A Study on the Similarities of Religious Themes in Plato's Works with Iranian Mythology and Religious Tradition

Abstract

Ancient traditions share similar and common mythologies, religious themes, and cultural motifs. Throughout history, there has been an encounter and interaction between Greek and Iranian civilizations. One of the important representatives of Greek culture is Plato. In Plato’s works, there are reflections of Greek culture and tradition from his period, including themes such as morality, religion, gods, sacrificial rituals, and holiday ceremonies. There is also information about Greek mythology and surrounding cultures. Plato criticized certain social and religious beliefs that he considered wrong and immoral. As though making a reform, he sought to interpret his own ideas on morality and religion within the framework of law and the state, with the aim of building a new society. The religious understandings, traditions, and ideas depicted in Plato's works evoke and resemble Iranian mythology and Zoroastrian traditions in some ways. Both traditions reflect their own spirit.