Zoroaster of Persia

Here are the factual answers regarding Zoroaster (Zarathustra), the ancient Iranian prophet and founder of Zoroastrianism.


 

Unlike the mythological gods on the previous lists, Zoroaster was a real historical human being. However, classifying him as a "savior" in the Christian sense is a misconception. In Zoroastrianism, he is revered as a mortal prophet, not a dying-and-rising god. (Note: Zoroastrianism does have a prophecy about a virgin-born savior who will come at the end of time—the Saoshyant—but this is a future figure, not Zoroaster himself).


 

Timeline & Locations

  • Active Period: Historians debate his exact dates, but he is generally believed to have lived sometime between 1500 BCE and 600 BCE.


     

  • Calendar Date of Birth: The exact historical date is unknown. Today, Zoroastrians celebrate his birth on Khordad Sal, which falls on the 6th day of the 1st month (Farvardin) of the Zoroastrian calendar.


     

  • Locations: He lived and taught in the eastern part of the ancient Iranian plateau (likely in modern-day Afghanistan, Tajikistan, or eastern Iran).


     

Appearance & Names

Because he lived so long ago, there are no contemporary historical portraits of him. In later traditional art, he is depicted as a wise, older man with a prominent beard, wearing white priestly robes, and often holding a baresman (a bundle of sacred twigs used in ritual) or a staff. He is frequently shown with a glowing aura or halo representing divine illumination.


 

  • Different Names: Zarathustra (his original Avestan name), Zoroaster (the Greek version of his name), and Zartosht (Modern Persian).


     

Life, Death, & Resurrection

  • When & How He Died: According to later Zoroastrian tradition (the Shahnameh and other texts), he did not die a sacrificial death on a cross. He was murdered by an invading Turanian soldier named Bratrok-resh. He was reportedly stabbed in the back while praying at a fire temple in the city of Balkh.


     

  • Age at Death: Tradition states he lived to be exactly 77 years and 40 days old.


     

  • Did He Resurrect? No. His mortal body died and did not resurrect.


     

  • Descend to Hell or Ascend to Heaven? He did not bodily ascend to heaven. Like all human souls in Zoroastrian belief, his soul crossed the Chinvat Bridge (the Bridge of Judgment) after his death and entered heaven based on his righteous life.


     

  • Crucified? No. He was stabbed.


     

Actions & Theological Comparisons

  • Did He Die for the Salvation of Man? No. His assassination was not a blood atonement for human sin. In Zoroastrianism, salvation is achieved through one's own Good Thoughts, Good Words, and Good Deeds—not through the death of the prophet.


     

  • What Actions Did He Take? He reformed the ancient, polytheistic Iranian religions into one of the world's first monotheistic (or dualistic) faiths. He taught that there is one supreme, benevolent God, Ahura Mazda, who is in a cosmic struggle against the destructive spirit of evil, Angra Mainyu. He also composed the Gathas (sacred hymns).


     

  • Born of a Virgin? No. Zoroaster had normal human parents (Pourushaspa and Dughdova). He was conceived naturally. (As mentioned earlier, Zoroastrian eschatology predicts that a future savior, the Saoshyant, will be born of a virgin who bathes in a lake where Zoroaster's seed has been miraculously preserved, but Zoroaster himself was not virgin-born).


     

  • Called the Son of God? No. He is strictly recognized as the Prophet of Ahura Mazda, not his literal son.


     

  • Part of the Trinity? No. Zoroastrianism is highly dualistic (good versus evil) and does not have a Trinitarian godhead.


     

  • Will He Judge Man in Heaven? No. In Zoroastrianism, the souls of the dead are judged at the Chinvat Bridge by three divine beings: Mithra, Sraosha, and Rashnu. A final judgment of all humanity will occur at the end of time, overseen by Ahura Mazda. Zoroaster does not act as the judge.


     

Worship & Followers

  • How He Was Worshiped: He is not worshipped. Zoroastrians strictly worship only the supreme creator, Ahura Mazda. Zoroaster is deeply revered and honored as a messenger and prophet, but praying to him as a god is considered idolatry.


     

  • Who Worshipped Him? While not worshipped, his teachings were followed by the massive Persian Empires (the Achaemenids, Parthians, and Sassanids) for over a thousand years before the Islamic conquest of Iran. Today, he is followed by modern Zoroastrian communities, primarily the Parsis in India and the Iranis in Iran.