Rostam, the Dawn Sun A Study on the Similarities between Mitra and Rostam

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Abbas Azarandaz

Research Institute for Islamic and Iranian Culture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman

10.22067/jmels.2025.94149.1054

Abstract

This article explores the parallels between Rostam, the legendary hero of the Shahnameh, and Mitra, the ancient Iranian and Indo-Iranian deity. Drawing on Avestan texts—especially the Mihr Yašt—the author demonstrates that Rostam, as a heroic human figure, embodies the epic representation of Mithra’s attributes and functions. Mithra is depicted in the Mihr Yasht as a warrior deity, guardian of oaths, bestower of xvarǝnah (divine glory), and protector of the Iranian land—qualities that are fully reflected in Rostam’s character. Through historical, geographical, and mythological evidence, the article highlights the eastern Iranian origins of both Mithraic traditions and the Saka (Scythian) roots of Rostam, suggesting the profound influence of Mithraism on the shaping of Iran’s national epic. Although the author does not claim that Rostam is a direct transformation of Mitra, it is argued that his character and stories evolved in a cultural context heavily influenced by Mithraic beliefs. Thus, Rostam emerges as the most prominent epic embodiment of the divine archetype that Miϑra represents.

Keywords

Rostam

Mihr (Mitra)

Mihr Yašt

Epic

Myth

Xvarǝnah

---