Explore

Spitaman Zarathushtra (Av. Zaraθuštra, Pahl.  zltw(h)št, Man. MP. zrdrwšt, and NPers. Zardušt, Sogd M. zrwšc and Parth. Zrhwšt) or Zoroaster as he is known in the west, is the prophet of ancient Iran, whose teachings and life-enhancing belief system, transformed into the religion known as Zoroastrianism.

The faith counted as the oldest revealed religion in the world, became the dominant faith of the Eastern Iranian homelands of the Avestan speaking people. Scholars have suggested that Zoroastrianism developed in the middle of the second millennium BCE (1500 – 1200 BCE) and Zarathushtra, after whom the religion takes its name, was the bearer of a faith which was passed down orally, it is believed by Zoroastrian priests for well over a millennium. It became the state religion of three mighty Persian Empires, the Achaemenians, Parthians and Sasanians from, 550 BCE – 651 CE.   With the defeat of the last Zoroastrian Sasanian King Yazdgird III in 651 CE, the faith came under threat and marginalised the Zoroastrian population which declined over the centuries.

The birth and place of Zarathushtra remain speculative and cannot be ascertained with certainty, but linguistic evidence suggests that Zarathushtra was born somewhere in the region around the Aral Sea in a settled pastoral society in Eastern Iran, a part of Airyana Vaejah, the ancient Land of the Aryans.

 Most of Zarathushtra’s family names reflect a pastoral background.  Zarathushtra’s father’s name was Pourushasp (Av. Pourušaspa) – possessor of grey horses, his mother’s name was Dughdōv (Av.Duγδō.vā) – milkmaid; while the meaning of Zarathushtra’s name is speculative, but it may be translated to mean “possessor of golden camels” while his followers prefer the meaning to be “He of the Golden light.”