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Place of Zoroaster in History ( Two Book Set)
| Author: | Estakhr, Mehdi | |
| Year: | 2012 | |
| Pages: | 908 | |
| ISBN: | 0-7734-2608-6 978-0-7734-2608-5 | |
| Price: | $499.95 | |
Europe's fascination with Zoroaster began in the classical period. Celebrated as the embodiment of wisdom and morality, and enjoying the prestige of an unfathomable antiquity, a personality cult, with validating authority, was created around him. This led several western schools of thought to claim him as their precursor and first master; foisting their own ideas under him to give them validity. When Zoroaster was metamorphed into an astrologer, his authority was also sought by those circles for which astrological occurences provided proof for claims they made, such as certain Neo-Platonists and Christians. Zoroaster's popularity culminated in the Renaissance when he was accredited with the so-called 'Zoroaster's Oracles,' - writings which provided the Humanist Platonists with the underpinningto construct their own passages to God independently of the divine revelation. In the post-Reformation religious controversies, Zoroaster was made to vouch for the truth of Christianity against the tide of freethinkers and atheists, and against Christian antagonists in the interdenominational conflict. The Enlightenment saw the Philosophes and their like minds enlist Zoroaster's authority to combat revelation and to advance the cause of 'Natural Religion'. Zoroaster' validating auhority continued to be exploited even after the arrival and the translation of the Avesta in France which shattered the image the West had made of him. Zoroaster's image as witness in the West provides a prime example of the use of the reconstructed imagined 'Other' for self-validation, self-criticism, as well as belaboring the 'Other'.
Reviews
“… a monumental study of the ancient Iranian prophet Zarathustra’s (Zoroaster) intellectual, cultural, and religious reception in and contributions to the West. … None have done so as comprehensively and as analytically.” – Prof. Jamsheed Choksy, Indiana University
“[Shows] the richness and the depth of the older Iranian spiritual and material culture and its relationship to our own; and this book should remedy the deficiency as a text.” – Prof. James Russell, Harvard University
“[Shows] the richness and the depth of the older Iranian spiritual and material culture and its relationship to our own; and this book should remedy the deficiency as a text.” – Prof. James Russell, Harvard University
Table of Contents
Book 1
Foreword by Clarisse Herrenschmidt
Acknowledgement
List of Abbreviations
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Zoroaster and Magi Debut in the West
The Hellenic Age
The Hellenistic Age
Classical views on Zoroaster and the Magi
Chapter 3: The Making of a Witness
Age and Authority: From Gods to ‘Great Men’
The Greeks and Persia’s ‘Great Men’
Zoroaster, The Magi, and Greek Sages
Zoroaster, The Magi, and Pythagoras
Zoroaster, The Magi, and Plato
Chapter 4: Zoroaster Metamorphosed
Hellenic Writers vs. Hellenistic Writers
Zoroaster the Astronomer/Astrologer
Zoroaster’s ‘Writings’
Chapter 5: Zoroaster and Christianity: I, Before Constantine
Zoroaster the Revealer of Christ
Zoroaster: The Unfettered Ally
Zoroaster and Mithraism
Christianity’s Early Response
Chapter 6: Zoroaster and Christianity:II, Zoroaster and Politicized Christianity
The Fourth Century: A Turning Point
Zoroaster and Manichaeism
The Christian Genealogical Approach
From the Early Fifth to Early Seventh Century
The Crusade
Book 2
Chapter 7: Zoroaster in the Middle Ages: Platonic Correlation
Byzantium
Zoroaster in Greek Scholarship: Pagan vs. Christian
Philosophy and Christianity
Plato and Christians
Christians’ Adoption of Plato
Reaction to Philosophy and Platonism
The Gnostic Challenge
The Neoplatonists’ Challenge
Reaction to Julian
Church Councils
Platonic Challenge
The Latin West
Zoroaster in Latin Scholarship: Pagan vs. Christian
Plato and Latin Christians
Classical Scholarship in the Latin West
