The Encounter of Zoroastrianism with the Minority Religions in the Sasanid Period

Subject Areas : Christianity

Sayyed Sa‘id  Golzar ¹ (ندارد)

Received: 2014-11-24 Accepted : 2014-11-24 Published : 2007-11-22

Keywords: Buddhists, Jews, Christians, Polemical Challenges,

Abstract :

The diversity of religions in the Sasanid period is one of the mostimportant themes in the history of this dynasty. Sasanid emperorsrevived and strengthened Zoroastrianism and made it the formalreligion of the country. Therefore, this action affected the adherents ofthe other religions who lived in Iran and brought about contacts andconflicts between the leaders of the state religion and the others.This article surveys the social conditions of the minority religionssuch as Buddhism, Judaism and Christianity in the Sasanid period andreviews the attitude of the state religion toward them. It also deals withthe challenges and the conflicts which the adherents of the minorityreligions made against the Sasanid government. Beside that, it reviewsthe religious policies of the government and finally comes to thisconclusion: The religious policies of the Sasanid emperors intensifiedor sometimes weakened these conflicts. However, these policies intheir own turn were taken under the influence of the internal andexternal forces. The elements which affected the attitude of the Sasanidgovernment toward minority religions were as fallow: Thetransformation of the international conditions, converting of the states –especially the enemies– into other religions, the power or weakness ofthe priests and kings, and the activities of the minorities.