Zarathustra, << `zar` uh THOOS truh, >> was a Persian prophet who founded the religion Zoroastrianism. The Greek form of the prophet’s Persian name is Zoroaster. Scholars believe that Zarathustra lived about 1200 B.C. in what is now Iran. According to Zoroastrian tradition, he lived between the early 600’s and the mid-500’s B.C.
Little is known of Zarathustra’s life. He appears as an actual historical figure only in the earliest part of the Gathas, which are hymns contained in the Avesta, the sacred book of the Zoroastrian religion. Zarathustra began to have revelations at the age of 30. In a vision, he saw Vohu Manah, a figure who represented the Good Mind. In the vision, Zarathustra was led in a holy trance into the presence of Ahura Mazda, also called Ohrmazd, the supreme creator in Zoroastrianism.
In the years after his revelations, Zarathustra composed the Gathas and spread the teachings of Ahura Mazda. The core of Zarathustra’s teaching was the belief that all people had to choose between good and evil. As the Zoroastrianism religion developed, this choice was described as involving a conflict between Ohrmazd, the god of good, and Ahriman, the spirit of evil. At the end of time, Zoroastrians believe, Ohrmazd will triumph and Ahriman will be defeated. According to tradition, Zarathustra was assassinated at the age of 77.
