Zoroaster and the World's First Monotheism

Before Judaism, Christianity, or Islam, there was Zoroastrianism—the world's first monotheistic faith, born on the Iranian plateau. In this episode, Lucas and Luna trace the evolution of this ancient religion from its shadowy prophet Zoroaster (or Zarathustra) to its flowering under the Achaemenid and Sassanid empires. They explore the Gathas, the earliest hymns attributed to Zoroaster, which speak of a single supreme god, Ahura Mazda, locked in cosmic struggle with the destructive spirit Angra Mainyu. Lucas explains how Zoroastrian concepts like judgment after death, heaven and hell, and a final savior deeply influenced later religions. The conversation also covers the magi, the priestly caste that Zoroaster reformed; the role of fire temples; and the uneasy relationship between the faith and the state, especially under Darius I and later under the Sassanids. They touch on the modern survival of Zoroastrianism in India's Parsi community and the challenges it faces today. This episode offers a fresh angle on how one ancient faith shaped the religious landscape of the world. #Zoroaster #Zarathustra #Zoroastrianism #AhuraMazda #AngraMainyu #Gathas #AchaemenidEmpire #SassanidEmpire #DariusI #Magi #FireTemple #Parsi #Dualism #Monotheism #AncientReligion #PersianHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo