Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography & More - Zoroastrianism

Episode Date: July 28, 2025

Sometime between the 7th century and 13th century BC, a man was born in Eastern Persia who had a revolutionary idea.  He claimed that there wasn’t a multiple gods, but rather just one god.  He established a religion which, at various times, was one of the most followed in the world. Thousands of years later, it still has adherents, although only a fraction of what it once was. Learn more about Zoroastrianism, its origins, and its tenets on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Sponsors Quince Go to quince.com/daily for 365-day returns, plus free shipping on your order! Mint Mobile Get your 3-month Unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month at mintmobile.com/eed Jerry Compare quotes and coverages side-by-side from up to 50 top insurers at jerry.ai/daily American Scandal Follow American Scandal on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe to the podcast!  https://everything-everywhere.com/everything-everywhere-daily-podcast/ -------------------------------- Executive Producer: Charles Daniel Associate Producers: Austin Oetken & Cameron Kieffer   Become a supporter on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/everythingeverywhere Update your podcast app at newpodcastapps.com Discord Server: https://discord.gg/UkRUJFh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everythingeverywhere/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/everythingeverywheredaily Twitter: https://twitter.com/everywheretrip Website: https://everything-everywhere.com/  Disce aliquid novi cotidie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometime between the 7th and 13th century BC, a man was born in Eastern Persia who had a revolutionary idea. He claimed there weren't multiple gods, but rather just one god. He established a religion which at various times was one of the most followed in the world. And thousands of years later, it still has adherence, even though it's only a fraction of what it once was. Learn more about Zoroastrianism, its origins and its tenants on this episode of Everything Everywhere daily. What if your perceptions about the past were wrong? Throughline is a podcast that takes you back in time to uncover the parts of the story that may have gone unnoticed. It effectively turned day into night. And how it shaped the world now. Time travel with us every week on the ThruLine podcast from NPR.

Zoroastrianism is one of the world's oldest religions, but today it's also one of the world's smallest. The origin's Zoroasterianism date back to its founder, Zarathustra, also known as Zoroaster in the West. The details surrounding Zoroaster's life are murky, and estimates vary widely. Some put him alive around the year 1500 BC and others closer to 600 BC. And that's almost a 1,000-year span, which is absolutely enormous. He had to have been born in a pastoral society in what is now northeastern Iran or southwestern Afghanistan. And beyond this, we know next to nothing about him. What we do know, as is the case with many ancient religious figures,

comes to us through his teachings. Zoroastrianism is centered on the teachings of Zoroaster, who is believed to have composed a series of hymns and poems known as the Gathas, which form the core of the Avesta, the sacred scriptures of Zoroastrianism. Zoroaster preached a message of ethical monotheism, declaring Ahura Mazda, or the wide lord, as the supreme, uncreated God, and source of all that is good. He opposed the traditional polytheism of Indo-Iranian religion and emphasized moral choice and individual responsibility. Zoroastrianism is one of three very early monotheistic religions that developed in the ancient world.

One of the first was established by the Egyptian pharaoh Aknotan, who established the cult of the Aten in Egypt in the 14th century BC. This didn't last very long, and it was abolished soon after his death by his son Tutankhamun. Judaism is the other major ancient monotheistic religion, which was probably established after or near the same time as Zoroasterianism, although, as I noted above, the dates are in serious question. While many aspect of Zoroaster's and Zoroastrianism's origins are shrouded in history, we do know that the religion gained popularity and reached its peak during the Achaemenid Empire in the 6th century BC. As I covered in a previous episode, the Akemated Empire, also known as the First Persian Empire, was founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC.

It isn't known if Cyrus himself was a Zoroastrian, but even if he wasn't, he was indirectly responsible for the spread of Zoroastrianism. The famous Cyrus Cylinder, a clay cylinder inscribed with cuneiform script, is often referred to as the first charter of human rights in the world, embodying Zoroastrian values of justice and religious freedom. However, it doesn't reference Ahura Mazda, but rather the Babylonian god, Marduk. This empire, which stretched from India all the way to Greece, became the vehicle through which Zoroastrian ideas spread around the ancient world.

