A History of Zoroastrianism: The Early PeriodMary Boyce This volume traces the history of Zoroastrianism at times and places where its existence has previously been largely ignored, or treated only episodically. Literary, archaeological and numismatic evidence has been drawn on (some of it only recently brought to light), and local developments are distinguished. In Iran itself some 200 years of Macedonian rule had little effect on the national religion. To the east, Zoroastrianism survived in the Greco-Bactrian kingdoms and under Mauryan suzereinty, where it came into contact with Buddhism. In Eastern Mediterranean lands it was maintained by Iranian expatriates well down into Roman imperial times. They adopted Greek for their written tongue, and Zoroastrian doctrines thus became known in the Greco-Roman world. Study is made accordingly of Zoroastrian contributions to Hellenistic thought, and to Judaism, Christianity and Mithraism; and an excursus provides a thorough reassessment of the Zoroastrian pseudepigrapha. |
Contents
The two states and the three times | 229 |
The unrecorded centuries | 249 |
The legends of Zoroaster and his sons | 277 |
The laws of purity | 294 |
the Zoroastrian funeral rites | 325 |
331 | |
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Common terms and phrases
Ahura Mazdā Amǝša Spǝntas ancient Angra Mainyu animal Apam Napāt appears Arǝdvi Armaiti Aryaman Aša Aši associated astrian Asura Avestan Bartholomae belief Benveniste Boyce BSOAS Bundahišn concept creation creatures cult daēnā daēvas Darmesteter dead Dhabhar divine doctrine earth epithet evidently evil faith fire fravašis further Gāthās Gathic Gershevitch gods haoma Harā hymn ibid Indian Indo-Iranian interpretation invoked Iran Iranian kavis Khšathra Khvarǝnah Khwarezmia later legend linked Lommel Lord Mainyu Mazda mēnōg Middle Persian Mithra Modi Molé Nyberg offerings Ohrmazd Oldenberg pagan Pahl Pahlavi books Parsis passages Persian plants prayer priest priestly prophet references religion religious Rigveda rite ritual sacrifice Sasanian scholars seems soul spirit sponta Sraoša texts Thieme Tištrya tradition transl Unvala Urvan usage Varuņa Vayu Vedas Vedic Vendidad verse Vohu Manah Vourukaša Vouruna word worship yasna Yašt yazatas Yima Zoro Zoroaster Zoroaster's Zoroastrian