The ancestors of Ardashīr had played a leading role in the rites of the fire temple at Istakhr, known as Ādur-Anāhīd, the Anāhīd Fire. With the new dynasty having these priestly antecedents, it seems only natural that there would have been important developments in the Zoroastrian religion during the Sāsānian period. In fact, the evolution of Zoroastrianism as an organized religion into something resembling its modern form can be regarded as having begun in this period. Under the Parthians, local magi (priests) had no doubt continued to perform the traditional ceremonies associated with the old Iranian ... (100 of 29,153 words)Religious developments
Zoroastrianism
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The Achaemenian Empire in the 6th and 5th centuries bc.
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Armenian tribute bearer carrying a jar decorated with winged griffins, detail of relief sculpture on the stairway leading to the Apadana of Darius at Persepolis, Iran, Achaemenian period, late 5th century bc.
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The Parthian empire in the 1st century bc.
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The Sāsānian empire at the time of Shāpūr I.
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The surrender of the emperor Valerian to the Persian king Shāpūr, rock relief, ad 260, in the province of Fārs, Iran.
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Khosrow II, coin, ad 590–628; in the collection of the American Numismatic Society.