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Zoroaster: The Prophet of Ancient Iran
The Prophet of Ancient Iran is a book by A.V. Williams Jackson that explores the life and teachings of the ancient Persian prophet Zoroaster. The book provides a comprehensive overview of Zoroastrianism, the religion that Zoroaster founded, and its impact on the ancient world. Jackson examines the historical context in which Zoroaster lived and the political and social factors that shaped his teachings. He also explores the key tenets of Zoroastrianism, including the concept of good and evil, the importance of ethical behavior, and the role of fire in religious rituals. The book also delves into the influence of Zoroastrianism on other religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Overall, The Prophet of Ancient Iran is a fascinating exploration of one of the most influential religious figures in history and his enduring legacy.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1919
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October 30, 2019
Repeating Figures in History, Fragments of an Unknown Teaching continued (emphasis on “fragments” – sift as you will), here just Zoroasters are shown though as a laud to this book much history on such can be found in, more than any other in the West as to the past millenia or so.
9 Zoroasters
9 Hermes
4 St Georges
5 Buddha's
4 Arpachshads
9 Cyrus's
9 Darius's
12 Hercules
5 evil Nimrods
7 evil Nebuchadnezzer's
9 Thor's
9 Odin's
7 Theodoric's
5 Aeneas's/Aevenor's
12 Adam's
[see Lady Hahn’s SDII p.358-359]
There are certain anti-titanic titular figures in history that much of the world's culture's historical chronology tightly depends on. We are in a present state in history where all cultures are trying right now to unite properly in history and yet retain and not loose any of our higher, esoteric and rich heritage spiritually each of us has at the same time in exchange for a couple McDonald's, an American University and a laundromat - a sort of lowest common denominator kind of existence going forward forever in history future. Now only with even the slightest investigation one sees there were certainly more than one historical figure given such same titles as these we are here investigating, more than one personage of differing times going by such cosmological-occupational titles as these of their own accord, so to speak - and yet little way of distinguishing one from one era and another from the other era. It's as though the bards of yore blended them all together and simply used these titles as a mneumonic device to overlap the different lay(er) lore's of their tales chronologies into one timeless song. Great for them, not so great for we their latecoming-in-time inheritors of their knowledge to find them though! This which they have done would be fine had they not hoarded like pure gold the exact dates of each of these, "Buddha's", say for example, or "Zoroaster's." It would have been fine had they only shown us when these exemplars lived (whom we may just so happen to choose to live our live's by in inspiration of, at least partly, and so need such real data about them whom we love) and so that we could parse out our own people's chronology correctly and know where to find things in history at least - at least as well as the granny down the street even at the local meat market today finds her meats - something we can't, by the way, even do today: find where the meat of our own history is located almost anywhere, because the present state of humanities history is in such almost complete disarray and subjective chaos. That many if not all of these are more titles and not personal names will be seen from the quotes and all of this is confirmed by Jainism which Kurt Cobain the western prophet of sorts aligned himself with and Lady Hahn and Hinduism certainly show this all throughout their texts. But it needs more clarification for as Kurt Cobain said:
“When I was a kid, cultures weren’t yet dead; gotta find a way another way before I’m dead.”
