104. How Persian Religion Changed the World

Empire

Jack Davenport

History

4.6 • 4.1K Ratings

🗓️ 7 December 2023

⏱️ 50 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Three great religions have come out of Persia and all of them have influenced world history. First there was Zoroastrianism, the first monotheistic religion, which had significant influence over Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Then there was Mithraism. It began in Persia but, through conquest, it filtered into the Roman pantheon. As a result, there are shrines to it as far away as Hadrian’s Wall. Lastly, there is Manichaeism. The religion that is fundamentally rooted in the struggle between good and evil, which is itself a Zoroastrian idea. Listen as William and Anita are joined by Vesta Sarkosh Curtis to discuss Persian religion and all its influence. For bonus episodes, ad-free listening, reading lists, book discounts, a weekly newsletter, and a chat community. Sign up at https://empirepod.supportingcast.fm/ Twitter: @Empirepoduk Email: [email protected] Goalhangerpodcasts.com Producer: Callum Hill Exec Producer: Jack Davenport + Neil Fearn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	If you want access to bonus episodes reading lists for every series of empire, a chat community,
0:06.7	discounts for all the books mentioned in the week's podcast, add free listening and a weekly
0:11.5	newsletter, sign up to Empire Club at
0:14.4	W.
0:15.1	W. Empire pod UK.com. Hello and me, William Drupul.
0:34.4	I'm really excited about today.
0:35.4	I'm really excited about today.
0:36.4	I'm apart from the very special guest do not blow the surprise, William.
0:38.8	Do not name the special guest.
0:40.9	You were just about to.
0:41.9	I can see your... I will keep quiet I can see it when an idea is pulling at your
0:46.4	Seams but just keep it zipped for a second but look we are talking about well something that I find completely fascinating, which is Zoroastrianism today, because we've talked about ancient Persia, and we've talked about battles and leadership and failure of leadership, but we haven't really got under the bonnet of belief
1:05.1	and what the people were like and what sort of took up their days and their
1:08.6	spirituality and that's what we're going to do today.
1:10.9	And what an extraordinary story it is. And I think people don't realize how
1:16.4	influential Zoroastrianism has been to different religions east and west,
1:23.0	that this form of religion which today is limited to what, 100,000 people?
1:27.0	I've seen estimates the absolute top,
1:29.0	and this is probably excessive,
1:31.0	is 200,000 Zoroastrians worldwide but that is probably
1:34.4	excessive but it is somewhere between 100,000 to 200,000. A few surviving in
1:40.2	Persia around Yazd particularly if you in Tehran, and then most in Bombay.
	...

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