From: Torsten
Message: 65304
Date: 2009-10-25
>I know I'm gonna get spanked for this, but as usual I just can't help myself.
> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "ehlsmith" <ehlsmith@> wrote:
>
> > --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Torsten" <tgpedersen@> wrote:
> > >
> > > --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "ehlsmith" <ehlsmith@> wrote:
> > > > --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Torsten" <tgpedersen@> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > It seems no one has considered a possible Sarmatian origin
> > > > > for Roman Mithraism.
> > > > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithras
> > >
> > > From my posting you left out:
> > > 'Large recruitment of ethnic Sarmatians (from either side of
> > > the limes) in the Roman armies would tie in with that.
> > > '
> > >
> > > > Since the wikipedia article to which you linked indicates
> > > > that modern scholarship tends towards the belief that
> > > > Mithraism originated in the Graeco-Roman world rather than in
> > > > the Iranian why should they consider a Sarmatian origin?
> > >
> > > I think they should have considered it before starting to tend
> > > towards any particular belief.
> >
> > I apologize if you thought I edited too much, but I still don't
> > see your point.
>
> It was just those two lines.
>
> > Why would large recruitment of ethnic Sarmatians tie into the
> > growth of Mithraism in the Roman Empire?
>
> No, a (assumed) large recruitment of ethnic Sarmatians would tie
> into a *theory* which posited a Sarmatian origin of Roman Mithraism.
>
> > Where is there the slightest indication that any Sarmatians held
> > Mithraic beliefs prior to acquiring them from Romans?
>
> The problem is we don't know much about Sarmatian religion in the
> first place.
>
> > And unless there is such evidence, how can scholars consider the
> > question?
>
> How about the Phrygian cap?
> And the Cilician pirates referred to by Plutarch were allies of
> Mithridates Eupator.
>
> > What is there for them to consider?
>
> The alternative, supposedly the null hypothesis, is that it was
> home-grown. I don't think that's a null hypothesis. Therefore the
> possibility of a Sarmatian origin should be considered.