Of course he was co-opted by a smiling skeptic washington senators son and a creepy documented honey-potterer (see my review on Love Kills by Hank Harrison), both more fitting the types this generation only understands as power instead of the true power in Cobain P.J. Harvey described as radiant angelic and Bono as Atomic. So who will undertstand him or I or this with this mantle of power deception over their heads? And what do those latter two idiots know also right? Too many in this town got the know better blues and as Buddha says grab only enough of the cutzu secret doctrine grass to cut their own hands with to make their inner helping hands into axes to grind and are thereby destroyed skeptic smilers instead of healed. Everyone refrains in 7 ways from pissing out their window as post moderns know not to do but then piss out their window in only one way they don’t know witch hunting on the butt hurt now in the night in somnambulism vehemently all over anyone who just had to take a little leak lest their conscience burst. See the lyrics for Radioheads burn the witch on this era. Back to the review to an empty choir though:
For this reason we (I) have found it absolutely necessary to release the secret gold on the different cosmic figures dates through different "aeon's" - dare I say - of man's passing history. G. is correct that to release esoteric knowledge to the masses only devalues the coinage of it, or rather objective character and it's rarity and accuracy among the few who truly panted after it and desired it enough to see it's truth and come to it. He said popularizing such makes it all quickly tend to dissapate into the babel-confusion of the masses conjectures. But on the other hand all of my investigations of a scientific and predictive character show me most of man (though perhaps not all) won't be around again for many, many thousands of years to come after about 2,630 AD, just a few hundred years from now. So it is essential we preserve the knowledge before then and capsulize it not capsize it. This should be man's main task in this particular epoch we got ourselves incarnated into here. For this reason I will risk it, the devaluation and possible obfuscation via contentions and conjectures of these historical titular figures precise dates and locales they incarnated in, revealed now plainly. The Jain's whom I admire at least as much as Kurt Cobain did, went much further in this endeavor than even I in showing the various Avatars even if only a few modern hearers of the Jain have the right emotional "wherewithal" … to assent to as true and believe. But what has been amassed here is still massive and unique, nonetheless, despite their great labors. The degrees I have gone to to locate and bring these separate 144 figures is quite considerable, and for the first time in known history, such a work is made publically available here that is going across the board into not just one but all cultures main repeating figures in their own historical lay's. So it is rather extensive too. May we all be benefited by the Most High.
On The Eight Zoro Asters
(& The Naz, the title historically given to the 9th which Bowie alone discovered among the lost quotes in the last generation before ours)
"He was the Naz, with God-given Ass (hidden name per Lady Hahn for the Aisors or Aesir or Asshers I and G. everywhere speak of); came on so loaded man, well hung, snow white tan." - Ziggy Stardust (of course references are here tying in to the Christ of Nazareth as well who was not unrelated to Zoroaster and Pythagoras mission and who came “roughly” 555 years before him and Muhammed 555 years after him...)
As F. Rolleston and Dr. Camps affirm: "Was not Zoroaster merely an epithet…? Zoroaster would be the bright, glorious, or splendid stranger, and therefore might be applied to more than one eminent personage." Also, as H.P. Hahn gives us further intimation: "It is therefore safe to come to the following conclusions: (1) That there were several (in all seven…) Ahuru-asters, or spiritual teachers, of Ahuramazda, an office corrupted later into Guru-asters and Zuru-asters from “Zera-Ishtar,” the title of the Chaldean or Magian priests; and (2) that the last of them was Zaratusht of the Desatir, the thirteenth of the prophets, and the seventh of that name." Now we know Azara is 'fire' and 'Aster' the stars in the Avestan dialect of Sanscrit; and there are passages one may come across in both the Desatir and Vendidad, as well as among Greek writers, that speak of these meanings being implied in the very title of one who is a 'Zoroaster' in their internal practice. So when, other than by some Warburg Institute schill one generation hence to us and beloved by some scholastically nepotistic Kagan, did such idea begin circulating there was just some one persons personal name 'Zoroaster' that lived at some time recent like some poor 'Frank' or 'Joe' or 'Moe' which, even him, we 'sadly can't locate now' in History? Even the Western Medieval, Renaissance and (as late as the) Victorian Chronologers knew better than to think there was, is, only one Zoroaster specific to history or that he had been misappropriated - they speaking, almost unanimously, of several. Of course there accrued a bit of confusion as to each of their dates over time to the non-specialist, but even as early as the 70's AD Pliny is plain in his passage on 'him,' saying there appear to be several not 'one.'
When then in history has it not appeared there were several? The idea of there being only one, such error begins to occur mostly by post Ammianus Marcellinus' time a little, if at all, and other than the last century, very late in history when history was briefly but heavily encroached upon, in some people's humble opinion, by latter day Constantinians.
Now in the latter 1900's there were a few British and American educated and uninformed (other than being aware of their own baker's dozen circle of academics) nit-wits, some of whom then travelled back to their native Zoroastrian countries entrenching such pap Into the new East. And truly pap it is. For even in Constantinian times, as to Marcellinus naming him simply 'Zoroaster' this was likely more a matter of brevity in style - something Nietzsche bragged about regarding him - rather than him being sloppy with such titles, given the astute Historian he was. For everywhere it is clear there were more than one. In fact there are seven elaborated upon by both Western and Eastern authors - all eight very different and previous to the one "Na-Zaratas" - who, according to over 14 Ellenic authors over the centuries: "taught Pythagoras in his day." This bewailed 'cloud of uncertainty' going around lately and concerning them here in only very recent times is, in itself, then, the only thing with 'ambiguous, fictitious, origins and provenance' as we shall see - not the Zoro Aster's themselves.
