Ancient Iranian religion founded by the prophet Zoroaster (Zarathustra) — featuring a cosmic dualism between Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord of light and truth) and Angra Mainyu (Destructive Spirit of darkness and evil) — one of the oldest continuously practiced religions and a major influence on the Abrahamic traditions.
Creates the first systematic cosmic dualism in religious history — Zoroastrianism's conception of a universe defined by the struggle between Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu, each human as a moral agent whose choices matter cosmically, the eventual triumph of good, judgment of the soul after death, resurrection, and final renovation of the world (Frashokereti) — provides the template for apocalyptic religion that decisively shaped Second Temple Judaism and through it Christianity and Islam.
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