DOCSLIB.ORG

History of Zoroastrianism

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
History of Zoroastrianism History of Zoroastrianism by Maneckji Nusservanji Dhalla High Priest of the Parsis, Karachi, India idha apãm vijasâiti vanghuhi daena mâzdayasnaish vispâish avi karshvãn yâish hapta. "Henceforth from now may spread The Good Mazdayasnian Religion Over all the zones that are seven." NEW YORK OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS LONDON TORONTO, 1938 TO KHAN BAHADUR KAVASJI HORMASJI KATRAK, O.B.E. at hvo vangheush vahyo nâ aibijamyât ye nâo erezush savangho patho sîshoit ahyâ angheush astvato mananghaschâ haithyeng âstîsh yeng â shaetî ahuro aredro thwâvãns huzentushe spento mazdâ. "May that man attain to better than the good Who helps teaching us the upright paths of blessedness Of this material world and that of the spirit -- The veritable universe wherein pervades Ahura -- That faithful, wise, and holy man is like unto thee, O Mazda." Zarathushtra CONTENTS PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY xix ABBREVIATIONS xxix INTRODUCTION xxxi PRE-GATHIC PERIOD From the earliest times to about 1000 B.C. CHAPTER I. THE SOURCES 3 The data of information -- The Avestan Nasks -- The Pahlavi, Pazend and Persian sources -- Parsi- Sanskrit and Gujarati sources -- Oriental sources -- Occidental sources -- Inscriptions, coins and tablets as the last source of information. II. AIRYANA VAEJAH 8 The Stem-land of the Aryans -- The Indo- Europeans -- The Indo-Iranians. THE GATHIC PERIOD About 1000 B.C. III. ZARATHUSHTRA 11 Zarathushtra doubts to know -- Zarathushtra seeks silent, solitary seclusion -- Zarathushtra yearns to see Ahura Mazda -- Zarathushtra longs to commune with Ahura Mazda -- Zarathushtra is fined with an intense fervour of enthusiasm for prophetic work -- People marvel at the new prophet -- Zarathushtra definitely breaks with the religion of his forefathers -- The hostile Daevayasnian priests -- Friendless and forlorn, Zarathushtra flees to Ahura Mazda -- Zarathushtra's teachings win the ear of the royal court -- Zarathushtra's mission. IV. TOWARDS MONOTHEISM. 27 Gods in evolution. V. AHURA MAZDA 30 Ahura Mazda is the name Zarathushtra gives to God -- Ahura Mazda is the Being par excellence -- The nature of Ahura Mazda -- The transcendental immanence of Ahura Mazda -- Ahura Mazda is the creator -- Ahura Mazda is the lord of wisdom -- Ahura Mazda is the law- giver and judge. VI. SPENTA MAINYU 36 Spenta Mainyu is the self-revealing activity of Ahura Mazda. VII. MAZDA'S MINISTERING ANGELS 39 Amesha Spentas in the making -- Vohu Manah -- The first in Ahura Mazda's creation -- Vohu Manah is Ahura Mazda's Good Thought. VIII. PRAYERS AND RITUALS 68 IX. LIFE IS A BLESSING 75 X. EVIL 81 XI. LIFE AFTER DEATH 96 XII. THE FINAL DISPENSATION 108 THE AVESTAN PERIOD From about 800 B.C. to about A.D. 200 at the latest INDIA LEAVES INDO-IRANIAN RELIGION XIII. 115 BEHIND IRAN GOES BACK TO INDO-IRANIAN XIV. 125 RELIGION PROMULGATION OF THE FAITH OF XV. 129 ZARATHUSHTRA ZARATHUSHTRA IN THE YOUNGER XVI. 139 AVESTA XVII. THE YOUNGER AVESTAN RELIGION 145 XVIII. THE IDEA OF GOD IN THE MILLENNIUM 150 XIX. AHURA MAZDA 125 XX. SPENTA MAINYU 125 XXI. AMESHA SPENTAS 162 XXII. YAZATAS 173 XXIII. FRAVASHIS 232 XXIV. PERSONIFIED ABSTRACTIONS 244 XXV. BAGHAS 246 XXVI. PRAYERS AND RITUALS 248 XXVII. EVIL 257 XXVIII. DEATH AND BEYOND 278 XXIX. THE RENOVATION 288 THE PAHLAVI PERIOD From the third to the ninth century ZOROASTRIANISM UNDER THE FOREIGN XXX. 293 YOKE XXXI. THE BIRTH OF CHRISTIANITY 298 XXXII. MITHRAISM 302 XXXIII. ZARATUSHT IN THE PAHLAVI WORKS 309 ZOROASTRIANISM AS TAUGHT BY THE XXXIV. 