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== Belief in religions other than Zoroastrianism == == Belief in religions other than Zoroastrianism ==
{{See also|Mazdaism (religions)}} {{See also|Mazdaism (religions)}}
It is often thought that the dominant religion of the Achaemenid Empire was Zoroastrianism, but scholars believe that this was not true. For example, ] points out that ] is a very old god and the Zoroastrians used this name to designate the Zoroastrian god. Even the main role assigned to this god in ] is not a Zoroastrian innovation. The epithet Mazdasene (Mazda worshipper) found in Aramaic papyri from the Achaemenid era cannot be evidence that the Achaemenids were Zoroastrians, and the mention of the name Ahura Mazda in stone inscriptions is not evidence of this either. In the Achaemenid inscriptions, not only is Zoroastrianism not mentioned, but also nothing else is mentioned that could give these inscriptions a Zoroastrian color.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Benveniste |first=Émile |author-link=Émile Benveniste |title=دین ایرانی بر پایهٔ متن‌های مهم یونانی. |publisher=انتشارات بنیاد فرهنگ ایران |location=Tehran |pages=31-36 |translator-last=سرکاراتی |translator-first=بهمن |trans-title=Iranian Religion: Based on important Greek texts}}</ref> It is often thought that the dominant religion of the Achaemenid Empire was Zoroastrianism, but scholars believe that this was not true. For example, 20th-century French linguist ] points out that ] is a very old god and the Zoroastrians used this name to designate the Zoroastrian god. Even the main role assigned to this god in ] is not a Zoroastrian innovation. The epithet Mazdasene (Mazda worshipper) found in Aramaic papyri from the Achaemenid era cannot be evidence that the Achaemenids were Zoroastrians, and the mention of the name Ahura Mazda in stone inscriptions is not evidence of this either. In the Achaemenid inscriptions, not only is Zoroastrianism not mentioned, but also nothing else is mentioned that could give these inscriptions a Zoroastrian color.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Benveniste |first=Émile |author-link=Émile Benveniste |title=دین ایرانی بر پایهٔ متن‌های مهم یونانی. |publisher=انتشارات بنیاد فرهنگ ایران |location=Tehran |pages=31-36 |translator-last=سرکاراتی |translator-first=بهمن |trans-title=Iranian Religion: Based on important Greek texts}}</ref>


== Zoroastrianism in the Achaemenid Empire == == Zoroastrianism in the Achaemenid Empire ==
] believes that none of the essential characteristics of the Zoroastrian religion can be seen in the basic constructions of the Achaemenid religion.<ref>نیبرگ، هنریک ساموئل. دین‌های ایران باستان 372-373. ترجمهٔ سیف‌الدین نجم‌آبادی. تهران: مرکز ایرانی مطالعهٔ فرهنگ‌ها.</ref>Henrik Samuel Nyberg writes that there is no clear evidence as to when Zoroastrianism began to spread in Ray, the central base of Mughan. He believes that the latest time for this event was when the Achaemenid state was founded.<ref>Neiberg, Religions of Ancient Iran, 374.</ref> and considered discussions and opinions on Achaemenid Zoroastrianism to be full of partisan prejudice and superstition among scholars of his time and referred to these debates as some of the most painful and misleading. Which did not occur in the human sciences <ref>Nyberg, Henrik Samuel (1359). Religions of ancient Iran. Translated by Saif al-Din Najmabadi. Tehran: Iranian Center for the Study of Cultures.</ref> Swedish ] ] believes that none of the essential characteristics of the Zoroastrian religion can be seen in the basic constructions of the Achaemenid religion.<ref name="Nyberg">{{Cite book |last=Nyberg |first=Henrik Samuel |author-link=Henrik Samuel Nyberg |title=Religions of ancient Iran |publisher=Iranian Center for the Study of Cultures |year=1359 |location=Tehran|translator-last=Najmabadi |translator-first=Saif al-Din}}</ref>{{rp|pages=372-373}} Nyberg writes that there is no clear evidence as to when Zoroastrianism began to spread in Ray, the central base of Mughan. He believes that the latest time for this event was when the Achaemenid state was founded. He considered discussions and opinions on Achaemenid Zoroastrianism to be full of partisan prejudice and superstition among scholars of his time.{{r|Nyberg|page=374}}


Long before ], the Iranians had specific religious beliefs and worshipped ] as a great god.<ref>کاشانی، ''مجموعهٔ سخنرانی‌های دومین کنگرهٔ تحقیقات ایرانی''، <bdi>۲۲۴</bdi>.</ref>and In his detailed inscriptions, for example, in the ], Darius only mentions Ahura Mazda as "the greatest of the gods." Ahura Mazda's name appears 69 times in Behistun, and Darius claims to be under Ahura Mazda's protection 34 times. Darius did not claim that Ahura Mazda was the only existing god. Darius also did not mention Ahura Mazda's great rival Angremenu.<ref>یامائوچی، ادوین ماسائو . ایران و ادیان باستانی. ترجمهٔ منوچهر پزشک. تهران: اتهران ققنوس</ref> Long before ], the Iranians had specific religious beliefs and worshipped ] as a great god.<ref>{{Cite book |last=کاشانی |title=مجموعهٔ سخنرانی‌های دومین کنگرهٔ تحقیقات ایرانی |page=224 |trans-title=Collection of Lectures of the Second Iranian Research Congress}}</ref> In the ], Darius only mentions Ahura Mazda as "the greatest of the gods." Ahura Mazda's name appears 69 times in Behistun, and Darius claims to be under Ahura Mazda's protection 34 times. Darius did not claim that Ahura Mazda was the only existing god. Darius also did not mention Ahura Mazda's great rival Angremenu.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Yamauchi |first=Edwin Masao |author-link=Edwin M. Yamauchi |title=ایران و ادیان باستانی |publisher=Atharan Qoqnoos |location=Tehran |translator-last=Pezez |translator-first=Manouchehr |trans-title=Iran and Ancient Religions}}</ref>


