Page 359 - Encyclopedia Of World History Vol IV

1660 berkshire encyclopedia of world history

A successful woman preacher was once asked “what special
obstacles have you met as a woman in the ministry?”
“Not one,” she answered, “except the lack of a minister’s
wife.” • Anna Garlin Spencer (1851–1931)

remained a reference point for the later Islamic dynasties religion that combined elements of Zoroastrianism, Bud-
that arose in the same area. dhism, Hinduism, and Christianity. Central to Mani’s reli-
gion were the two principles of light and darkness. The
Rise of Ardashir I realm of light was the spiritual realm, while the realm of
The Sasanians rose up from the province of Persis darkness was the realm of flesh.The history of the world
(present-day Fars, in southwestern Iran), where Persian was divided into three eras: the first era, in which the two
customs had remained constant and a historical memory principles were separate; the second era, in which the
of the past prevailed. Ardashir I (reigned 224–240 CE) principles were mixed because the realm of darkness
was the son of a priest who served at the fire temple of the attacked the realm of light and entrapped light particles;
goddess Anahita in the city of Istakhr. Ardashir was able and the third era, when the ideal state of separation
to conquer the province in the first decade of the third cen- returned the realm of darkness was ultimately destroyed.
tury CE while the nominal ruler of the area, the Parthian This religion, known as Manichaeism, became quite pop-
king of kings Artabanus VI, was busy with the Romans ular with the traders and businessmen; consequently it
and fighting off contenders to the throne. By the time spread along the Silk Road. Shapur I, although a Zoroas-
Artabanus VI was able to pay attention to the Persian trian, allowed Mani to profess his religion freely through-
upstart, Ardashir had gathered a large force, composed out the empire, which made the Zoroastrian priests
mainly of the Persian nobility. Ardashir defeated Arta- resentful. After Shapur’s death, the priests contrived to
banusVI in 224 and crowned himself king of kings. His have Mani arrested and then killed. Mani’s followers were
coins and inscriptions call him “Ardashir, King of Kings dispersed and fled to Central Asia and China.
of Iran, who is from the race of gods.” It was the first time
that the name “Iran” was used to designate the Plateau of Zoroastrianism in the
Iran as such. Sasanian Period
Zoroastrianism, the religion professed by the Sasanians,
The Empire under Shapur I was the official religion of the empire from the third cen-
and the Prophet Mani tury. Although other Zoroastrian deities such as Mithra
Ardashir’s son, Shapur I (reigned 240–270 CE), had and Anahita were also worshipped, and in fact the Sasa-
many military successes. He was able to kill one Roman nians were the caretakers of Anahita’s fire temple, in their
emperor (Gordian), imprison another (Valerian), and inscriptions the Sasanians describe themselves as “Mazda
make the third a tributary (Philip the Arab). His armies worshipping.” That means that Ahura Mazda (Middle Per-
captured many Roman and Germanic (Gothic) soldiers, sian Ohrmazd) was the supreme deity. The society was
who were placed in royal cities as engineers, craftsmen, stratified according to the Avesta, the Zoroastrian scrip-
and laborers.This Roman influence is clearly seen in the tures, and three major fire temples were established: the
city of Bishapur in the province of Persis. Shapur I left Adur Farranbag fire temple for priests, the Adur Gush-
several long inscriptions and rock reliefs attesting to his nasp fire temple for warriors, and the Adur Burzenmihr
grandeur and power as the king of kings of not only Iran, fire temple for farmers and husbandmen. A host of
but also of what he called non-Iran.This means that there smaller fire temples were also established throughout the
was a clear notion of what lands were considered Iran empire where the teacher priests uttered the sacred words
and what parts of the Sasanian empire comprised lands and formulas and performed the necessary rituals.
beyond Iran. There are two priests from the third century mentioned
During Shapur’s reign the prophet Mani (c. 216– as the architects of the Zoroastrian state religion and the
c. 274 CE) appeared in Mesopotamia. He was from a builders of the Zoroastrian hierarchy.The first is Tosar (or
Parthian noble family that professed a syncretic, Gnostic Tansar),who is said to have collected all the traditions relat-