318 PAHLAVI WORKS XXXV. THE ACTIVE PROPAGANDA OF THE 325 FAITH XXXVI. SECTS 330 XXXVII. HERESIES 338 XXXVIII. OHRMAZD 350 XXXIX. AMSHASPANDS 357 XL. IZADS 368 XLI. FAROHARS 375 XLII. PRAYERS AND RITUALS 379 XLIII. EVIL 384 XLIV. LIFE AFTER DEATH 407 XLV. THE RENOVATION 423 A PERIOD OF DECADENCE From the seventh to the eighteenth century DOWNFALL OF THE SASANIANS, AND XLVI. 437 THE AFTERMATH XLVII. EXODUS TO INDIA 423 ZARTUSHT DURING THE PERSIAN XLVIII. 449 PERIOD XLIX. PERSIAN WORKS ON ZOROASTRIANISM 457 L. MYSTICS AND MYSTICISM 461 LI. RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSIES 470 AN EPOCH-MAKING ERA IN THE LII. 472 HISTORY OF ZOROASTRIAN RESEARCHES PROSELYTIZING COMES TO BE VIEWED LIII. 474 WITH DISFAVOUR GUJARATI LITERATURE BEARING UPON LIV. 477 ZOROASTRIANISM A PERIOD OF REVIVAL Nineteenth century and after LV. MODERNISM VERSUS TRADITIONALISM 481 THE REVIVAL OF LEARNING AMONG THE LVI. 483 PARSIS INTRODUCTION OF THE WESTERN LVII. METHOD OF IRANIAN SCHOLARSHIP IN 486 INDIA CHRISTIAN MISSIONARIES ATTACK LVIII. 491 ZOROASTRIANISM LIX. THE REFORM MOVEMENT 495 LX. PARSI THEOSOPHISTS 502 LXI. CONCLUSION 509 [xix] BIBLIOGRAPHY Aerpatastan. Translated from the Avesta-Pahlavi texts by S.J. Bulsara. Bombay, 1915. Andarz-i Atarpat-i The Pahlavi text, edited and translated by Peshutan Dastur Behramji Maraspand. Sanjana. Bombay, 1885. Andarz-i-Khusro-i- The Pahlavi text, edited and translated by Peshutan Dastur Behramji Kavatan. Sanjana; Bombay, 1885. Anquetil du Perron. Zend-Avesta, Ouvrage de Zoroastre, contenant les Idées Theologiques, Physiques et Morales de ce Législateur, les Cérémonies du Culte Religieux qu'i1 a etabli, et plusieurs Traits Importants relatifs a l'ancienne Histoire des Perses. 3 vols. Paris, 1771. Aogemadaecha. The Pazand and Sanskrit texts, edited and translated into German by Wilhelm Geiger. Erlangen, 1878. Aogemadaecha. Translated into English by James Darmesteter. In Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 4, second edition. Aogemadaecha. The Pahlavi Texts of, Edited by B. N. Dhabhar in Indo-Iranian Studies in honour of Dastur D. P. Sanjana, p.117-130. London, 1925. Arda Viraf. The Pahlavi text, edited and translated by Hoshangji Jamaspji Asa, Martin Hang, and E. W. West. Bombay, 1872. Arda Viraf Nameh. The Original Pahlavi Text with Persian version of Zartosht Behrain in verse, edited by Kaikhusru J. Jamasp Asa. Bombay, 1902 Avesta. The Sacred Books of the Parsis. Edited by Karl F. Geldner. Stuttgart, 1885-1896. (For Yt. 22-24 and the Avestan Fragments see N. L. Westergaard's Zendavesta, Copenhagen, 1852-1854.). Avesta. Translated into French by C, de Harlez. Livre Sacré du Zoroastrisme. 