Zoroastrianism is an Iranian religion founded on the teachings of Zoroaster, also called Zarathustra. The date of his life is much disputed: some scholars place him around 1500 to 1000 BCE, others several centuries later, so the date given here is approximate. His hymns, the Gathas, form the oldest part of the Avesta, the sacred scriptures. They present Ahura Mazda as the wise creator and describe a cosmic struggle between truth and falsehood in which humans must choose between good and evil. The religion flourished under the Achaemenid Persian kings and was the state religion of the Sasanian Empire. After the Arab conquest of Persia in the seventh century, many Zoroastrians gradually converted to Islam, while some migrated to India, where their descendants are known as Parsis.
Before and after
- from 16th century BCE to 3rd century BCEMumun pottery period
- from 16th century BCE to 1st century BCENok culture
- from c. 1,500 BCE to 500 BCELapita
- c. 1,500 BCERigveda
- c. 1,500 BCEOrigins of Zoroastrianism
- c. 1,460 BCEEruption of Taupo
- c. 1,400 BCEOlmecas
- from c. 1,400 BCE to 1,301 BCE14th century BC
- c. 1,400 BCEConstruction of Luxor Temple
More in Art, literature & culture
- from c. 776 BCE to 500 CEAncient Olympic Games
- c. 520 BCECarving of the Behistun inscription
- c. 375 BCEWriting of the Allegory of the Cave
- June 313 CEEdict of Milan
- from 22 June 431 CE to 31 July 431 CEFirst Council of Ephesus
- 1 November 451 CECouncil of Chalcedon
The era
This moment belongs to the Ancient civilizations (3,200 BCE to 500 CE), writing, cities and empires. You can also browse everything in the 15th century BCE.