Here is a list of the 7 oldest to most recent, and then we will elaborate after this list, for now, on just the last 5 (and Na-Zaratas), in reverse order, starting with Na-Zaratas the most recent going back.
1. Zarathustra the Amshashpend - 1st of 13 Zar's per the Dabistan, from the land of Airyanem Vaega, not of any recent topography at all [dates for such are available but on a Mytho-Poetic or Esoteric level]
2. Ziusudra of the 'Vaivasvata' periods - mentioned in the Vendidad [again, dates for such are available but may only be found on a Mytho-Poetic or Esoteric level, which I reserve for another work]
3. Zoro-Asteren Erus the Son of Oromasus 6,210 BC - mentioned by Plato and numerous others who give such date down to the year (Hermodorus, Aristotle, Plutarch, Clemens & Al Biruni as we shall see)
4. Zoro-Aster Ier-ed the Pithiotes Peshdadian in Utnapishtim's Day 3,800 BC - mentioned by Pliny and numerous others who give such date: "2,000 years before Moses"
5. Zoro-Aster of Bactria over Ninevah 2,200 BC - mentioned by Berossus, Moses Chorenensis, and numerous others, especially the Medievalists, Victorians and Bunsen who gives such date. He was during AbuRama’s day if not he.
6. Zoro-Aster Zal(moxis) of the Court of Gus-Tahspes 1768 BC - shortly after Manugeher's day (Manassah of the Mannerbunde) Zab is Job and Sabacius, founder of the Sabaeans
7. Zoro-Aster Zardosht the son of Purushaspa and of the last Kaiyanian Court of Vistaspes 1,200 BC - founder of the fire temple of Azareksh he converted Vistaspes, contemporary of Lorhasp (and Jeremiah per Tabari), when 42 and passed age 77 per tradition [Frye p.28]
[8] Na-Zaratas detained in the Court of Khambuja and Hystaspes in Amasis day, teacher of Pythagoras 585 BC - mentioned by Poryphry, the Bundhasin Zoroastrian text, Al Biruni and numerous others who give exactly such date (he is claimed though to live, however you take this – ling story, to have lived from 890-585 four hundred years for he knew Socrates, Daniel, Jeremiah and Luhrasp). We know Ezekiel was a Nazarene detained by the Khaiber River by this king at this time and was a great Prophet whose presence was revered much as the Naz Zarata so if these are not the same person it Is at least more likely than not two people of the same school. This Zoroaster is said by the fragments on Philip of Side and the Sassanids to be in Zechariah’s day, also Theophilus vs Autolycus tractate state such.
Before beginning though we must say there are both Westerners and Easterners alike going around nowadays actually claiming Zoroaster is not mentioned in any early middle eastern or eastern texts at all, only a few Greeks in much later AD times! This list of our sources who make mention of several Zoro Aster's, their dates, friends, locale, and teachings, should quickly dispell this nonsense (starred * are the non Graeco-Roman Sources - and all of these non-starred sources, besides Ficino, date to before 1300 AD):
See A.V.W. Jackson's 'Zoroaster' to triple the number of references this list shows
1. Agathias
2. Alexander Polyhistor
3. Arnobius
4. Al Biruni*
5. Al Tabari*
6. Ammianus Marcellinus
7. Apuleius
8. Aristotle
9. Berosus*
10. Bundashin*
11. Clemens Alexandria
12. Diogenes Laertius
13. Dino
14. [Ficino]
15. Hermippas
16. Hermogenus
17. Iamblichus
18. Lactantius
19. Malalas*
20. Nonnus
21. Plato
22. Pliny
23. Plutarch
24. Poryphry
25. Photius
26. Roztal Munjamin*
27. Strabo
28. Eupolemas*
29. Xanthus of Lydia – see Diogenes Laertius & Frye
30. Cassius Dio
------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are each of these writers with their Quotes on different Zoroaster's, which after reading we will then parse out and classify each unto to the correct Zoroaster they are referencing:
1. Agathias
[all of this will be filled in perhaps one day here or on some forthcoming work so as to not overburden this review]
2. Alexander Polyhistor
3. Al Biruni on:
Na-Zaratas c. 680-580 BC
"Mânî states that the interval between Alexander [his death in 314 Bce/327 BCi] and Ardashir [his accession in 222.2 AD] is 537 years." [Al Biruni, The Chronology of the Ancient Nations p. 121]. Biruni strongly concurs adding that 176 years lie between Ardashir Babak's first [223 AD] and Yazdagird Ben Shapur's first [399 AD] and 970 between the latter and Zoroaster [571 BCi/584 BCe - Zarata friend of Pythagoras]. Thus Zarata manifested and ended his days in 571 BCi/584 BCe - this is also verified by Olmstead showing Zarata was tied in with the great Magi wars that erupted with his final appearance then and martyrdom in 585 BC.