2 éd. Paris, 1881. Avesta. Translated into French by James Darmesteter. Le Zend-Avesta, 3 vols. Paris, 1892, 1893. (Annales du Musée Guimet, vols. 21, 22, 24). Avesta. Translated into English by James Darmesteter and L. H. Mills. In Sacred Books of the East, vols, 4, 23, 31. Avesta. Translated into German by Fritz Wolff. Strassburg, 1910. (For the German translation of the Gathas see Christian Bartholomae's Die Gatha's des Awesta, Strassburg; 1905. See also the English rendering of Bartholomae's German translation in Early Zoroastrianism by J. H. Moulton, London, 1913). Avesta, Pahlavi, and Ancient Persian Studies in Honour of the late Shams-ul Ulama Dastur Peshotanji Behramji Sanjana. Strassburg, 1904. Ayuso, F. G. Los pueblos Iranios y Zoroastro. Madrid, 1874. Bahman Yasht. Translated from the Pahlavi text by E. W. West. In Sacred Books of the East, vol. 5. Balsara, P. P. Ancient Iran. Its contribution to Human progress. Bombay, 1936. Bartholomae, Altiranisches Wörterbuch. Strassburg, 1904. Christian. Benveniste, Emile. the Persian Religion according to the chief Greek Texts. Paris, 1929. Bharucha, Sheriarji A Brief Sketch of the Zoroastrian Religion and Customs. Bombay, D. 1893. Bilimoria, N. F. Zoroastrianism in the Light of Theosophy. Bombay, 1896. Böklen, E. Die Verwandtschaft der jüdisch-christlichen mit der parsischen Eschatologie. Göttingen, 1902. Bousset, W. Die Religion des Judentums in neutestamentlichen Zeitalter. Berlin, 1903. Bradke, P. von. Dyaus, Asura, Ahura Mazda. Halle, 1885. Brodbeck, A. Zoroaster. Leipzig, 1893. Buch, M. A. Zoroastrian Ethics. Baroda, 1919. Bundahishn. Translated from the Pahlavi text by E. W. West. In Sacred Books of the East, vol. 5. Bundahishn. An Untranslated Chapter of the Bundehesh. Edited and translated by Jivanji Jamshedji Modi, in Journal of the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. Bombay, 1902. Bundahishn. Edited by T. D. and B. T. Anklesaria. Bombay, 1908. Cama Memorial Edited by J. J. Modi. Bombay, 1900. Volume. Carter, G. W. Zoroastrianism and Judaism. Boston, 1918. Casartelli, L. C. The Philosophy of the Mazdayasnian Religion under the Sassanids. Translated from the French by Firoz Jamaspji Jamasp Asa. Bombay, 1889. Chatterjee, J. M. the Ethical Conceptions of the Gatha. Navsari, 1932. Cheyne, T. K. Book of Psalms, its origin, and its relation to Zoroastrianism. In Semitic Studies in Memory of Rev. Dr. A. Kohut. Berlin, 1897. Clemen, C. Fontes Historiae Religionis Persicae. Bonn, 1920. Clemen, C. Die Griechischen und Lateinischen Nachrichten über die Persische Religion. Giessen, 1920. Collected Sanskrit Part 1. Khorda-Avesta. Part 2. Ijisni. Part 3. Mainyoi Khard. Part 4. Writings of the Skanda Gumani Gujara. Edited by Sheriarji D. Bharucha. Bombay, Parsis. 1906-1913. Cumont, Franz. Texts et monuments relatifs au culte de Mithra. 2 vols. Paris, 1893. Cumont, Franz. The Mysteries of Mithra. Translated from the French by T. J. McCormack. Chicago, 1903. Dabistan. Translated from the origina1 Persian by Shea and Troyer. 3 vols. Paris, 1843. Dadachanji, F. K. Light of the Avesta and the Gathas. Bombay, 1913. Dadistan-i Dinik. Translated from the Pahlavi text by E. W. West. In Sacred Books of the East, vol. 18. Darmesteter, James. Haurvatat et Arneretat. In Bibliothèque de l'Ecole des Hautes Etudes, vol. 23. Paris, 1875. Darmesteter, James. Ormazd et Ahriman. Paris, 1877. Dastur, M. N. The Moral and Ethical Teachings of Zarathushtra. Bombay, 1928. Dawson, M. M. The Ethical Religion of Zoroaster. New York, 1931 Desatir. Published by Mulla Firuz Bin Kaus. Persian and English. 2 vols. Bombay, 1818. Dhalla, M. N. Zoroastrian Theology. New York, 1914. Dina i Mainu i Khrat. Edited by Darab P. Sanjana. Bombay, 1895. Dinkard. Books 3-9. Edited and translated from the Pahlavi text by Peshutan and Darab Sanjana. Vols. 1-19. Bombay. 1874-1919. Dinkard. Books 7-9. Translated from the Pahlavi text by E. W. West. In Sacred Books of the East, vols. 37, 47. Dinkard [Denkard]. The Complete Text.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Nnnnãvr-N Paznû
    THE MANUSCRTpTs or ð¿Nen ¿NenÃðn-N,iua n¡vn ;n¿j vt-vI nà r-NÃtw ø BY zARToSr-n nnnnÃvr-n paZnû Olga Yastrebova Zarto$t-e Bahrãm was a Zoroastrian poet who lived in Iran in the late 13th century. He is one of the few Zoroastrian authors who wrote in Persian and whose name and scraps of biographical information have been preserved to our days. The most significant and well known of his works are Ardãya-Wrãf-nãmet, ëangranghãðe' nãme2, andQesse-ye 'lJmar Xattãb va iãhzdde'ye irãn-zamr-n3, a collection of parables on the perishable nature of this world.a All of them were written in hazaj- e mosaddas metre. For several centuries tradition ascribed to him the authorship of Zarto!çnãme (onginally Mowlûd-Zartoflt)s, but as Ch. Rempis and R. Ahfi showed in their studies published independently in 1963 and 1964, the real author was another Zoroastrian, named Kay-Kâüs b. Kay-Xosrow b. Dãrã, from the city of Ray.6 The episode of Zaratustra's biography which is the subject of Õangranghãëe- nãme, is nol found in any other source except this poem. After Zaratu$tra's religion had been successfully disseminated in the kingdom of Go5tasp, the news reached the Indian sage Õangranghãðe. This wise man is said to have been one of the teachers of GoStasp's famous counsellor Jãmãsp. ðangranghaðe summoned Zarto5t to take part in a dispute, and spent two years preparing for it. He devoted all his time to gathering difficult questions and riddles. After the long period of I Text published twice: Jamasp Asa 1902; Afift 1964.
    [Show full text]
  • Mah Tir, Mah Bahman & Asfandarmad 1 Mah Asfandarmad 1369
    Mah Tir, Mah Bahman & Asfandarmad 1 Mah Asfandarmad 1369, Fravardin & l FEZAN A IN S I D E T HJ S I S S U E Federation of Zoroastrian • Summer 2000, Tabestal1 1369 YZ • Associations of North America http://www.fezana.org PRESIDENT: Framroze K. Patel 3 Editorial - Pallan R. Ichaporia 9 South Circle, Woodbridge, NJ 07095 (732) 634-8585, (732) 636-5957 (F) 4 From the President - Framroze K. Patel president@ fezana. org 5 FEZANA Update 6 On the North American Scene FEZ ANA 10 Coming Events (World Congress 2000) Jr ([]) UJIR<J~ AIL '14 Interfaith PUBLICATION OF THE FEDERATION OF ZOROASTRIAN ASSOCIATIONS OF '15 Around the World NORTH AMERICA 20 A Millennium Gift - Four New Agiaries in Mumbai CHAIRPERSON: Khorshed Jungalwala Rohinton M. Rivetna 53 Firecut Lane, Sudbury, MA 01776 Cover Story: (978) 443-6858, (978) 440-8370 (F) 22 kayj@ ziplink.net Honoring our Past: History of Iran, from Legendary Times EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Roshan Rivetna 5750 S. Jackson St. Hinsdale, IL 60521 through the Sasanian Empire (630) 325-5383, (630) 734-1579 (F) Guest Editor Pallan R. Ichaporia ri vetna@ lucent. com 23 A Place in World History MILESTONES/ ANNOUNCEMENTS Roshan Rivetna with Pallan R. Ichaporia Mahrukh Motafram 33 Legendary History of the Peshdadians - Pallan R. Ichaporia 2390 Chanticleer, Brookfield, WI 53045 (414) 821-5296, [email protected] 35 Jamshid, History or Myth? - Pen1in J. Mist1y EDITORS 37 The Kayanian Dynasty - Pallan R. Ichaporia Adel Engineer, Dolly Malva, Jamshed Udvadia 40 The Persian Empire of the Achaemenians Pallan R. Ichaporia YOUTHFULLY SPEAKING: Nenshad Bardoliwalla 47 The Parthian Empire - Rashna P.
