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 (?????).

Life of Zoroaster

What we know of the life of Zoroaster is from the Avesta, the G?th?s, the Greek texts, oral history (which is a significant method of teaching in the tradition), and what can be inferred from archaeological evidence.

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The 13th section of the Avesta, the Spena Nask, the description of Zoroaster's life, has perished over the centuries. The biographies in the seventh book of the D?nkard (9th century) and the ?ahn?ma are mythic.

Related Topics:
Avesta - D?nkard - 9th century - ?ahn?ma

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It is fair to say that Zoroaster lived in the northeastern area of ancient Persian territory. The Greeks refer to him as a Bactrian (coming from present day Afghanistan), a Median or a Persian about 3-5,000 years ago. His wife was named Hv?vi, and they had three daughters, Freni, Friti and Pourucista, and three sons, Isat Vastar, Uruvat-Nara and Hvare Ci?ra. His mother was Dughdova; his father was Pourushaspa Spit?ma, son of Haecadaspa Spit?ma. His illumination from Ahura Mazda came at age 30. His first converts were his wife and children and a cousin named Maidhyoimangha.

Related Topics:
Bactria - Afghanistan - Median - Persian - Ahura Mazda

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The Greek writers recount a few points regarding the childhood of Zoroaster and his hermit lifestyle. According to tradition and Pliny's Natural History, Zoroaster laughed on the day of his birth and lived in the wilderness. He seems to have enjoyed exploring the wilderness from a young age. Plutarch compares him with Lycurgus and Numa Pompilius (Numa, 4). Dio Chrysostom relates Zoroaster's Ahura Mazd? to Zeus. Plutarch, drawing partly on Theopompus, speaks of Zoroastrianism in Isis and Osiris.

Related Topics:
Hermit - Pliny's Natural History - Plutarch - Lycurgus - Numa Pompilius - Dio Chrysostom - Ahura Mazd? - Zeus - Theopompus - Zoroastrianism

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Here he is a mortal, empowered by trust in his God and the protection of his allies. He faces outward opposition and unbelief and inward doubt. These human qualities support a historical Zoroaster, despite a lack of historical detail. The G?th?s are poetic admonitions and prophecies, cast in the form of dialogues with God and the Am?a Sp?ntas "Immortals" (Pahlavi Amahraspand?n). However, they seem to contain allusions to personal events, overcoming obstacles in life imposed by competing priests and the ruling class. He had difficulty spreading his teachings, and was even treated with ill-will in his mother's hometown (an exceptional insult in his culture and time).

Related Topics:
Am?a Sp?ntas - Pahlavi

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It is important to note the differences between the Zoroaster of the later Avesta and the Zoroaster of the G?th?s. In the later Avesta, he is depicted wrestling with the Da?va or "evil immortals" (Pahlavi D?w?n), and, in a story that may have inspired a remarkably similar account of Jesus in the New Testament, is tempted by Ahriman to renounce his faith. (Yasht, 17,19)

Related Topics:
Avesta - Da?va - Pahlavi - Jesus - New Testament - Ahriman

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The historical Zoroaster, however, eludes categorization as a legendary character. The G?th?s within the Avesta make claim to be the ipsissima verba of the prophet. The Vendidad also gives accounts of the dialogues between Ahura Mazda and Zoroaster. They are the last surviving account of his doctrinal discourses presented at the court of King Vi?taspa.

Related Topics:
Avesta - Vendidad - Vi?taspa

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