The Achaemenid kings, particularly Darius I, did embrace Zoroastrian principles while maintaining religious tolerance throughout their vast domains. During this period, Zoroastrian concepts began influencing other religious traditions. The religion's emphasis on cosmic dualism, divine judgment, resurrection, and messianic salvation would later appear as themes in both Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The conquest of Persia by Alexander the Great in 330 BC marked the beginning of centuries of foreign rule that changed the dominance of Zoroastrianism. Under the Greek dynasties that came after Alexander the Great, the religion was influenced by Greek philosophical ideas and competition from other belief systems. During the Parthian period in Persia from 247 BC to the year 224, Zoroastrianism began to develop its distinctly priestly class structure and elaborate ritual practices.

The oral traditions of Zoroaster's teachings were systematized, though they still wouldn't be written down until much later. This period saw the religion adapting to survive under non-Zoroastrian rulers, while still trying to maintain its core identity. The rise of the Sassanid dynasty in 224 brought about a remarkable revival of Zoroastrianism as the state religion of Persia, and this period represents the religion's second golden age. Under Sassanid rule, the Zoroastrian scriptures were finally compiled and written down for the first time. The religion developed sophisticated theological concepts, elaborate fire temple rituals, and a powerful priestly hierarchy. Sassanid Persia emerged as a significant rival

to the Byzantine Empire, with Zoroastrianism serving as a unifying force against the expansion of Christianity. The Arab Muslim conquest of Persia in 651 fundamentally transformed Zoroastrianism's position in Persia. Initially, Muslims granted Zoroastrian's protected status as people of the book, allowing them to practice their religion while paying special taxes. Zoroastrianism initially had the same status as other monotheistic religions, Judaism and Christianity. However, social and economic pressures gradually encourage people to convert to Islam. Over the following centuries, Zoroastrian communities steadily diminished through conversion, intermarriage, and emigration.

The religion retreated to small, isolated communities, particularly in the Yazd and Kermon provinces of central Iran. Despite this decline, Zoroastrian communities maintain their religious practices and cultural identity with remarkable tenacity. One of the most significant developments in Zoroastrian history was the migration of Persian Zoroastrians to Western India, beginning around the 8th century. These refugees who became known as Parsis, meaning from Persia, established thriving communities along India's western coast, particularly in Gujarat. The Parsis developed remarkably well to their new environment while preserving their religious

traditions. They developed a unique blend of Persian Zoroastrian heritage with Indian cultural elements, creating a distinct community identity that, like the Zoroastrians in Iran, would prove remarkably resilient over the centuries. During the medieval period, both Iranian and Indian Zoroastrian communities focused on preserving their religious heritage through careful transmission of text, rituals, and traditions. Parsis priests maintain correspondence with their Iranian counterparts, seeking guidance on religious matters, and ensuring doctrinal consistency. This period witnessed the composition of important Zoroastrian texts in Middle Persian, followed by later versions in Persian and Gujarati.

Religious scholars work to interpret ancient texts for contemporary communities, developing commentaries and theological treaties that would guide the religion through centuries of minority status. The arrival of European colonial powers in India paradoxically benefited the Parsi community, whose education, business acumen, and cultural adaptability made them valuable intermediaries between Indian and European societies. During British rule, the Parsis became prominent in commerce, industry, philanthropy, and public service. The 19th and 20th centuries witnessed a remarkable Parsi Renaissance,

with community members playing leading roles in India's industrial development, independence movement, and cultural life. Simultaneously, Zoroastrian communities began emigrating globally, establishing diaspora communities in Europe, North America, and Australia. One of the most notable modern Zoroastrians, Freddie Mercury, came from a Parsi family that had migrated to Zanzibar. Today, there are approximately 110 to 190,000 Zoroastrians worldwide, primarily residing in India and Iran, with other notable populations in the United States, Canada, and the Kurdish regions of Iraq. So far, I've discussed the history of Zoroastrians.

But aside from being monotheistic, what exactly do Zoroastrians believe and how do they worship? As I stated near the beginning of this episode, at the heart of Zoroastrianism lies the worship of Ahura Mazda, who is the uncreated creator of all existence. Zoroastrians believe that Ahura Mazda represents pure wisdom, truth, and goodness. The deity is omniscient, omnipotent, and perfectly just, serving as the ultimate. source of moral law and cosmic order. Zoroastrian ethics center on the fundamental principle of Humita, Hukta, Varshtha, which means good thoughts, good words, and good deeds.