Zoro-Asteren Erus c. 6,300 BC
Now the Elder Trojan War dates to 6,300's BC per H.P. Hahn - and Zoroaster was said to be born just a little after the Trojan War per most of the testimonies. Al Biruni's coincides, without him knowing, down to the year, with Solon's and the Egyptian Priests on the start date for recent humanity before the last Zoroaster. All of this then brings us to our 6,210 BC date well for Zoroaster as he gave himself for his birth.
Al Biruni retained, by accident, a history on the Elder Zoro-Aster per the Magian Persians. Biruni states: "Zoroaster, the founder of their law, thought that of those [first peoples] there had passed, till the time of his appeareance, 3000 years intercalated with the day-quarters." [p. 17] He goes on to say, with the intercalations added, this period was exactly 3,354 years. Now this number would not work into any of his figures he goes on to say; but subtract it from the great flood date of 9,564 BC and you get 6,210 BC the exact date of Zoro Asteren Erus Plato and Plutarch mention. What is this? Gurdjieff's (in general) and down to the year Proclus, Plato, Solon, the Saaite Priesthood of Egypt and Tolkien's date that they give for the Great Flood, is 9,564 BC ["9,000 years before the year Solon was speaking with the Saaite Priests of Egypt in 564. This time frame whichh scientists also give for the last glacial maximum is when Gurdjieff states only a few peoples survived called the Imastun whom the Aisors descend from]. Subtract 3,354 years from this previous epoch of man as Zoroaster himself said to do on these peoples before him and it dates us to 88 years before the Dardanic Flood of 6,122 BC: 6,210 BC for his birth, as he states.
4. Al Tabari
5. Ammianus Marcellinus
6. Apuleius
7. Aristotle
8. Berosus
9. Bundashin
10. Clemens Alexandria
11. Diogenes Laertius
12. Dino
13. Ficino
14. Hermippas
15. Hermogenus
16. Iamblichus
17. Lactantius
18. Nonnus
19. Plato
20. Pliny
21. Plutarch
22. Poryphry
23. Photius
24. Roztal Munjamin
“A work entitled “Roztal Munjamin” says: “1,020 years formed the interval from the birth of Zoroaster to the new era of Yezdezerd [Yazdegard II son of Bahram V accession: 435 ADe].” – Patell’s Chronology p. 32 hence Zaratas
25. Strabo
26. Eupolemas
27. Xanthus of Lydia – see Diogenes Laertius
Writing around 500 BC, he places Zoroaster “600 or [sic: “and also”] 6,000 years before Xerxes.” [Frye, The Heritage of Persia p.27]
28. Cassius Dio
Zardosht c. 1200-1100 BC
“For the Persians say that Zoroaster, because of a passion for wisdom and justice, deserted his fellows and dwelt by himself on a certain mountain; and they say that thereupon the mountain caught fire, a mighty flame descending from the sky above, and that it burned unceasingly. So then the king and the most distinguished of his Persians drew near for the purpose of praying to the god; and Zoroaster came forth from the fire unscathed, and, showing himself gracious towards them, bade them to be of good cheer and to offer certain sacrifices in recognition of the god’s having come to that place. And thereafter, so they say, Zoroaster has associated, not with them all, but only with such as are best endowed with regard to truth, and are best able to understand the god, men whom the Persians have named Magi, that is to say, people who know how to cultivate the divine power, and not like the Greeks, who in their ignorance use the term to denote wizards”
[Dio Cocceianus (Oration 36.40 f. — Enc. Ir. VII, Fasc. 4, p. 421; H. Lamar Crosby).]