    [Show full text]
  • 2 Religions and Religious Movements
    ISBN 978-92-3-103654-5 Introduction 2 RELIGIONS AND RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS H.-J. Klimkeit, R. Meserve, E. E. Karimov and C. Shackle Contents Introduction ....................................... 62 RELIGIONS IN THE CENTRAL ASIAN ENVIRONMENT ............. 67 Turkic and Mongol beliefs, the Tibetan Bon religion and shamanism ......... 67 Religion among the Uighurs, Kyrgyz, Kitan ...................... 69 MANICHAEISM AND NESTORIAN CHRISTIANITY ............... 71 Manichaeism ...................................... 71 Nestorian Christianity .................................. 75 Zoroastrianism ..................................... 78 Hinduism ........................................ 82 THE ADVENT OF ISLAM: EXTENT AND IMPACT ................ 83 NON-ISLAMIC MYSTIC MOVEMENTS IN HINDU SOCIETY .......... 88 The Hatha-yoga movement ............................... 89 The bhakti movement .................................. 90 Birth of the Sikh religion ................................ 91 Introduction (H.-J. Klimkeit) Although cultural and religious life along the Central Asian Silk Route was determined both by various indigenous traditions, including Zoroastrianism, and by the world 62 ISBN 978-92-3-103654-5 Introduction religions that expanded into this area from India and China as well as from Syria and Per- sia, we can detect certain basic patterns that recur in different areas and situations.1 Here we mainly wish to illustrate that there were often similar geopolitical and social conditions in various oasis towns. The duality of such towns and the surrounding deserts, steppes and mountains is characteristic of the basic situation. Nomads dwelling in the steppes had their own social structures and their own understanding of life, which was determined by tra- ditions that spoke of forefathers and heroes of the past who had created a state with its own divine orders and laws. The Old Turkic inscriptions on the Orkhon river in Mongolia are a good case in point.
    [Show full text]
  • A Sacred Celestial Motif: an Introduction to Winged Angels Iconography in Iran
    PEOPLE: International Journal of Social Sciences ISSN 2454-5899 Mazloumi & Nasrollahzadeh, 2017 Volume 3 Issue 2, pp. 682 - 699 Date of Publication: 16th September, 2017 DOI-https://dx.doi.org/10.20319/pijss.2017.32.682699 This paper can be cited as: Mazloumi, Y., & Nasrollahzadeh, C. (2017). A Sacred Celestial Motif: An Introduction to Winged Angels Iconography in Iran. PEOPLE: International Journal of Social Sciences, 3(2), 682-699. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA. A SACRED CELESTIAL MOTIF: AN INTRODUCTION TO WINGED ANGELS ICONOGRAPHY IN IRAN Yasaman Nabati Mazloumi M.A in Iranian Studies, Shahid Beheshti University, Daneshjoo Blvd, Velenjak, Street, Tehran, Iran [email protected] Cyrus Nasrollahzadeh Associate Professor, Department of Ancient Iranian Culture and Languages, Institute for Humanities and Cultural Studies, 64th Street, Kurdestan Expressway, Tehran, Iran [email protected] Abstract Through history many motifs have been created and over the centuries, some of them turned into very well-known symbols. One of these motifs is winged angel. This sacred and divine creature which appears in human-shaped, serves intermediaries between the God and people, and during history, indicates legitimating and bestows God-given glory. This article aims to present the results of exploring the historical background of the winged angels in Iran, in order to understand its precise concept; where it comes from and what it resembles.
