AEGYPTUS Posted February 3, 2007 Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 (edited) Zoroastrianism I was wondering having read a little about the mysterious ancient Persian religion as to whether there were many worshippers of this particular religion in the Roman Empire. Was it wide spread in the Eastern Provinces of the empire? It must have had some influence? Also did it have many adherents in the Roman Western world? Like Rome itself for example. Also I would be interested if the religion did have follower in the empire how were they treated as the are a monotheistic religion. Would the treatment have been similar to that of Jews and Christians in the Empire? Thanks in advance for any info posted. AEGYPTUS!!! Edited February 3, 2007 by AEGYPTUS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DecimusCaesar Posted February 3, 2007 Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 Zoroastrianism did have some influence in the Eastern Roman Empire. For instance the Zoroastrians made 'martyrs' of some Christians, some of whom were persecuted to death and later became saints. Constantine wrote to King Shapur of Persia to inform him of Christianity, while at the same time warning him not to harm the christians of Mesopotamia. He even thought of launching a war to liberate them at a later time. Later on during the reign of Theodosius II, Christians ransacked and destroyed Zoroastrian shrines around the year 421/2 AD, leading to Persia declaring war on the Roman Empire. Later on peace was made as Rome had to deal with Hunnic incursions in the west. The peace agreement stated that Christians would be allowed to live in peace, and would no longer suffer persecution under the Zoroastrian Sassanid government. Zoroastrianism also coloured the Persians view of the Roman Empire. It was the Lord Ahura Mazda who was the light of the world and it was he who battled the forces of drakness. As far as the Persians were concerned they were the light and the Romans were the darkness, and it was therefore considered to be a kind of holy war to battle the Romans. The feud between the Zoroastrians and Christians would continue into the Byzantine era. During one occasion it led to a massacre in Jerusalem during Heraclius reign as the Zoroastrians spread rumors that the Romans were planning to destroy the Jews. The Jews reacted by attacking and killing many Christians, including Priests and Nuns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AEGYPTUS Posted February 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 (edited) Thank you very much for the information on Zoroastrianism. Much appreciated! As I am sure you know already the Romans of the early empire e.g. Pre-Byzantine period had many gods "the more the merrier”. Would there have been any people living in the West that would have worshipped this religion? I am just wondering as since the religion would not have been unknown to them would it? Edited February 3, 2007 by AEGYPTUS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted February 3, 2007 Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 In the modern world, Nietzsche. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursus Posted February 4, 2007 Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 While opinion is divided, some say the mystery cult of Mithras was an offshoot of Zoroastrianism. Mithraism was practiced by many soldiers and civil servants of the empire in the Latin West. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Neil Posted February 4, 2007 Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 I think this religion still has modern adherents, about 100'000 of them, in North West India. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spittle Posted February 4, 2007 Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 There is a colony of farsi's (or Zoroastrians) in Bombay. Freddy Mercury was born one in Zanzibar off East Africa. Before Xmas someone wrote a post that chronicled the similarities between the birth/life/last supper of Christ and the story of Ahura Mazda. Unbelievable! Three wise men. 12 Disciples. Resurrection..... If someone knows how to find old threads it could help??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 There are about 100,000 in Iran. Are Jains being confused with Zaros in India? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spittle Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 No. The Jains swept before them with brooms to avoid stepping on insects. Thats how devoted they are to a live and let live lifestyle. fascinating people. The farsi's 'worship' fires burning atop columns. that was the only evidence I saw of their existence there but I was reliably informed of their habitation in the area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Dalby Posted February 5, 2007 Report Share Posted February 5, 2007 There are about 100,000 in Iran. Are Jains being confused with Zaros in India? No, they are quite different. And it's true that the largest single community of Zoroastrians is in Bombay. The Zoroastrian scriptures have been published in Nagari (north Indian) script so that they can more easily read them -- we had a set of these scriptures at the library where I used to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AEGYPTUS Posted February 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 (edited) Urus, Your post is really interesting. You said Mithraism could be an off shoot of Zoroastrianism. What were the similarities that make people think they could be related? just interested Edited February 10, 2007 by AEGYPTUS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursus Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 In Zoroastrianism, Mithras was a warrior angel of light and goodness (who served Ahura Mazda). In the Mithraic cult, Mithras is also a warlike being, but one associated with light and goodness. Most scholars believed for the longest time there had to be a definite link. More modern scholars are not as certain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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