Also see Hippolytus Chronicon on the lineage of Elijah
Recent Scholars of Note on Zoroaster
Cumont
H.P. Hahn
Gurdjieff
Behraz
Jackson
Geigher & Windischmann
———————————————————————————————————————————————
9 Zoroasters
9 Hermes
4 St Georges
5 Buddha's
4 Arpachshads
9 Cyrus's
9 Darius's
12 Hercules
5 evil Nimrods
7 evil Nebuchadnezzer's
9 Thor's
9 Odin's
7 Theodoric's
5 Aeneas's/Aevenor's
12 Adam's
[see Lady Hahn’s SDII p.358-359]
There are certain anti-titanic titular figures in history that much of the world's culture's historical chronology tightly depends on. We are in a present state in history where all cultures are trying right now to unite properly in history and yet retain and not loose any of our higher, esoteric and rich heritage spiritually each of us has at the same time in exchange for a couple McDonald's, an American University and a laundromat - a sort of lowest common denominator kind of existence going forward forever in history future. Now only with even the slightest investigation one sees there were certainly more than one historical figure given such same titles as these we are here investigating, more than one personage of differing times going by such cosmological-occupational titles as these of their own accord, so to speak - and yet little way of distinguishing one from one era and another from the other era. It's as though the bards of yore blended them all together and simply used these titles as a mneumonic device to overlap the different lay(er) lore's of their tales chronologies into one timeless song. Great for them, not so great for we their latecoming-in-time inheritors of their knowledge to find them though! This which they have done would be fine had they not hoarded like pure gold the exact dates of each of these, "Buddha's", say for example, or "Zoroaster's." It would have been fine had they only shown us when these exemplars lived (whom we may just so happen to choose to live our live's by in inspiration of, at least partly, and so need such real data about them whom we love) and so that we could parse out our own people's chronology correctly and know where to find things in history at least - at least as well as the granny down the street even at the local meat market today finds her meats - something we can't, by the way, even do today: find where the meat of our own history is located almost anywhere, because the present state of humanities history is in such almost complete disarray and subjective chaos. That many if not all of these are more titles and not personal names will be seen from the quotes and all of this is confirmed by Jainism which Kurt Cobain the western prophet of sorts aligned himself with and Lady Hahn and Hinduism certainly show this all throughout their texts. But it needs more clarification for as Kurt Cobain said:
“When I was a kid, cultures weren’t yet dead; gotta find a way another way before I’m dead.”
Of course he was co-opted by a smiling skeptic washington senators son and a creepy documented honey-potterer (see my review on Love Kills by Hank Harrison), both more fitting the types this generation only understands as power instead of the true power in Cobain P.J. Harvey described as radiant angelic and Bono as Atomic. So who will undertstand him or I or this with this mantle of power deception over their heads? And what do those latter two idiots know also right? Too many in this town got the know better blues and as Buddha says grab only enough of the cutzu secret doctrine grass to cut their own hands with to make their inner helping hands into axes to grind and are thereby destroyed skeptic smilers instead of healed. Everyone refrains in 7 ways from pissing out their window as post moderns know not to do but then piss out their window in only one way they don’t know witch hunting on the butt hurt now in the night in somnambulism vehemently all over anyone who just had to take a little leak lest their conscience burst. See the lyrics for Radioheads burn the witch on this era. Back to the review to an empty choir though:
For this reason we (I) have found it absolutely necessary to release the secret gold on the different cosmic figures dates through different "aeon's" - dare I say - of man's passing history. G. is correct that to release esoteric knowledge to the masses only devalues the coinage of it, or rather objective character and it's rarity and accuracy among the few who truly panted after it and desired it enough to see it's truth and come to it. He said popularizing such makes it all quickly tend to dissapate into the babel-confusion of the masses conjectures. But on the other hand all of my investigations of a scientific and predictive character show me most of man (though perhaps not all) won't be around again for many, many thousands of years to come after about 2,630 AD, just a few hundred years from now. So it is essential we preserve the knowledge before then and capsulize it not capsize it. This should be man's main task in this particular epoch we got ourselves incarnated into here. For this reason I will risk it, the devaluation and possible obfuscation via contentions and conjectures of these historical titular figures precise dates and locales they incarnated in, revealed now plainly. The Jain's whom I admire at least as much as Kurt Cobain did, went much further in this endeavor than even I in showing the various Avatars even if only a few modern hearers of the Jain have the right emotional "wherewithal" … to assent to as true and believe. But what has been amassed here is still massive and unique, nonetheless, despite their great labors. The degrees I have gone to to locate and bring these separate 144 figures is quite considerable, and for the first time in known history, such a work is made publically available here that is going across the board into not just one but all cultures main repeating figures in their own historical lay's. So it is rather extensive too. May we all be benefited by the Most High.