    [Show full text]
  • L2/20-246 Teeth and Bellies: a Proposed Model for Encoding Book Pahlavi
    L2/20-246 Teeth and bellies: a proposed model for encoding Book Pahlavi Roozbeh Pournader (WhatsApp) September 7, 2020 Background In Everson 2002, a proposal was made to encode a unified Avestan and Pahlavi script in the Unicode Standard. The proposal went through several iterations, eventually leading to a separate encoding of Avestan as proposed by Everson and Pournader 2007a, in which Pahlavi was considered non-unifiable with Avestan due to its cursive joining property. The non-cursive Inscriptional Pahlavi (Everson and Pournader 2007b) and the cursive Psalter Pahlavi (Everson and Pournader 2011) were later encoded too. But Book Pahlavi, despite several attempts (see the Book Pahlavi Topical Document list at https://unicode.org/L2/ topical/bookpahlavi/), remains unencoded. Everson 2002 is peculiar among earlier proposals by proposing six Pahlavi archigraphemes, including an ear, an elbow, and a belly. I remember from conversations with Michael Everson that he intended these to be used for cases when a scribe was just copying some text without understanding the underlying letters, considering the complexity of the script and the loss of some of its nuances to later scribes. They could also be used when modern scholars wanted to represent a manuscript as written, without needing to over-analyze potentially controversial readings. Meyers 2014 takes such a graphical model to an extreme, trying to encode pieces of the writing system, most of which have some correspondence to letters, but with occasional partial letters (e.g. PARTIAL SHIN and FINAL SADHE-PARTIAL PE). Unfortunately, their proposal rejects joining properties for Book Pahlavi and insists that “[t]he joining behaviour of the final stems of the characters in Book Pahlavi is more similar to cursive variants of Latin than to Arabic”.
    [Show full text]
  • On the Good Faith
    On the Good Faith Zoroastrianism is ascribed to the teachings of the legendary prophet Zarathustra and originated in ancient times. It was developed within the area populated by the Iranian peoples, and following the Arab conquest, it formed into a diaspora. In modern Russia it has evolved since the end of the Soviet era. It has become an attractive object of cultural produc- tion due to its association with Oriental philosophies and religions and its rearticulation since the modern era in Europe. The lasting appeal of Zoroastrianism evidenced by centuries of book pub- lishing in Russia was enlivened in the 1990s. A new, religious, and even occult dimension was introduced with the appearance of neo-Zoroastrian groups with their own publications and online websites (dedicated to Zoroastrianism). This study focuses on the intersectional relationships and topical analysis of different Zoroastrian themes in modern Russia. On the Good Faith A Fourfold Discursive Construction of Zoroastrianism in Contemporary Russia Anna Tessmann Anna Tessmann Södertörns högskola SE-141 89 Huddinge [email protected] www.sh.se/publications On the Good Faith A Fourfold Discursive Construction of Zoroastrianism in Contemporary Russia Anna Tessmann Södertörns högskola 2012 Södertörns högskola SE-141 89 Huddinge www.sh.se/publications Cover Image: Anna Tessmann Cover Design: Jonathan Robson Layout: Jonathan Robson & Per Lindblom Printed by E-print, Stockholm 2012 Södertörn Doctoral Dissertations 68 ISSN 1652-7399 ISBN 978-91-86069-50-6 Avhandlingar utgivna vid
    [Show full text]
  • Persianism in Antiquity
    Oriens et Occidens – Band 25 Franz Steiner Verlag Sonderdruck aus: Persianism in Antiquity Edited by Rolf Strootman and Miguel John Versluys Franz Steiner Verlag, Stuttgart 2017 CONTENTS Acknowledgments . 7 Rolf Strootman & Miguel John Versluys From Culture to Concept: The Reception and Appropriation of Persia in Antiquity . 9 Part I: Persianization, Persomania, Perserie . 33 Albert de Jong Being Iranian in Antiquity (at Home and Abroad) . 35 Margaret C. Miller Quoting ‘Persia’ in Athens . 49 Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones ‘Open Sesame!’ Orientalist Fantasy and the Persian Court in Greek Art 430–330 BCE . 69 Omar Coloru Once were Persians: The Perception of Pre-Islamic Monuments in Iran from the 16th to the 19th Century . 87 Judith A. Lerner Ancient Persianisms in Nineteenth-Century Iran: The Revival of Persepolitan Imagery under the Qajars . 107 David Engels Is there a “Persian High Culture”? Critical Reflections on the Place of Ancient Iran in Oswald Spengler’s Philosophy of History . 121 Part II: The Hellenistic World . 145 Damien Agut-Labordère Persianism through Persianization: The Case of Ptolemaic Egypt . 147 Sonja Plischke Persianism under the early Seleukid Kings? The Royal Title ‘Great King’ . 163 Rolf Strootman Imperial Persianism: Seleukids, Arsakids and Fratarakā . 177 6 Contents Matthew Canepa Rival Images of Iranian Kingship and Persian Identity in Post-Achaemenid Western Asia . 201 Charlotte Lerouge-Cohen Persianism in the Kingdom of Pontic Kappadokia . The Genealogical Claims of the Mithridatids . 223 Bruno Jacobs Tradition oder Fiktion? Die „persischen“ Elemente in den Ausstattungs- programmen Antiochos’ I . von Kommagene . 235 Benedikt Eckhardt Memories of Persian Rule: Constructing History and Ideology in Hasmonean Judea .
