[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/zoroastrianism_symbol.png]]

One of the oldest religions in history and in Classical Antiquity, the only major religion in UsefulNotes/TheMiddleEast other than UsefulNotes/{{Judaism}}, UsefulNotes/{{Islam}} and polytheism. Its doctrine centers around an eternal war between Good (represented by '''Ahura Mazda''', or '''Ormazd''') and Evil (represented by '''Angra Mainyu''', or '''Ahriman'''). The former can be roughly equated with the Abrahamic {{God}} but the latter is definitely '''[[NotSoSimilar not]]''' {{Satan}}, since Satan is a [[FallenAngel rebel angel/spirit/former prosecutor]] fighting his own creator (beginning open rebellion around the time the Persians were running things, [[HijackedByJesus for some reason]]) -- thus, FailureIsTheOnlyOption. Ahriman is Ahura Mazda's uncreated EvilCounterpart and thus an equal or near-equal GodOfEvil who actually has an equally valid claim to the title of "Everyone's Boss" (though akin to Satan, he will [[EvilWillFail lose in the end anyway]]). Humans have free will, and they face their own personal version of the divine struggle, between Truth and the Lie. Based on one's actions in their struggle, they are either led to paradise (the word comes to us from Zoroastrianism) or hell. Though interestingly, hell in Zoroastrianism is not eternal, but meant to reform people.

An interesting note is that the complex mythology of the religion, involving Ahura Mazda, the Amesha Spentas and ahuras[[note]] [[Franchise/TolkiensLegendarium Tolkien]] fans: think of the Valar and Maiar[[/note]] and demonic ''daevas'' is an [[InvertedTrope inversion]] of Myth/HinduMythology and (to a lesser extent) Myth/NorseMythology; the ''ahuras'' are etymologically related to the [[BloodKnight Asuras and Aesir]], while the ''daevas'' are equivalent to the Hindu ''Devas'' (and related to the Norse god Tyr and various words relating to, um, ''divi''nity in the West). Closely related to it is Myth/ScythianMythology, its gods possibly even having influenced the daeva.

It is usually considered the world's oldest revealed religion, tracing its origin to a prophet called Zarathustra (Anglicized to Zoroaster, via Greek Zoroastres). Historians aren't quite sure when he lived, with estimates ranging from c. 1500 BC to c. 600 BC, though he most likely lived around 1000 BC. He is thought to have lived in what is now northern Afghanistan, though, again, historians are not quite sure. Zoroaster wrote the Gathas and seven of the Yasnas, parts of the text known as the ''Avesta'', which is analogous to Literature/TheBible. Incidentally, the ''Avesta'' gave its name to the language it was written in, an East Iranian tongue known to us as Avestan.

Zoroastrianism was the national religion of the various [[AncientPersia pre-Islamic Persian dynasties]] ([[UsefulNotes/TheAchaemenidEmpire the Achaemenides]], the Seleucids, Parthians, Sasanids). A heretical form of Zoroastrianism was also followed in UsefulNotes/{{Armenia}} (which for a time was even ruled by a cadet branch of the Arsacid house of Persia[[note]]The ruling dynasty of the Parthian Empire[[/note]]) before the kingdom converted to Christianity, with its own native deities thrown in. After the Islamic conquest of Persia they were sometimes regarded as "honorary people of the book" because they were so well-established in their country and were monotheists, and they lived in a second class but tolerable status alongside Christians and Jews. Like the majority of the non-Muslim inhabitants of the Muslim empires, however, the Caliphate's tax policies (in which non-Muslims paid far higher taxes than Muslims, and lacked access to positions in the administrative state and military) led to mass conversions in the centuries following the conquests (to the chagrin of the Caliphate, as they had to find alternative sources of revenue). Rather than convert, many of them fled to India where they remain today as the "Parsees" (a later, smaller group are called "Iranis"). The Parsees were favored in the days of UsefulNotes/TheRaj and had something of a reputation as a ProudMerchantRace.