Also ] wrote: “It seems easier to believe that the Achaemenids had never heard of Zoroaster, nor of his religious reforms.”<ref>یامائوچی، ادوین ماسائو. ایران و ادیان باستانی. ترجمهٔ منوچهر پزشک. تهران: اتهران ققنوس.</ref>] writes: In the Achaemenid era, the ] did not have a Zoroastrian religion, nor did they have a royal family, considering the role that the Mongols played in performing Persian religious ceremonies, and considering that the Achaemenid and dynastic religion could not conflict with the beliefs of the common classes of the Persian clans. It is clear that the Zoroastrian religion had not yet had an influence among the Persians during these periods.<ref>زرین‌کوب، ''تاریخ مردم ایران، ایران قبل از اسلام''، <bdi>۱۹۵ و ۱۹۶</bdi>.</ref> ] wrote: “It seems easier to believe that the Achaemenids had never heard of Zoroaster, nor of his religious reforms".<ref name=":0" /> ] wrote: "In the Achaemenid era, the ]s did not have a Zoroastrian religion, nor did they have a royal family, considering the role that the Mongols played in performing Persian religious ceremonies, and considering that the Achaemenid and dynastic religion could not conflict with the beliefs of the common classes of the Persian clans. It is clear that the Zoroastrian religion had not yet had an influence among the Persians during these periods".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Zarrinkoob |first=Abdolhossein |author-link=Abdolhossein Zarrinkoob |title=تاریخ مردم ایران، ایران قبل از اسلام |pages=195-196}}</ref>


== References == == References ==

Latest revision as of 19:16, 10 January 2025

Religion in the Achaemenid Empire (Persian: دین در دوران هخامنشی ), continues to be a source of debate among academics. The available knowledge about the religious orientation of many of the early Achaemenid kings is incomplete, and the issue of Zoroastrianism of the Achaemenids has been a very controversial issue.

Belief in religions other than Zoroastrianism

See also: Mazdaism (religions)

It is often thought that the dominant religion of the Achaemenid Empire was Zoroastrianism, but scholars believe that this was not true. For example, 20th-century French linguist Émile Benveniste points out that Ahura Mazda is a very old god and the Zoroastrians used this name to designate the Zoroastrian god. Even the main role assigned to this god in Mazdasim is not a Zoroastrian innovation. The epithet Mazdasene (Mazda worshipper) found in Aramaic papyri from the Achaemenid era cannot be evidence that the Achaemenids were Zoroastrians, and the mention of the name Ahura Mazda in stone inscriptions is not evidence of this either. In the Achaemenid inscriptions, not only is Zoroastrianism not mentioned, but also nothing else is mentioned that could give these inscriptions a Zoroastrian color.

Zoroastrianism in the Achaemenid Empire

Swedish Iranologist Henrik Samuel Nyberg believes that none of the essential characteristics of the Zoroastrian religion can be seen in the basic constructions of the Achaemenid religion. Nyberg writes that there is no clear evidence as to when Zoroastrianism began to spread in Ray, the central base of Mughan. He believes that the latest time for this event was when the Achaemenid state was founded. He considered discussions and opinions on Achaemenid Zoroastrianism to be full of partisan prejudice and superstition among scholars of his time.

Long before Zoroaster, the Iranians had specific religious beliefs and worshipped Ahura Mazda as a great god. In the Behistun Inscription, Darius only mentions Ahura Mazda as "the greatest of the gods." Ahura Mazda's name appears 69 times in Behistun, and Darius claims to be under Ahura Mazda's protection 34 times. Darius did not claim that Ahura Mazda was the only existing god. Darius also did not mention Ahura Mazda's great rival Angremenu.

Jacques Duchesne-Guillemin wrote: “It seems easier to believe that the Achaemenids had never heard of Zoroaster, nor of his religious reforms". Abdolhossein Zarrinkoob wrote: "In the Achaemenid era, the Magis did not have a Zoroastrian religion, nor did they have a royal family, considering the role that the Mongols played in performing Persian religious ceremonies, and considering that the Achaemenid and dynastic religion could not conflict with the beliefs of the common classes of the Persian clans. It is clear that the Zoroastrian religion had not yet had an influence among the Persians during these periods".

References

  1. Benveniste, Émile. دین ایرانی بر پایهٔ متن‌های مهم یونانی [Iranian Religion: Based on important Greek texts]. Translated by سرکاراتی, بهمن. Tehran: انتشارات بنیاد فرهنگ ایران. pp. 31–36.
  2. ^ Nyberg, Henrik Samuel (1359). Religions of ancient Iran. Translated by Najmabadi, Saif al-Din. Tehran: Iranian Center for the Study of Cultures.
  3. کاشانی. مجموعهٔ سخنرانی‌های دومین کنگرهٔ تحقیقات ایرانی [Collection of Lectures of the Second Iranian Research Congress]. p. 224.
  4. ^ Yamauchi, Edwin Masao. ایران و ادیان باستانی [Iran and Ancient Religions]. Translated by Pezez, Manouchehr. Tehran: Atharan Qoqnoos.
  5. Zarrinkoob, Abdolhossein. تاریخ مردم ایران، ایران قبل از اسلام. pp. 195–196.
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