On The Eight Zoro Asters
(& The Naz, the title historically given to the 9th which Bowie alone discovered among the lost quotes in the last generation before ours)
"He was the Naz, with God-given Ass (hidden name per Lady Hahn for the Aisors or Aesir or Asshers I and G. everywhere speak of); came on so loaded man, well hung, snow white tan." - Ziggy Stardust (of course references are here tying in to the Christ of Nazareth as well who was not unrelated to Zoroaster and Pythagoras mission and who came “roughly” 555 years before him and Muhammed 555 years after him...)
As F. Rolleston and Dr. Camps affirm: "Was not Zoroaster merely an epithet…? Zoroaster would be the bright, glorious, or splendid stranger, and therefore might be applied to more than one eminent personage." Also, as H.P. Hahn gives us further intimation: "It is therefore safe to come to the following conclusions: (1) That there were several (in all seven…) Ahuru-asters, or spiritual teachers, of Ahuramazda, an office corrupted later into Guru-asters and Zuru-asters from “Zera-Ishtar,” the title of the Chaldean or Magian priests; and (2) that the last of them was Zaratusht of the Desatir, the thirteenth of the prophets, and the seventh of that name." Now we know Azara is 'fire' and 'Aster' the stars in the Avestan dialect of Sanscrit; and there are passages one may come across in both the Desatir and Vendidad, as well as among Greek writers, that speak of these meanings being implied in the very title of one who is a 'Zoroaster' in their internal practice. So when, other than by some Warburg Institute schill one generation hence to us and beloved by some scholastically nepotistic Kagan, did such idea begin circulating there was just some one persons personal name 'Zoroaster' that lived at some time recent like some poor 'Frank' or 'Joe' or 'Moe' which, even him, we 'sadly can't locate now' in History? Even the Western Medieval, Renaissance and (as late as the) Victorian Chronologers knew better than to think there was, is, only one Zoroaster specific to history or that he had been misappropriated - they speaking, almost unanimously, of several. Of course there accrued a bit of confusion as to each of their dates over time to the non-specialist, but even as early as the 70's AD Pliny is plain in his passage on 'him,' saying there appear to be several not 'one.'
When then in history has it not appeared there were several? The idea of there being only one, such error begins to occur mostly by post Ammianus Marcellinus' time a little, if at all, and other than the last century, very late in history when history was briefly but heavily encroached upon, in some people's humble opinion, by latter day Constantinians.
Now in the latter 1900's there were a few British and American educated and uninformed (other than being aware of their own baker's dozen circle of academics) nit-wits, some of whom then travelled back to their native Zoroastrian countries entrenching such pap Into the new East. And truly pap it is. For even in Constantinian times, as to Marcellinus naming him simply 'Zoroaster' this was likely more a matter of brevity in style - something Nietzsche bragged about regarding him - rather than him being sloppy with such titles, given the astute Historian he was. For everywhere it is clear there were more than one. In fact there are seven elaborated upon by both Western and Eastern authors - all eight very different and previous to the one "Na-Zaratas" - who, according to over 14 Ellenic authors over the centuries: "taught Pythagoras in his day." This bewailed 'cloud of uncertainty' going around lately and concerning them here in only very recent times is, in itself, then, the only thing with 'ambiguous, fictitious, origins and provenance' as we shall see - not the Zoro Aster's themselves.
Here is a list of the 7 oldest to most recent, and then we will elaborate after this list, for now, on just the last 5 (and Na-Zaratas), in reverse order, starting with Na-Zaratas the most recent going back.
