Ahura Mazda

As a lot of other early agricultural societies, in the beginning, Persian religious beliefs were mostly based on natural elements. But as it developed into complex society, the need for religious that would require from its follower's high morals standards and social harmony. This resulted for Zoroastrianism to appear. Zarathustra, the person who’s teaching became a foundation for Zoroastrianism was indeed a real person. Though, historians argue when he was born. When he turned twenty, he…

As taught by all of the Manifestations, the Creator is formless, birthless and deathless. Zoroastrians refrained from making images of any sort, and do not worship idols. “Ahura (God) is everywhere at once. He is all-knowing. He knows what we are thinking and doing at this very moment. When Ahura Mazda first created humanity, He gave the following order: “Be diligent to save you souls; I shall then provide for your bodily matters. For it is impossible to save your souls, without you. There is a…

In Chapter 1, the cultures and societies discussed include Mesopotamian civilization, Egyptian civilization, the Hittite empire, and the Persian Empire. Major influences from these civilizations and empires have contributed to Western Civilization. Mesopotamian civilization developed between the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers and evolved to three definite societies: Sumer (2000s B.C), Babylonia (1000s B.C.), and Assyria (after 700s B.C.). The first known cities were founded by the Sumerians…

many gods to be worshiped and rejected the idea of monotheism. This is why it was so shocking when Zoroaster started preaching how he received a revelation from an angel named Vohu Mana that said that there was only one god who Zoroaster termed Ahura Mazda and that any other god was an evil spirit or demon. Zoroaster did not let his peoples’ skepticism shake him from spreading his true beliefs. After numerous years of trying to convert the people of his hometown, Zoroaster left and went to…

role of individuals determining their own fate and emphasizes the duality of good and evil. Early Aryan influences on Persian religious traditions. Zarathustra (late 7th-early 6th centuries BCE) is the founder of Zoroastrianism. He believes that Ahura Mazda had chosen him to be a prophet. In the sixth century BCE, Zoroastrianism attracted Persian aristocrats and ruling elites. It also influenced Judaism, Christianity and later, Islam. When Alexander of Macedonia defeated Darius III in battle,…

The first Persian Empire was found in the western part of Asia. It was known for many things. It was started by Cyrus the Great, who was known for accepting the beliefs of the people he conquered. The Persian Empire was also known to have ruled over the largest kingdom in that time. They were the first kingdom to establish the intricate system of using satraps to aid the king in his ruling, and making public works for their citizens. They were able to develop a postal system to help pass on…

fundamental differences that make it not a direct comparison. One of these differences was that unlike knights in medieval Europe, the heavily armored soldiers in Sasanian Persia did not feel that they were serving primarily out of the piety for Ahura Mazda, but rather out of political allegiance to the king. However, the importance of Zoroastrianism in this period increased to a point that had never before been seen in Persian history. The prior philosophy of religious tolerance in the name of…

The essential thing I learned in this class is that religion is complicated and cannot be completely understood in a one semester class, not even if it is a fictional religion in a book series. This class has certainly acted as an overview of several religions and how they can be used as inspiration for fictional world building. One of the most complicated topics we covered seemed to be the explanation for the Christian trilogy and whether or not something was dualistic or monotheistic. The idea…

Task 2- Multicultural Empires Part A. A1 (Rome). There are many geographical factors that impacted the development of Rome but the one geographical factor that had a significant impact on the development of Rome was the Tiber River. Just like the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China, the Roman Republic, and later empire, developed and flourished alongside a river. The Tiber river allowed the people of Rome to grow crops of wheat and barley that they not only used for…

There is a famous passage in Second Isaiah, composed during or after the Exile, which is sometimes cited as a Jewish rebuke to the Zoroastrian idea of a dualistic God: "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things." (Isaiah 45:7) This passage, which is a major source for Jewish speculation on the source of good and evil in the world, denies the Zoroastrian idea of a God who is the source only of "good" and favorable things. The…