    [Show full text]
  • ABMBNIA (Varmio) B. H. KENNETT. ARMENIA
    HI ABMBNIA (Varmio) •with any such supposition. It ia a safe inference indistinguishable. la timea of need c? danger from 1 S 67fl;, 2 S (33rr- that the recognized method man requires a god that ia near, and nofc a god of carrying the Ark in early times was in a sacred that is far off. It ia bjy BO means a primitive con- cart (i.e, a cart that had been used for no other ception which we find an the dedicatory prayer put purpose) drawn by COTVS or bulls.* The use of into the mouth of Solomon (1K 84*1*), that, if people horned cattle might possibly denote that the Ark go out to battle against their enemy, and they was in some way connected with lunar worship; prayto their God towards the house which is built in any case, Jiowever, they probably imply that to His name, He will make their prayer and the god contained in the Ark was regarded aa the supplication hoard to the heaven in which He god of fertility (see Frazer, Adonis, Attu, Osiris, really dwells,* Primitive warriors wanted to have pp. 46,80),f At first sight it is difficult to suppose their goda in their midst. Of what use was the that a aerpent could ever be regarded aa a god of Divine Father (see Nu 2129) at home, when his sona fertility, but "whatever the origin of serpent-worship were in danger in the field ? It waa but natural, may be—and we need not assume that it has been therefore, that the goda should be carried out everywhere identical — there can be little doubt wherever their help waa needed (2S 5ai; cf.
    [Show full text]
  • ZOROASTRIANISM Chapter Outline and Unit Summaries I. Introduction
    CHAPTER TEN: ZOROASTRIANISM Chapter Outline and Unit Summaries I. Introduction A. Zoroastrianism: One of the World’s Oldest Living Religions B. Possesses Only 250,000 Adherents, Most Living in India C. Zoroastrianism Important because of Influence of Zoroastrianism on Christianity, Islam, Middle Eastern History, and Western Philosophy II. Pre-Zoroastrian Persian Religion A. The Gathas: Hymns of Early Zoroastrianism Provide Clues to Pre- Zoroastrian Persian Religion 1. The Gathas Considered the words of Zoroaster, and are Foundation for all Later Zoroastrian Scriptures 2. The Gathas Disparage Earlier Persian Religions B. The Aryans (Noble Ones): Nomadic Inhabitants of Ancient Persia 1. The Gathas Indicate Aryans Nature Worshippers Venerating Series of Deities (also mentioned in Hindu Vedic literature) a. The Daevas: Gods of Sun, Moon, Earth, Fire, Water b. Higher Gods, Intar the God of War, Asha the God of Truth and Justice, Uruwana a Sky God c. Most Popular God: Mithra, Giver and Benefactor of Cattle, God of Light, Loyalty, Obedience d. Mithra Survives in Zoroastrianism as Judge on Judgment Day 2. Aryans Worship a Supreme High God: Ahura Mazda (The Wise Lord) 3. Aryan Prophets / Reformers: Saoshyants 97 III. The Life of Zoroaster A. Scant Sources of Information about Zoroaster 1. The Gathas Provide Some Clues 2. Greek and Roman Writers (Plato, Pliny, Plutarch) Comment B. Zoroaster (born between 1400 and 1000 B.C.E.) 1. Original Name (Zarathustra Spitama) Indicates Birth into Warrior Clan Connected to Royal Family of Ancient Persia 2. Zoroaster Becomes Priest in His Religion; the Only Founder of a World Religion to be Trained as a Priest 3.