Among their more interesting customs was the belief in the sacredness of earth, water, and most famously, fire. This led to the custom of keeping an eternal flame at Zoroastrian temples. This also led to the mistaken belief by outsiders that they actually worshiped fire rather than regarding it as a symbol of Ahura Mazda. But one of the stranger aspects of this was the custom of disposing of the dead by placing them in raised platforms ("Towers of Silence") for the birds to eat to avoid desecration of sacred elements of earth and fire by burial or cremation (respectively).

The subject of conversion has been discussed widely among scholars of Zoroastrianism and Zoroastrians themselves. The general agreement is that conversion is taboo only for Parsis and Iranis have no problem accepting conversion, albeit they are extremely discrete about it in order to avoid problems with the Iranian government. Zoroastrians of Iranian descent living in the West have no problem accepting conversion, whilst Zoroastrians of Parsi descent don’t do it, not even in countries where changing religion is not taboo. Some scholars think that the difference came after the first Persian Zoroastrians arrive in India and the local ruler (then Muslim Mughal Emperor) allowed them to stay only if they refrained from conversions, as interfaith conversion was a source of constant conflict at the time in India.[[note]]Parsis are also strictly patrilineal – Parsi men pass their customs to their children regardless of whether or not they marry outside the faith, but Parsi women may not; in fact, those women who marry outside are often barred from their ancestral temples. This custom, which was codified by UsefulNotes/TheRaj in 1909, goes against the Zoroastrian tenet of gender equality and was successfully challenged in Indian court. The powers that be still observe the old ways regardless of the courts, and convinced India to restrict a family planning initiative designed to keep the Parsi from going extinct (which will now probably fail because of many ex-Parsi women not being allowed to access it).[[/note]] Not coincidentally, demographers expect the number of Parsees to have fallen below 25,000 by 2020 and probably become extinct by the end of the century. Other branches are not nearly as closed-off, but their numbers are steadily dropping as well. However, very recently a number of Kurds, whose ancestors were adherents of the Zoroastrian religion, have begun returning to it due to a sense of hostility towards them from other Muslim groups. Some activists see this as reestablishing a Kurdish cultural and national identity.

Though now a small religion, Zoroastrians can be found in a number of places in the world. The largest groups in Asia are the Iranian Zoroastrians and the Parsis of India. Probably the best known Zoroastrian in the world was one Farrokh Bulsara, a British Parsi born to parents from Gujarat in [[UsefulNotes/{{Tanzania}} Zanzibar]], whom everyone knows as Music/FreddieMercury. Other famous Zoroastrians include ClassicalMusic conductor Zubin Mehta and actors Creator/ErickAvari and Creator/PersisKhambatta.
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!! Uses of Zoroastrianism in fiction:

