Zoroastrianism: An Introduction

Name: Zoroastrianism: An Introduction
Rating: 4.5 (53 reviews)

An introduction to the history and mythology of the classical Zoroastrian religion

Created byRuben Nikoghosyan

Last updated 4/2020

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

Zoroastrianism
History of Zoroastrianism
Creation Myth in Zoroastrianism
Avesta
Biography of Zoroaster

Course content

5 sections • 24 lectures • 1h 36m total length

The Indo-European Language Family6:49
Language is an essential part of the human identity. Languages define the cultural environment where the ethnic and religious groups live in. Zoroastrianism is an Iranian religion. In this lecture we define the place of the Iranian languages among the other Indo-European languages. We will also shortly discuss the importance of comparative linguistics and mythology in the history of Zoroastrianism.
Required reading: Chapter 1. "The Indo-Aryans" (pp. 3-5) and Chapter 2. "Iranian Languages and Peoples" (pp. 5-7) from P. O. Skjærvø, Introduction to Zoroastrianism, 2005 (you can find the link below).
Geography of Iran, Part I4:22
In this and the next video we discuss in detail the geography of the land in which Zoroastrianism has thrived for centuries. The correct understanding of the historical environment, in which Zoroastrianism developed and became one of the most influential religions in history, is necessary for the students of Zoroastrianism.
Geography of Iran, Part II3:18
The second part of the lecture on the geography of the Iranian lands.
Required reading: Frye, R. N., The Heritage of Persia, London, 1962, pp. 7-15 (find the link for the book below)
Introduction Quiz
A Brief Overview of Zoroastrainism4:15
Watch this brief 8-minute video by Sal Khan from Khan Academy on Zoroastrianism. (see the link below)
Also you can watch this 17-minute popular video on Zoroastrianism.
Watching these videos will give you some understanding of the main principles of this religion.

Sources and Origins5:33
In this lecture the students will learn about the main languages that we need to know in order to study Zoroastrianism. These languages are Avestan (Old and Young), Middle Persian, and New Persian. The bulk of Zoroastrian literature is written and transmitted in these languages. However, in the last 200 years, many Zoroastrian texts have been translated into modern European languages, and students who don't know any of the above-mentioned languages, may still be able to read many Zoroastrian texts in English, French or German.
If you are interested, I will put here a link to the complete scholarly description of the Avesta and its contents by Prof. Almut Hintze on her Academia page (see the link below). You can read it after completing this section.
What is the Avesta?3:51
How the Avesta has reached our days? What do we need to know about it and how did it originate? In this lecture I have tried to answer these questions.
Required Reading: Mary Boyce, Textual Sources for the Study of Zoroastrianism, 1984, pp. 1-7 (Find the link below)
Watch this interesting lecture by Judith Lerner about Zoroastrianism (36-minute). (Find the link below)
Our Sources and the Avesta Quiz
The Contents of the Avesta5:04
There are not many translations of the entire Avesta. If you are interested, you can refer to James Darmesteter's English translation of Videvdad/Vendidad, Yashts and part of Khurda Avesta (I will put the links below). The complete French translation by the same translator is also available. Generally, different and more modern translations of the different parts of the Avesta are available in English, German, French and other translations, the bibliography for which you may find in Jean Kellen's article below.
Required readings:
J. Kellens, “AVESTA i. Survey of the history and contents of the book,” Encyclopaedia Iranica, III/1, pp. 35-44 (link available below).
Chapter 3. Source texts (3.1 Avesta) from P. O. Skjærvø, Introduction to Zoroastrianism, 2005, pp. 7-8 (see the link below).
Although it is not required, it would be better if you would cast a look on the translations of the Avesta, provided in the Resources section.
The Gathas2:25
Required reading: H. Humbach, Gathas, Encyclopedia Iranica (link below).
There are a number of translations of the Gathas. Try to find the following translations:
[In English]
H. Humbach, J. Elfenbein, and P. O. Skjærvø, The Gāthās of Zarathushtra and the Other Old Avestan Texts, 2 vols., Heidelberg, 1991.
S. Insler, The Gāthās of Zarathustra, Tehran and Liège, 1975.
[In German]
H. Lommel, Die Gathas des Zarathustra, Basel and Stuttgart, 1971.
H. Humbach, Die Gathas des Zarathustra, 2 vols., Heidelberg, 1959
[In French]
J. Kellens and É. Pirart: Les textes vieil-avestiques, 3 vols., Wiesbaden, 1988-91.
Otherwise, you can read the old translations of Mills (link below).