1. Zarathustra the Amshashpend - 1st of 13 Zar's per the Dabistan, from the land of Airyanem Vaega, not of any recent topography at all [dates for such are available but on a Mytho-Poetic or Esoteric level]
2. Ziusudra of the 'Vaivasvata' periods - mentioned in the Vendidad [again, dates for such are available but may only be found on a Mytho-Poetic or Esoteric level, which I reserve for another work]
3. Zoro-Asteren Erus the Son of Oromasus 6,210 BC - mentioned by Plato and numerous others who give such date down to the year (Hermodorus, Aristotle, Plutarch, Clemens & Al Biruni as we shall see)
4. Zoro-Aster Ier-ed the Pithiotes Peshdadian in Utnapishtim's Day 3,800 BC - mentioned by Pliny and numerous others who give such date: "2,000 years before Moses"
5. Zoro-Aster of Bactria over Ninevah 2,200 BC - mentioned by Berossus, Moses Chorenensis, and numerous others, especially the Medievalists, Victorians and Bunsen who gives such date. He was during AbuRama’s day if not he.
6. Zoro-Aster Zal(moxis) of the Court of Gus-Tahspes 1768 BC - shortly after Manugeher's day (Manassah of the Mannerbunde) Zab is Job and Sabacius, founder of the Sabaeans
7. Zoro-Aster Zardosht the son of Purushaspa and of the last Kaiyanian Court of Vistaspes 1,200 BC - founder of the fire temple of Azareksh he converted Vistaspes, contemporary of Lorhasp (and Jeremiah per Tabari), when 42 and passed age 77 per tradition [Frye p.28]
[8] Na-Zaratas detained in the Court of Khambuja and Hystaspes in Amasis day, teacher of Pythagoras 585 BC - mentioned by Poryphry, the Bundhasin Zoroastrian text, Al Biruni and numerous others who give exactly such date (he is claimed though to live, however you take this – ling story, to have lived from 890-585 four hundred years for he knew Socrates, Daniel, Jeremiah and Luhrasp). We know Ezekiel was a Nazarene detained by the Khaiber River by this king at this time and was a great Prophet whose presence was revered much as the Naz Zarata so if these are not the same person it Is at least more likely than not two people of the same school. This Zoroaster is said by the fragments on Philip of Side and the Sassanids to be in Zechariah’s day, also Theophilus vs Autolycus tractate state such.
Before beginning though we must say there are both Westerners and Easterners alike going around nowadays actually claiming Zoroaster is not mentioned in any early middle eastern or eastern texts at all, only a few Greeks in much later AD times! This list of our sources who make mention of several Zoro Aster's, their dates, friends, locale, and teachings, should quickly dispell this nonsense (starred * are the non Graeco-Roman Sources - and all of these non-starred sources, besides Ficino, date to before 1300 AD):
See A.V.W. Jackson's 'Zoroaster' to triple the number of references this list shows
1. Agathias
2. Alexander Polyhistor
3. Arnobius
4. Al Biruni*
5. Al Tabari*
6. Ammianus Marcellinus
7. Apuleius
8. Aristotle
9. Berosus*
10. Bundashin*
11. Clemens Alexandria
12. Diogenes Laertius
13. Dino
14. [Ficino]
15. Hermippas
16. Hermogenus
17. Iamblichus
18. Lactantius
19. Malalas*
20. Nonnus
21. Plato
22. Pliny
23. Plutarch
24. Poryphry
25. Photius
26. Roztal Munjamin*
27. Strabo
28. Eupolemas*
29. Xanthus of Lydia – see Diogenes Laertius & Frye
30. Cassius Dio
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Here are each of these writers with their Quotes on different Zoroaster's, which after reading we will then parse out and classify each unto to the correct Zoroaster they are referencing:
1. Agathias
[all of this will be filled in perhaps one day here or on some forthcoming work so as to not overburden this review]
2. Alexander Polyhistor
3. Al Biruni on:
Na-Zaratas c. 680-580 BC
"Mânî states that the interval between Alexander [his death in 314 Bce/327 BCi] and Ardashir [his accession in 222.2 AD] is 537 years." [Al Biruni, The Chronology of the Ancient Nations p. 121]. Biruni strongly concurs adding that 176 years lie between Ardashir Babak's first [223 AD] and Yazdagird Ben Shapur's first [399 AD] and 970 between the latter and Zoroaster [571 BCi/584 BCe - Zarata friend of Pythagoras]. Thus Zarata manifested and ended his days in 571 BCi/584 BCe - this is also verified by Olmstead showing Zarata was tied in with the great Magi wars that erupted with his final appearance then and martyrdom in 585 BC.
