Zoroastrianism
- Key People:
- Zarathushtra
- R.C. Zaehner
- Eugène Burnouf
- al-Muqannaʿ
What is Zoroastrianism?
When did Zoroastrianism start?
How was Zoroastrianism founded?
Where has Zoroastrianism been practiced?
What are the major beliefs of Zoroastrianism?
Zoroastrianism, ancient pre-Islamic religion of Iran that survives there in isolated areas and, more prosperously, in India, where the descendants of Zoroastrian Iranian (Persian) immigrants are known as Parsis, or Parsees. The Iranian prophet and religious reformer Zarathushtra (flourished before the 6th century bce)—more widely known outside Iran as Zoroaster (the Greek form of his name)—is traditionally regarded as the founder of the religion. Zoroastrianism contains both monotheistic and dualistic features. It likely influenced the other major Western religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. For a discussion of the context in which Zoroastrianism arose, see ancient Iranian religion. The ancient Greeks saw ...(100 of 6508 words)