Our Sources for the Creation Myth2:07
Required readings:
D. N. MacKenzie, Bundahišn, Encyclopaedia Iranica, 1989. (the link is available below)
P. G. Kreyenbroek, Cosmogony and Cosmology i. In Zoroastrianism/Mazdaism, Encyclopaedia Iranica, 1993. (the link is available below)
The Meeting of the Good and Evil4:47
In this lecture the classical (Pahlavi) version of the Zoroastrian myth is described, as in the lectures below.
Required readings: Chapter 11. Cosmogony and Cosmology, in P. O. Skjærvø, Introduction to Zoroastrianism, 2005, pp. 37-39.
Chapters 1-4 of Selections of Zadsparam (tr. by E. W. West), in Avesta.org (see the link below).
You can also read the first chapters of the [Iranian] Bundahishn (see the link below).
The Creation of the World5:02
Required reading:
Gherardo Gnoli, “DUALISM,” Encyclopædia Iranica, 1996. (see the link below)
Mansour Shaki, “GAYŌMART,” Encyclopædia Iranica, 2000. (see the link below)
The First Humans3:25
Required reading: Chapter XIV of the Iranian Bundahishn (see the link below).
The Creation Myth in Zoroastrianism Quiz

The Structure of the Ohrmazdic Realm4:22
Required reading:
M. Boyce, “AHURA MAZDĀ,” Encyclopædia Iranica, 1984. (see the link below)
M. Boyce, “AMƎŠA SPƎNTA,” Encyclopædia Iranica, 1989. (see the link below)
The Structure of the Ahrimanic Realm3:00
Required reading: J. Duchesne-Guillemin, “AHRIMAN,” Encyclopædia Iranica, 1984. (see the link below)
Hell and Heaven in Zoroastrianism5:46
Required reading: Chapter XXX (30) of the Iranian Bundahishn (see the link below).
You may also read this instructive and comprehensive article by P. O. Skjaervo: Afterlife in Zoroastrianism (see the link below).
The Structure of the Universe Quiz