Zoro-Asteren Erus c. 6,300 BC
Now the Elder Trojan War dates to 6,300's BC per H.P. Hahn - and Zoroaster was said to be born just a little after the Trojan War per most of the testimonies. Al Biruni's coincides, without him knowing, down to the year, with Solon's and the Egyptian Priests on the start date for recent humanity before the last Zoroaster. All of this then brings us to our 6,210 BC date well for Zoroaster as he gave himself for his birth.
Al Biruni retained, by accident, a history on the Elder Zoro-Aster per the Magian Persians. Biruni states: "Zoroaster, the founder of their law, thought that of those [first peoples] there had passed, till the time of his appeareance, 3000 years intercalated with the day-quarters." [p. 17] He goes on to say, with the intercalations added, this period was exactly 3,354 years. Now this number would not work into any of his figures he goes on to say; but subtract it from the great flood date of 9,564 BC and you get 6,210 BC the exact date of Zoro Asteren Erus Plato and Plutarch mention. What is this? Gurdjieff's (in general) and down to the year Proclus, Plato, Solon, the Saaite Priesthood of Egypt and Tolkien's date that they give for the Great Flood, is 9,564 BC ["9,000 years before the year Solon was speaking with the Saaite Priests of Egypt in 564. This time frame whichh scientists also give for the last glacial maximum is when Gurdjieff states only a few peoples survived called the Imastun whom the Aisors descend from]. Subtract 3,354 years from this previous epoch of man as Zoroaster himself said to do on these peoples before him and it dates us to 88 years before the Dardanic Flood of 6,122 BC: 6,210 BC for his birth, as he states.
4. Al Tabari
5. Ammianus Marcellinus
6. Apuleius
7. Aristotle
8. Berosus
9. Bundashin
10. Clemens Alexandria
11. Diogenes Laertius
12. Dino
13. Ficino
14. Hermippas
15. Hermogenus
16. Iamblichus
17. Lactantius
18. Nonnus
19. Plato
20. Pliny
21. Plutarch
22. Poryphry
23. Photius
24. Roztal Munjamin
“A work entitled “Roztal Munjamin” says: “1,020 years formed the interval from the birth of Zoroaster to the new era of Yezdezerd [Yazdegard II son of Bahram V accession: 435 ADe].” – Patell’s Chronology p. 32 hence Zaratas
25. Strabo
26. Eupolemas
27. Xanthus of Lydia – see Diogenes Laertius
Writing around 500 BC, he places Zoroaster “600 or [sic: “and also”] 6,000 years before Xerxes.” [Frye, The Heritage of Persia p.27]
28. Cassius Dio
Zardosht c. 1200-1100 BC
“For the Persians say that Zoroaster, because of a passion for wisdom and justice, deserted his fellows and dwelt by himself on a certain mountain; and they say that thereupon the mountain caught fire, a mighty flame descending from the sky above, and that it burned unceasingly. So then the king and the most distinguished of his Persians drew near for the purpose of praying to the god; and Zoroaster came forth from the fire unscathed, and, showing himself gracious towards them, bade them to be of good cheer and to offer certain sacrifices in recognition of the god’s having come to that place. And thereafter, so they say, Zoroaster has associated, not with them all, but only with such as are best endowed with regard to truth, and are best able to understand the god, men whom the Persians have named Magi, that is to say, people who know how to cultivate the divine power, and not like the Greeks, who in their ignorance use the term to denote wizards”
[Dio Cocceianus (Oration 36.40 f. — Enc. Ir. VII, Fasc. 4, p. 421; H. Lamar Crosby).]
Also see Hippolytus Chronicon on the lineage of Elijah
Recent Scholars of Note on Zoroaster
Cumont
H.P. Hahn
Gurdjieff
Behraz
Jackson
Geigher & Windischmann
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March 1, 2019
I got acquainted with this author by the journal article which was published as same date as this book "ORMAZD, OR THE ANCIENT PERSIAN IDEA OF GOD" The Monist Vol. 9, No. 2 (January, 1899), pp. 161-178 (18 pages). Article captured my attention and i started reading this book and it's very well written and i really enjoyed and learned from it . if you're into ancient cultures and extraterrestrials or ancient Egypt or Mayan civilizations fascinate you , you should def look this up . Ancient Persia has great mysteries yet uncovered and unspoken by propaganda to draw out attention from the region which now we know as Iran . brace yourself with a thrilling read .
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