How does zoroastrianism influence persian culture

Cancel OK. File name: -. File size: -. Title: -. Author: -. Subject: -. Keywords: -. Creation Date: -. Modification Date: -. Creator: -. PDF Producer: -. PDF Version: -. Page Count: -. Page Size: -. Fast Web View: -. The roots of Zoroastrianism are thought to have emerged from a common prehistoric Indo-Iranian religious system dating back to the early 2nd millennium BCE.

The prophet Zoroaster himself, though traditionally dated to the 6th century BCE, is thought by many modern historians to have been a reformer of the polytheistic Iranian religion who lived in the 10th century BCE. Zoroastrianism as a religion was not firmly established until several centuries later. Zoroastrianism enters recorded history in the mid-5th century BCE. The Histories is a primary source of information on the early period of the Achaemenid era BCE , in particular with respect to the role of the Magi.

According to Herodotus i. The Magi appear to have been the priestly caste of the Mesopotamian-influenced branch of Zoroastrianism today known as Zurvanism, and they wielded considerable influence at the courts of the Median emperors. Darius I, and later Achaemenid emperors, acknowledged their devotion to Ahura Mazda in inscriptions as attested to several times in the Behistun inscription , and appear to have continued the model of coexistence with other religions.

A number of the Zoroastrian texts that today are part of the greater compendium of the Avesta have been attributed to that period.

The religion would be professed many centuries following the demise of the Achaemenids in mainland Persia and the core regions of the former Achaemenid Empire—most notably Anatolia, Mesopotamia, and the Caucasus. In the Cappadocian kingdom whose territory was formerly an Achaemenid possession , Persian colonists who were cut off from their co-religionists in Iran proper continued to practice the Zoroastrianism of their forefathers.

As late as the Parthian period, a form of Zoroastrianism was without a doubt the dominant religion in the Armenian lands. During this expansion, they were instrumental in the British-dominated China trade. Living in Canton, China, Parsi merchants imported opium and cotton from India and exported tea and silk to the empire.

They often acted as intermediaries for the English and by the late 19th century were educated in English medium schools, embracing features of English dress and culture. As Parsis entered professions within the British colonial administration, they became even further anglicized. After Indian independence in , the special status of the Parsi community was greatly diminished.