ARTICLE
from the
Encyclopædia Britannica
Zoroastrianism,
the ancient pre-Islamic religion of Iran that survives there in isolated areas and, more prosperously, in India, where the descendants of Zoroastrian Iranian (Persian) immigrants are known as Parsis, or Parsees. In India the religion is called Parsiism.
Founded by the Iranian prophet and reformer Zoroaster in the 6th century bc, the religion contains both monotheistic and dualistic features. It influenced the other major Western religons—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. For a discussion of the context in which Zoroastrianism arose, see Iranian religion.
Articles from Britannica encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
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Zoroastrianism - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
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The religion known as Zoroastrianism was founded in the 500s BC by an Iranian named Zoroaster. Most followers of the religion live in India. There the religion is known as Parsiism.
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Zoroastrianism - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
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The ancient Iranian (or Persian) religion was reformed during the 7th and 6th centuries BC by a legendary figure named Zoroaster, or Zarathustra. Despite the rise and spread of Islam in Iran, beginning in the 7th century AD, Zoroastrianism has survived into the 21st century. The majority of its adherents live in India and are known as Parsis, which means "Persians." A lesser number still live in Iran, where they were until recently referred to as Gabars. The term gabar is derived from an Arabic word meaning "infidel." In the early 20th century, when wider religious tolerance was granted in Iran, the term ceased to be used.
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