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[[folder:Franchise]]
* ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'': The Weyland-Yutani logo from the 22nd century (i.e., the time period of the first film) incorporates the Faravahar, the winged disc seen at the top of the page. Why, you may ask? Because it was TheSeventies.
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[[folder:Literature]]
* Creator/JacquelineCarey's ''[[Literature/KushielsLegacy Kushiel's Avatar]]'' has Phedre and Joscelin travel to TheVerse's [[FantasyCounterpartCulture equivalent of Persia]] to infiltrate the harem of a warlord loyal to Angra Mainyu, where they help in a palace coup that restores the priests of Ahura Mazda to leadership.
* Creator/PhilipKDick's novel ''The Cosmic Puppets'' involves one Ted Barton returning to his hometown in Virginia, only to find it's being altered by two competing {{Reality Warper}}s. He eventually learns they're representatives of Ormozd and Ahriman, fighting a proxy war on behalf of their Gods. Ted's actions help Ormozd's agent succeed in restoring the true version of the town.
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'': The Faith of R'hllor, the Lord of Light, is a good match for [[FantasyCounterpartReligion Fantasy Counterpart Zoroastrianism]].[[note]]Though its rise in the form of numerous cults throughout Westeros has more in common with Gnostic sects like the Cathars... not that there aren't parallels between Gnostic thought and Zoroastrianism, especially considering the strong links between Gnosticism and Manicheanism, which was itself an offshoot of Zoroastrianism.[[/note]] Adherents acknowledge two gods: a Red God who represents light and life, and the Great Other who represents cold, darkness, and death.
* Creator/FriedrichNietzsche's ''[[Literature/AlsoSprachZarathustra Thus Spoke Zarathustra]]'' is a deliberate reference to the original prophet of Zoroastrianism. Nietzsche had a peculiar perspective on the doctrines of Zoroastrianism, and the philosophy espoused in ''Thus Spoke Zarathustra'' is an expression of this.
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[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* ''TabletopGame/ArsMagica'' has a couple of chapters on Zoroastrians, specifically in the context of their magic: Zoroastrianism's lost secrets are the strongest divine magic in the setting.
* ''TabletopGame/InNomine'': Zoroastrianism is considered to be a celestial religion, similarly to the Abrahamic faiths and Buddhism, and Ahura Mazda is the same being as the God of Abraham. It was one of the first such religions to be founded, and began as a result of the Archangel Eli giving Zarathustra his original revelation in an early attempt at giving humans spiritual guidance.
* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'': The planar shard of Bant is partially based around Zoroastrian beliefs, especially with its different castes of angels, among them Asura and Amesha.
* ''TabletopGame/{{Scion}}'': The Yazata, the Persian gods, originate from the Zoroastarian mythos.
* ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'': The Zoroastrian religion is seeing a bit of a rise, as it's the center of a magical tradition that's very attractive to those who believe that they should be doing good and kicking evil's ass. While most of the actual religious communities aren't open to converts, the magical communities tend to accept anyone who's willing to join the fight (even those who follow another religion).
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[[folder:Video Games]]
* In ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}'' V and VI, Zoroastrianism is a formable religion. The zoroastrian holy building, the Dar-e Mehr, is present in VI. It is naturally the preferred religion of the Persians.
* Zoroastrians have been playable in ''Crusader Kings'' ever since the ''VideoGame/CrusaderKingsII'' {{DLC}} ''The Old Gods'', and there are several Zoroastrian or Zoroastrian heretic realms available for play in the former Persian Empire (now ruled over by various Muslim empires, e.g. the Abbasid Caliphate at the 769 AD start date). You can reconquer the old Persian Empire, restore the high priesthood to unlock a Zoroastrian version of the crusades, and even proclaim yourself [[MessianicArchetype the prophesied Saoshyant]].
* The 2008 version of ''[[VideoGame/PrinceOfPersia2008 Prince of Persia]]'' borrows several basic aspects of Zoroastrianism, most notably the usage of Ahriman as the BigBad.
* The ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' franchise borrows many Zoroastrian deities, such as Aeshma, Mithra and Anat.
** Zurvan is the only other diety to be categorized as Godly Spirit, alongside YHVH. He is the antagonist of a mobile prequel of ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIf''.
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[[folder:Visual Novels]]
* Although Angra Mainyu is mentioned in the backstory of ''VisualNovel/FateStayNight'', he doesn't actually appear. [[spoiler: During the Third Holy Grail War, the Einzbern family ''tries'' to summon him as an Avenger-class servant[[note]]in a normal grail war, there are 7 classes - Saber, Archer, Lancer, Rider, Caster, Assassin, and Berserker; the Einzbern family chose to summon an Avenger in place of a Berserker[[/note]] but they end up getting a nameless villager who was executed by his village as All the World's Evils, and as such, identifies as the spirit]].
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[[folder:Western Animation]]
* As revealed in ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'', the cosmology of the ''Franchise/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' universe revolves around two "great spirits" who [[FantasyCounterpartReligion heavily derive from]] Zoroastrian moral dualism. Raava is based on Ahura Mazda, the benevolent spirit of light and order who desires to protect all creation, although she once saw humans as a threat to her order until the first Avatar Wan convinced her otherwise. Her evil Angra Mainyu counterpart is Vaatu, the great spirit of darkness and chaos who desires the destruction of all creation; plus, he functions as a tempter to both Wan and Unalaq, the former to free Vaatu from his fight with Raava, and the latter to grant him the power of an Avatar to rule over an age of chaos.
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