| Zoroaster Zaraϑuštra Spitāma | |
|---|---|
| Known for | Founder of Zoroastrianism |
(Iranian and Greek form of the name Zarathushtra), religious reformer; prophet of the ancient Iranian religion that has come to be called Zoroastrianism. Modern scholarship has established that Zoroaster was a real historical figure, who composed the Gathas, the most ancient part of the Avesta. Zoroaster probably lived between the tenth and first half of the sixth century B.C. and taught in eastern Iran, Middle Asia, or Afghanistan, but exactly where and when he lived has not been established. According to the Gathas, his teachings met at first with failure in his native land, and he was forced to seek asylum at the court of the kavi (local ruler) Vishtaspa, who most likely ruled in Drangiana. Vishtaspa and his following accepted the new religion, facilitating its diffusion. In the Little Avesta, Zoroaster is treated as a mythological figure and demigod.