Plato and the Latin West
Plato and Aristole
Plato’s Resurgence
Chapter 8: Zoroaster and Renaissance Humanists: I, Zoroaster, ‘Zoroaster Oracles’, and Plato
George Gemistos Plethon
Zoroaster and Plato in Plethon
Plethon and ‘Zoroaster Oracles’
Chapter 9: Zoroaster and Renaissance Humanists:, II Zoroaster and ‘Zoroaster Oracles’ in Italy
Plethon and the Italian Humanists
The Medici and Zoroaster
Ficino and ‘Zoroaster Oracles’
Pico Della Mirandola and ‘Zoroaster Oracles’
Zoroaster and ‘Zoroaster Oracles’ in the Works of Other Italians
Chapter 10: Zoroaster and Renaissance Humanists: III, Zoroaster and ‘Zoroaster Oracles’ Outside of Italy
France
Germany
England
Chapter 11: The ‘Historic’ Zoroaster and His Religion
The Revival of Interest in the ‘Historic’ Zoroaster
The Expansion of Oriental Studies in Europe
Zoroaster in the Accounts of European Travelers in the East
Zoroaster and Post-Reformation Religious Controversies
Chapter 12: Zoroaster in the Age of Reason
Zoroaster at an Ideological Crossroad
Zoroaster and Natural Religion
The Philosophes’ Zoroaster and Christianity
Zoroaster in the Popular Image
Zoroaster Anquetil Duperron
Anquetil and the Philosophes
Chapter 13: Summary, Conclusion, A Glance Forward at Zoroaster’s Reception in the Nineteenth Century
Bibliography
Index
Foreword by Clarisse Herrenschmidt
Acknowledgement
List of Abbreviations
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Zoroaster and Magi Debut in the West
The Hellenic Age
The Hellenistic Age
Classical views on Zoroaster and the Magi
Chapter 3: The Making of a Witness
Age and Authority: From Gods to ‘Great Men’
The Greeks and Persia’s ‘Great Men’
Zoroaster, The Magi, and Greek Sages
Zoroaster, The Magi, and Pythagoras
Zoroaster, The Magi, and Plato
Chapter 4: Zoroaster Metamorphosed
Hellenic Writers vs. Hellenistic Writers
Zoroaster the Astronomer/Astrologer
Zoroaster’s ‘Writings’
Chapter 5: Zoroaster and Christianity: I, Before Constantine
Zoroaster the Revealer of Christ
Zoroaster: The Unfettered Ally
Zoroaster and Mithraism
Christianity’s Early Response
Chapter 6: Zoroaster and Christianity:II, Zoroaster and Politicized Christianity
The Fourth Century: A Turning Point
Zoroaster and Manichaeism
The Christian Genealogical Approach
From the Early Fifth to Early Seventh Century
The Crusade
Book 2
Chapter 7: Zoroaster in the Middle Ages: Platonic Correlation
Byzantium
Zoroaster in Greek Scholarship: Pagan vs. Christian
Philosophy and Christianity
Plato and Christians
Christians’ Adoption of Plato
Reaction to Philosophy and Platonism
The Gnostic Challenge
The Neoplatonists’ Challenge
Reaction to Julian
Church Councils
Platonic Challenge
The Latin West
Zoroaster in Latin Scholarship: Pagan vs. Christian
Plato and Latin Christians
Classical Scholarship in the Latin West
Plato and the Latin West
Plato and Aristole
Plato’s Resurgence
Chapter 8: Zoroaster and Renaissance Humanists: I, Zoroaster, ‘Zoroaster Oracles’, and Plato
George Gemistos Plethon
Zoroaster and Plato in Plethon
Plethon and ‘Zoroaster Oracles’
Chapter 9: Zoroaster and Renaissance Humanists:, II Zoroaster and ‘Zoroaster Oracles’ in Italy
Plethon and the Italian Humanists
The Medici and Zoroaster
Ficino and ‘Zoroaster Oracles’
Pico Della Mirandola and ‘Zoroaster Oracles’
Zoroaster and ‘Zoroaster Oracles’ in the Works of Other Italians
Chapter 10: Zoroaster and Renaissance Humanists: III, Zoroaster and ‘Zoroaster Oracles’ Outside of Italy
France
Germany
England
Chapter 11: The ‘Historic’ Zoroaster and His Religion
The Revival of Interest in the ‘Historic’ Zoroaster
The Expansion of Oriental Studies in Europe
Zoroaster in the Accounts of European Travelers in the East
Zoroaster and Post-Reformation Religious Controversies
Chapter 12: Zoroaster in the Age of Reason
Zoroaster at an Ideological Crossroad
Zoroaster and Natural Religion
The Philosophes’ Zoroaster and Christianity
Zoroaster in the Popular Image
Zoroaster Anquetil Duperron
Anquetil and the Philosophes
Chapter 13: Summary, Conclusion, A Glance Forward at Zoroaster’s Reception in the Nineteenth Century
Bibliography
Index