October 2021 Prep Docs (Adherennium)

October 13th - Wednesday - World Building and Research

World Building & Research

I have acquired several books about Mithras for the purposes of research.

Amongst the information already gleaned, I have rediscovered the split that I am going to use between the Roman and Polish blocks.

The divide is between those that believe the God originated in Persia, and that it was subsequently taken up and adopted/adapted by Rome. This is the belief set of the Polish based block. It also has a strong female element Anahita, who is sometimes Mithras virgin mother, sometimes his partner - similar to Mary Mother of Jesus, and Mary Magdalen. This is a rather interesting mirroring of our world, where Marianism is the tendency of the Catholic church, and less a feature of the Protestant church, (I equate the Catholic church to the Roman block, and the Protestant church to the Polish block.)

The Roman block will follow the line that Mithras is independent of the Persian Mithra, and only subsequently incorporated some Persian magical lore.


I also have a list of grades associated with the worship of Mithras, and will add these to the Settings/Definitions list.

I have a folder of relevant Internet links that are in some way to my story.



The Books I have are:

The Mysteries of Mithras: The Pagan Belief That Shaped The Christian World
- Payam Nabarz.


The Roman Cult of Mithras - The God And His Mysteries
- Manfred Clauss

The Religion of the Mithras Cult in the Roman Empire - Mysteries of the Unconquered Sun
- Roger Beck

The Cult of Mithras In Late Antiquity - Development, Decline and Demise CS. 270-430
- David Walsh

Mithras - Mysteries and Initiation Rediscovered
- D. Jason Cooper

The Mysteries of Mithra
- Franz Cumont

The Origins of the Mithraic Mysteries: Cosmology and Salvation in the Ancient World
- David Ulansey



There is a poem by Rudyard Kipling - A Song To Mithras that I may use snippets from if this is possible (will see if it is still copyrighted - if I do use it then full credit will be given of course).


A Song To Mithras Rudyard Kipling (1922)

MITHRAS, God of the Morning, our trumpets waken the Wall!
' Rome is above the Nations, but Thou art over all!'
Now as the names are answered, and the guards are marched away,
Mithras, also a soldier, give us strength for the day!

Mithras, God of the Noontide, the heather swims in the heat,
Our helmets scorch our foreheads ; our sandals burn our feet.
Now in the ungirt hour; now ere we blink and drowse,
Mithras, also a soldier, keep us true to our vows !

Mithras, God of the Sunset, low on the Western main,
Thou descending immortal, immortal to rise again !
Now when the watch is ended, now when the wine is drawn,
Mithras, also a soldier, keep us pure till the dawn!

Mithras, God of the Midnight, here where the great bull dies,
Look on Thy children in darkness. Oh take our sacrifice !
Many roads Thou hast fashioned: all of them lead to the Light,
Mithras, also a soldier, teach us to die aright!