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{{Short description|Greek epithet, savior, given to Zeus and other gods}}{{Cleanup|date=January 2024|reason=This article might be better as a disambiguation page instead}}{{wikt | Soter}}
'''Soter''' derives from the [[Ancient Greek]] [[epithet]] {{lang|grc|Σωτήρ}} (''Sōtḗr''), meaning a [[wiktionary:savior|saviour]], a deliverer. The feminine form is '''Soteira''' (Σώτειρα, ''Sṓteira'') or sometimes '''Soteria''' (Σωτηρία, ''Sōtería'').

Soter was used as: 
* A title of gods: [[Poseidon]] Soter, [[Zeus]] Soter, [[Dionysus]] Soter, [[Apollo]] Soter, [[Hades]] Soter, [[Helios]] Soter, [[Athena]] Soteira, [[Asclepius]] Soter, and [[Hecate]] Soteira. 
* The name of a distinct mythical figure, [[Soter (daimon)]]
* An epithet of several [[Hellenistic]] rulers:
**[[Antigonus Monophthalmus]] (382–301 BCE), awarded the title for liberating Athens from Cassander
**[[Ptolemy I Soter]], ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt (reigned 323 –283 BCE)
**[[Attalus I|Attalus I Soter]], the ruler of the Kingdom of Pergamon (reigned 241–197 BCE)
**[[Antiochus I Soter]], ruler of the Seleucid Empire (reigned 281 –261 BCE)
**[[Demetrius I Soter]], ruler of the Seleucid Empire (reigned 161–150 BCE)
**[[Menander I|Menander I Soter]], ruler of the Indo-Greek kingdom (reigned c. 165/155 –130 BCE)
**[[Hermaeus|Hermaeus Soter]], a western Indo-Greek king (reigned 90–70 BCE)
**[[Diomedes Soter]]
**[[Dionysios Soter]]
**[[Polyxenos Epiphanes Soter]]
**[[Rabbel II Soter]]
**[[Seleucus III Ceraunus]]
**[[Ptolemy IX]] (died 81 BCE), twice king of Ptolemaic Egypt
**[[Diodotus I]]
**[[Strato II]]
**[[Strato I]]
* a title of liberators (see also [[eleutherios (disambiguation)]]
*a title of [[Jesus of Nazareth]], which came into use some time after the death of [[Paul the Apostle]],<ref>{{cite book |last1= Moehlman |first1= Conrad Henry |author1-link= Conrad Henry Moehlman |title= The combination Theos Soter as explanation of the primitive Christian use of Soter as title and name of Jesus |page=65 |url= https://archive.org/details/combinationtheos00moeh/page/64/mode/2up}}</ref> most particularly in the [[Ichthys#Christian|fish acronym]]
*the term "God our Saviour" ({{langx|el|θεῷ σωτῆρι ἡμῶν}}, [[dative case| dative]]) occurs several times in the [[New Testament]], in the [[Epistle of Jude]],<ref>{{bibleverse||Jude|1:25|NRSV}}: [[New Revised Standard Version]]</ref> [[First Epistle to Timothy|1 Timothy]] and [[Epistle to Titus|Titus]].
*[[Pope Soter]], {{reign | ca. 167 | 174}}.

==See also==
* [[Hellenistic religion]]
* [[Messiah]]
* [[Soteria (disambiguation)]]
* [[Soteriology]], the study of [[salvation]]; in [[Christian soteriology|Christian contexts]], the branch of [[Christology]] dealing with Jesus' capacity as Saviour of humankind
* [[Sozusa (disambiguation)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Ancient Greek titles]]
[[Category:Hellenistic philosophy and religion|Soter]]
[[Category:Epithets of Poseidon]]
[[Category:Epithets of Zeus]]
[[Category:Epithets of Asclepius]]
[[Category:New Testament Greek words and phrases]]
[[Category:Epithets of Helios]]
[[Category:Greek epithets]]

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