The Religion before Zoroaster I1:56
Required reading: Gnoli, Gherardo, Indo-Iranian Religion, Encyclopedia Iranica, 2004. (see the link below)
Optional reading: Malandra, W. W., An Introduction to Ancient Iranian Religion, 1983 (I hope you will be able to find the book).
The Religion before Zoroaster II2:57
Required reading: Max Mueller, F., The Veda and Zend-Avesta, 1853. (find the link below)
If you are interested in the religion of the Rig-Veda, you can read this book by Arthur MacDonell: Vedic Mythology, Strassburg, 1897. (find the link below)
Zoroaster's Biography I2:21
Required Reading:
Rüdiger Schmitt, ZOROASTER i. THE NAME, Encyclopedia Iranica, 2002 (see the link below)
A. Shapur Shahbazi, "The 'Traditional Date of Zoroaster' Explained", Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 40, No. 1 (1977), pp. 25-35. (you can read it online on JSTOR, see the link below)
Zoroaster's Biography II2:15
Optional reading: A. V. Williams, ZOROASTER iv. In the Pahlavi Books, Encyclopedia Iranica, 2000. (see the link below)
Zoroaster's Biography III6:00
Required reading: Chapters 13-19 of the Selections of Zadsparam, from Avesta.org. (see the link below)
Chapter 3 of the 7th book of Denkard, from Avesta.org. (see the link below)
Zoroaster's Biography IV4:21
Required reading: Chapter 21 of the Selections of Zadsparam, from Avesta.org. (see the link below)
Chapter 4-5 of the 7th book of the Denkard, from Avesta.org. (see the link below)
Concluding remarks on Zoroaster's mythical biography3:53
Optional reading: Henning, W. B., Zoroaster, Politician Or Witch-doctor? (find the link below)
Henning's book is not a required reading, but try to read it if you have the time. In this book the questions of the personality and historicity of his character are described in a very engaging and lively stile. The book has overall 51 pages, so you won't get bored.
The Historical circumstances of Zoroaster's Biography6:51
Required reading:
Almut Hintze, Zarathustra’s Time and Homeland: Linguistic Perspectives. In: M. Stausberg and Y. Vevaina (eds.), The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Zoroastrianism, Oxford: OUP 2015, 31–38. (see the link below)
Frantz Grenet, Zarathustra’s time and homeland. Geographical perspectives. In: M. Stausberg and Y. Vevaina (eds.), The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Zoroastrianism, Oxford: OUP 2015, 21-30. (see the link below)
The Aftermath1:53
If you are interested in the history of Zoroastrianism, their beliefs and practices, this is a classical and popular work intended for the general reader: Mary Boyce, Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices, London, 1979.
If you are interested in a more specialized literature, you can look out for these books by the same author:
Mary Boyce, A History of Zoroastrianism, vols. I-II, Leiden, 1975-82.
Mary Boyce and Franz Grenet, A History of Zoroastrianism III: Zoroastrianism under Macedonian and Roman Rule, Leiden, 1991.
You can find the history of Zoroastrianism along with some bibliography in the following articles:
William W. Malandra, ZOROASTRIANISM i. Historical review up to the Arab Conquest, Encyclopedia Iranica, 2005 (see the link below)
Jamsheed K. Choksy, ZOROASTRIANISM ii. Historical Review: from the Arab Conquest to Modern Times, Encyclopedia Iranica, 2015. (see the link below)
Zoroaster's Biography Quiz

Requirements

None

Description

In this course we are going to explore one of the most ancient and important religions of the world, Zoroastrianism.

Despite the small number of its followers today, Zoroastrianism has played a crucial role in the history of human thought and civilization. Many prominent historical figures, like Darius, Xerxes, Khusraw I and Khusraw II, have been followers of Zoroastrianism.

Two prominent Iranian empires, Achaemenids and Sasanians, which have played an immensely important role in the history of the Ancient and Late Antique worlds, had Zoroastrianism as their official religion. Besides that, Zoroastrianism has played a tremendous role in shaping the Iranian identity.

Zoroastrianism had also great impact on the development of religious thought. Such ideas as "Heaven and Hell", the "Evil counterpart of the God (Satan)", the "Savior at the end of times" have been an existential and inseparable part of its dogma and theology.

In this course I have tried to present and discuss some of the core aspects of the classical Zoroastrianism, like the Creation Myth, the Structure of the Universe, and the interesting biography of the founder of this religion, Zoroaster (Zarathushtra).

By completing the course, you will have a basic understanding of the main tenets of the classical Zoroastrianism (as described in the 9-11th centuries CE Zoroastrian Middle Persian literature), its place among other world-religions, its similarities with the latter, the main and reliable sources for further study, etc.

Who this course is for:

Students of Iranian Studies
Students of Ancient or Late Antique History
Students of Religious Studies
All interested in Religion

Zoroastrianism: An Introduction

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction4 lectures • 19min

Our Sources and the Avesta4 lectures • 17min

The Creation Myth in Zoroastrianism4 lectures • 15min

The Structure of the Universe3 lectures • 13min

Zoroaster's Biography9 lectures • 32min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: