), miθra evolved into mihr, which led to New Persian مهر mehr and Armenian Միհր Mihr and Մհեր Mher.