IndoEuropean migration, c. 1500 B.C.E.

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• THE PERSIAN EMPIRE AND ZOROASTRIANISM
• Indo-European migrations, ca. 2000 B.C.E.
• A. Aryans 1 branch to India, 1 branch to
  IRAN
• B. Aryan?Iran
• C. PERSIANS one of several Iranic peoples
• confronted SEMITIC peoples in Iraq/Syria

SEMITIC PEOPLES
ARYANS
Indo-European migration, c. 1500 B.C.E.
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II. Achaemenid Empire (583-331 B.C.E.) A.
Founded by Cyrus the Great, who defeated
Babylonians
PERSEPOLIS
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Staircase of Achaemenid palace at Persepolis,
with frieze
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B. Alexander the Great defeats Darius, bringing
Achaemenid empire to an end (331 B.C.E.). C.
Hellenism takes root in Iran.
Alexander
Darius
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• Parthian Empire, ca. 240 B.C.E. 220 C.E.
• decentralized rule

Persepolis
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Parthian silver coins
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IV. Sasanian Empire, 220-634 C.E. A.
Highly centralized state B. Shahanshah
King of Kings
Ctesiphon
Persepolis
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ruins of Sasanian palace, Ctesiphon, Iraq
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Sasanian silver coins
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• ZOROASTRIANISM
• Indo-European religion stressing ritual purity
• Zarathustra / Zoroaster priest of this
  religion ca. 1500 B.C.E.

modern image of Zoroaster
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II. Zoroastrian dualism Ahura Mazda force
of good, governs sky, good earth, water, fire
vs.
Angra Mainyu / Ahriman force of evil and
darkness
image of Ahura Mazda at Persepolis
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Sasanian cliff carving of Ahura Mazda (right),
giving crown to emperor Ardashir II (r. 379-83
C.E.)
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A. Fire as symbol of Ahura Mazda sacred fires,
fire temples
Sasanian fire altars
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Zoroastrian temple in modern-day Iran
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B. Funerary practices ossuaries, towers of
silence
tomb of Cyrus the Great
tower of silence, Yazd, Iran
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C. Ritual purity D. Human being
contributes to realm of good (Ahura Mazda)
through good deeds, or to realm of evil
(Angra Mainyu / Ahriman) through bad
deeds. E. Paradise (Firdus) and hell III.
Scriptures A. Avesta Ahura Mazdas
revelation to Zoroaster B. Gathas hymns
composed by Zoroaster C. The problem of
writing D. Achaemenids adopted Aramaic as
bureaucratic language (later displaced
by local Iranian languages).
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IV. Priests (magi) A. Preside over five
daily prayers B. Tend sacred fires
Then
and now
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V. An Iranian state religion
Freddie Mercury
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VI. Manichean heresy, 3rd century C.E. Mani
A. Adopts Zoroastrian struggle between good and
evil, but asserts that all of creation
belongs to realm of evil / darkness B.
Stresses asceticism and egalitarianism C.
In response, Sasanians adopt highly monotheistic
brand of Zoroastrianism (Mazdaism).