Arimanius ( ; ) is a name for an obscure deity found in a few Greek literary texts and five Latin inscriptions. It is supposed to be the counterpart of Oromazes ( ), the god of light. In classic texts, in the context of Zoroastrianism, Areimanios (with variations) fairly clearly refers to the Greeks' and Romans' interpretation of the Persian Ahriman. The Latin inscriptions which were found in a Mithraic context suggest a re-defined or different deity with a near-identical name. The most extended passage in classical literature on Areimanios is in two sections of Plutarch who describes him as the dark or evil side in a dualistic opposition with Oromazes (for Ohrmuzd or Ahura Mazda). However, Plutarch was specifically describing Persian Zoroastrianism, rather than the obscure Arimanius of the Mysteries of Mithas. In the context of Roman Mithraism, from the way the name is used, it seems implausible that it refers to an evil entity, no matter how formidable his depictions might appear. The name The most common form of the name in its few occurrences among Greek authors is Ἀρειμανιος (Areimanios), presumably rendering an unattested Old Persian form *ahramanyu, which, however, would have yielded a Middle Persian ahrmen. The name is given as Ἀριμάνης (Arimanēs) by Agathias, and Ἀρειμανής (Areimanēs) by Hesychius, rendering the Middle Persian Ahreman. Variations of the name not derivable by systematic linguistics may well be explained to its similarity to Greek words meaning "warlike" (see names and epithets of Ares). Plutarch According to Plutarch Zoroaster named "Areimanios" as one of the two rivals who were the artificers of good and evil. In terms of sense perception, Oromazes was to be compared with light, and Areimanios to darkness and ignorance; between these was Mithras the Mediator. Areimanios received offerings that pertained to warding off evil and mourning. In describing a ritual to Areimanios, Plutarch says the god was invoked as Hades gives the identification as Pluto, the name of the Greek ruler of the underworld used most commonly in texts and inscriptions pertaining to the mystery religions, and in Greek dramatists and philosophers of Athens in the Classical period. Turcan notes that Plutarch makes of Areimanios "a sort of tenebrous Pluto". Plutarch, however, names the Greek god as Hades, not the name Plouton used in the Eleusinian tradition ("The Hidden One") and darkness. The Areimanios ritual required an otherwise-unknown plant that Plutarch calls "omomi" (Haoma