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This book traces the continuous history of the faith from the time it was preached by Zoroaster down to the present day - a span of about 3,500 years. First taught among nomads on the Asian steppes, Zoroastrianism became the state religion of the three great Iranian empires and had a remarkable influence on other world faiths: to the east on northern Buddhism, to the west on Judaism, Christianity and Islam. With the conquest of Iran by the Muslim Arabs, Zoroastrianism lost its secular power, but continued to survive as a minority faith. Despite its antiquity, it remains a living religion.
List of contents
Foreword to this edition, Preface, Glossary, Signs and abbreviations 1 The background 2 Zoroaster and his teaching 3 The establishing of Mazda worship 4 The unrecorded centuries 5 Under the Achaemenians 6 Under the Seleucids and Arsacids 7 Under the early Sasanians 8 During the mid Sasanian period 9 Under the later Sasanians 10 Under the Caliphs 11 Under II-Khans, Rajahs and Sultans Contents 12 Under the Safavids and Mughals 13 Under the Qajars and British 14 In the twentieth century
About the author
Mary Boyce is Professor Emerita of Iranian Studies at the University of London and is the author of a number of works on Zoroastrianism and Manicheanism.
Summary
Zoroastrianism is of enormous importance in the history of religions. It became the state religion of the three great Iranian empires and influenced other world faiths: northern Buddhism and Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
