(Redirected from
Mithridates III)
The name Mithridates (more accurately, Mithradates) is derived from the Persian sun-god Mithra and the Indo-European root da, "to give" — i.e. "given by Mithra." That name was borne by a large number of kings, soldiers and statesmen in Asia Minor:
Also, the word mithridates was once synonymous with antidote, and mithridatism meant the practice of taking repeated low doses of a poison with the intent of building immunity to it. Mithridates was also a common title for books containing samples of several languages. These meanings were inspired by legends about Mithridates VI of Pontus.
Last updated: 05-06-2005 14:42:30