Zoroastrianism was one of the most original religious traditions in Antiquity and Late Antiquity. It was the primary religion of Iran until the Arab conquest of the country in the middle of the 7th century CE, and a few Zoroastrian communities still survive in India and Iran. Zoroastrian thought impacted the Classical, Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. The seminar will survey the history of the Zoroastrian religion from its origins until the first centuries of Islamic era (9th -10th centuries CE). Furthermore, on the basis of literary and historical sources, the seminar will discuss the principal themes of Zoroastrianism, such as the creation of the world, the nature of good and evil, the transmission of sacred knowledge, and the end of the world.

This course does not require any prior knowledge of ancient languages.