This triad represents the three paths through which humans can align themselves with the divine will and contribute to the cosmic struggle between good and evil. Every human action, word, and even thought carries moral weight and consequences in this system. Zoroastrian presents a dualistic cosmology where the universe is a battleground between the forces of good, led by Ahura Mazda, and evil represented by Angra Mayno. However, this dualism is not absolute. Evil is ultimately destined for defeat, and humans play a crucial role in this cosmic drama through their exercise of free will. In Zoroastrianism, every person must choose between truth and falsehood, light and darkness, order and chaos. This choice carries profound consequences, not only for individual salvation,

but for the ultimate fate of creation itself. Zoroastrians believe in the immortality of the soul and individual judgment after death. Upon death, each soul crosses the Chinvat Bridge, where their deeds are weighed. The righteous proceed to paradise, while the wicked fall into hell. However, unlike other religions, this punishment is not eternal. Ultimately, they believe all souls will be purified and reunited with Ahura Mazda. The religion teaches that history will culminate in the Fraschocretti, or renovation of the world, which is their version of the apocalypse. A savior figure known as the Seoshant will emerge to resurrect the dead,

judge all humanity, and establish a perfected world where evil is finally vanquished. Zoroastrianism reveres the elements of fire, water, earth, and air as sacred creations of Ahura Mazda. Fire holds particular significance as a symbol of divine light and purity, leading to the religion's association with fire worship, although Zoroastrians worship through fire, not the fire itself. Contemporary Zoroastrian practices center on fire temples. Zoroastrian fire temples are sacred places where the element of fire is enshrined and venerated as a symbol of divine truth, purity, and the presence of Ahura Mazda. Unlike places of congregational worship and other religions, Zoroastrian fire temples are not designed to be gathering halls for sermons.

They are sanctuaries designed around the continuous tending and ritual maintenance of a sacred flame. At the heart of every fire temple is the sanctum, a secluded inner chamber where the sacred fire is housed. Only specially trained priests may enter this chamber. The fire itself is kept burning perpetually and is treated as a living symbol of divine order. To maintain the fire, priests perform ritual feedings of sandalwood and incense multiple times a day, always with prayers and under strict purity conditions. Before entering the sacred area, the priest undergoes ritual cleansing and wears white garments,

including a mouth covering to prevent contamination of the flame by breath or saliva. Perhaps the most unusual practice of Zoroastrianism, however, is its traditional funeral rights. Zoroastrians believe that a dead body is immediately contaminated by Nassu, a corpse demon that causes spiritual pollution. Contact with a corpse endangers ritual purity, and thus extreme care is taken to prevent the sacred elements from being tainted by decomposition. And for this reason, you cannot bury a body as it would contaminate the earth. The body also cannot be burned as it would desecrate fire and air. And likewise, you can't perform a burial at sea as it would pollute the water. So,

So if all those options are off the table, what else can you do? The traditional Zorian-Astron practice of disposing of corpses involves what's known as a Tower of Silence. A Tower of Silence is a circular, roofless stone structure, typically raised and located on a hill, where dead bodies are laid out and exposed to the elements, as well as scavenging birds, primarily vultures. The corpse is laid on top of the tower in designated rings,

men in the outermost, women in the middle, and children in the innermost circles. Birds consume the soft tissues, and the sun sanitizes what remains. Bones are later collected into an ossuary where they disintegrate over time. Zoroastrianism is one of the few religions that has existed for over 2,000 years and continues to exist today. Despite its brief golden ages over a thousand years ago, the religion never really spread far beyond Persia and other parts of Western India. But thousands of years later, they still remain a small community who managed to keep their ancient traditions alive. The executive producer of Everything Everywhere Daily is Charles Daniel.

The associate producers are Austin Oakden and Cameron Kiefer. I want to thank everyone who supports the show over on Patreon. Your support helps make this podcast possible. I'd also like to thank all the members of the Everything Everywhere community who are active on the Facebook group and the Discord server. If you'd like to join in the discussion, there are links to both. in the show notes. And as always, if you leave a review or send me a boostagram, you too can have it read on the show.