Jason Reza Jorjani, PhD, is a philosopher and author of Prometheus and Atlas, World State of Emergency, Lovers of Sophia, Novel Folklore: The Blind Owl of Sadegh Hedayat, and Iranian Leviathan: A Monumental History of Mithra's Abode.
Our modern understanding of Mithraism, though, depends largely on a few short (and very problematic) literary mentions, mostly written by the cult’s Christian rivals.
About the foundation of the castle of Quasr-ibn-Wardan the Bedouins tell a legend from which Nöldeke concluded that there was a Mithraeum there, but this interpretation is very doubtful.
Neoplatonic allegorical interpretation expounds how literary texts present philosophical ideas in an enigmatic and coded form, offering an alternative path to the divine truths.
Between the 1st and 4th centuries, Mithraism developed throughout the Roman world. Much material exists, but textual evidence is scarce. The only ancient work that fills this gap is Porphyry's intense and complex essay.
Farokh Mehr
Mithra killing the Bull from behind also is the sign of Spring and victory of light over darkness.
This myth is based on the fact that Taurus (Bull Zodiac sign) appears in the sky during winter time (sign of darkness and cold), then in spring Leo comes after Taurus and spring comes, longer days, shorter nights, so the darkness is defeated. Many Persian sculptures at Persepolis show the lion (Leo) killing the bull from behind. These myth are based on astrology, spring, winter, etc in northern hemisphere.
Porphyry says that the cave isn’t only the symbol of the Cosmos, but also the symbol of invisible powers, because of its darkness and the invisible essence of these powers.
Good article nilufar jaan.
