Zoroaster's teachings spread to nearby lands during the Hellenistic period, and influenced the development of other religions. For example, the Persians believed that Ahura-Mazda appointed a guardian angel for every person on earth. The concept of angels was later absorbed into the beliefs of Judaism and Christianity, along with other aspects of Zoroastrianism, such as a final judgment day.
Zoroastrian teachings have been passed down orally for centuries and its followers still perform ancient rituals, such as the lighting of lamps and tending of sacred trees. Fire still plays a central role, and Zoroastrian sanctuaries are
In Iran today, Islam has largely replaced Zoroastrianism, but a few thousand Zoroas-trians still practice their ancient religion there. The largest population of Iranian Zoroastrians can be found in the desert town of Yazd, which dates back to the Sassanian times (224-651 c. E.). Local Zoroastrians claim that the sacred fire housed inside Yazd's ateshkadeh, or fire temple, has been burning since the fourth century C. E.
Outside of Iran, the largest population of this religion can today be found in Bombay, India. Its members are descended from Persians who emigrated there more than a thou-
Called fire temples.
A modern Zoroastrian festival in Tehran. sand years ago.
Was an important part of Zoroastrian religious rituals, and many trees are considered to be sacred.
Unlike the Greeks, the peoples of the Persian Empire did not depict their gods as human beings. Stone carvings portrayed Ahura-Mazda as a winged deity who often appeared to be blessing the kings. Although people believed the Persian kings were superior to other humans, they were not considered gods but rather the agents of Ahura-Mazda.
Some people in the Persian Empire also worshiped other gods. For example, a popular religious festival in ancient Persia was held in honor of Mithra, the sun god.
World History
