Zoroaster

Zarathushtra (Zara?u?tra), usually known in English as Zoroaster after the Greek version of the name, ??????????, was a Persian (Iranian) prophet and the founder of Zoroastrianism, which was the national religion of Persia from the time of the Achaemenidae to the close of the Sassanid period. Zoroaster was probably born in the northeastern part of Persia (Iran), though there is also a tradition that he came from Balkh in modern day Afghanistan. In Modern Persian the name takes the form of Zarto?t or Zardo?t (?????).

Related Topics:
Persian - Iranian - Zoroastrianism - National religion - Persia - Achaemenidae - Sassanid - Balkh - Afghanistan - Modern Persian

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Zoroaster is generally accepted as a historical figure, but efforts to date Zoroaster vary widely. Scholarly estimates are usually roughly near 1000 BC. Others, however, give earlier estimates, making him a candidate as the founder of the earliest religion based on revealed scripture, while still others place him in the 6th century BC, which would make him contemporary to the rise of the Achaemenids.

Related Topics:
1000 BC - Scripture - 6th century BC - Achaemenids

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