    [Show full text]
  • Harvard Theological Review Zoroastrianism and Judaism
    Harvard Theological Review http://journals.cambridge.org/HTR Additional services for Harvard Theological Review: Email alerts: Click here Subscriptions: Click here Commercial reprints: Click here Terms of use : Click here Zoroastrianism and Judaism. George William Carter, Ph.D. The Gorham Press. 1918. Pp. 116. \$2.00. Louis Ginzberg Harvard Theological Review / Volume 13 / Issue 01 / January 1920, pp 89 - 92 DOI: 10.1017/S0017816000012888, Published online: 03 November 2011 Link to this article: http://journals.cambridge.org/ abstract_S0017816000012888 How to cite this article: Louis Ginzberg (1920). Harvard Theological Review, 13, pp 89-92 doi:10.1017/S0017816000012888 Request Permissions : Click here Downloaded from http://journals.cambridge.org/HTR, IP address: 130.60.206.74 on 05 May 2015 BOOK REVIEWS 89 with the same general period and locality. The Habiru are clearly Aramaean nomads who press continually westward, until in the reign of Ahnaton they occupy the whole of Palestine, from the Phoe- nician cities in the north to the district around Jerusalem. All this is in striking harmony with the movements of Hebrew tribes as re- flected in the patriarchal traditions (pp. 82 ff.). That the main body of the Israelites had no part in the migration to Egypt is borne out by the mention of 'Asaru (the district assigned to the tribe of Asher) among the conquests of Sety I (c. 1313 B.C.), and the inclu- sion of Israel in the list of peoples subdued by Mineptah (c. 1222 B.C.). It is possible indeed that Israelite families may have participated in the southward movement of Amurru peoples under the Hyksos domi- nation of Egypt, but the migration proper was confined to Joseph tribes, probably during the flourishing period of the Empire (from the reign of Thutmosi III onwards).
    [Show full text]
  • By Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram
    By Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram Friday, July 16, 2021, is Spendarmad nu Parab (Spendarmad Mah and Spendarmad Roj) in the Shahenshahi calendar. Spendarmad (Avesta Spenta Armaiti) is the Amesha Spenta specifically designated to look after Mother Earth. Readers are requested to pray Spendarmad ni Setayash to seek her blessings on this day. oj Spendarmad, Mah Spendarmad (Spendarmad Parab) is a spiritually vital and important day of the Zoroastrian calendar. Long before the shrill cries of the eco-brigade began to be heard, the practices and precepts of our ancient faith were already attuned to green living, carbonless footprint and eco-sensitiveness. Spendarmad (Avesta Spenta Armaiti) is the Amesha Spenta specifically designated to look after Mother Earth. Through her associates and co-workers, Geush Urva and Geush Tashan, Spenta Armaiti patiently bears the weight of the immeasurable levels of spiritual and physical pollution generated by man over the ages. Spenta Armaiti is also responsible for the fertility of the earth, working along with Khordad, who looks after the waters, and Amardad, who looks after vegetation and crops. These great forces of Ahura Mazda's Divine Cabinet work silently in the background, providing things which we take for granted today. Roj Spendarmad, Mah Spendarmad is also the Day of the Farmer. A few decades ago, when many Parsis were engaged in agriculture, this day was celebrated with great solemnity and reverence. The Parsi farmers would call their family priests to their wadis to consecrate a special Baj, in honor of Spenta Armaiti, or perform a thanksgiving Jashan. A more important spiritual practice followed by our ancestors was the writing of the special Nirang, or potent spiritual formula, called 'Nirang-i-Khrafastar Zadan'.
    [Show full text]
  • Mithraism and Gnosticism
    Mithraism and Gnosticism The theme of'Mithraism and Gnosticism' is at the same time fascinating and difficult to handle. It evokes a general question of relations between gnos­ ticism and the mystery cults (and the mysteriosophic doctrines)! of late pagan antiquity, but is at the same time conditioned by the specific char­ acteristics of the sources of Mithraism, that historical-religious 'quantity' which is so well determined yet so difficult to penetrate. Furthermore, it must be said that, whereas the final form of the initiatory cult of Mithras in the Roman milieu may be clearly caught through the remains of its typical sanctuaries and through direct witnesses (though poor in contents) which its adepts have bequeathed to us, the questions of the historical-cultural back­ ground of Mithraism are more complex than those of other mystery cults of the Graeco-Roman world. Suffice it to mention the researches of the Swedish school, and in particular those of G. Widengren,2 which examine the prob­ lem of the relations of Mithraism with Iran and those ~octrines which also play an essential part in the same author's studies of the origins of Gnosticism. We will face the problem starting with Mithraism's occidental connections. We have already hinted at this argument in a previous article on certain aspects of Gnostic and 'Orphic' theologies that imply syncretism or analogies with the Mithraic material.3 In this paper, two topics will be considered: first the cult and the figure of Arimanius in the mysteries, and second the ascensus of the souls-topics that most evidently belong to the question of 'Mithraism and Gnosticism'.
    [Show full text]