Zoroaster
Zoroaster,the Greek form of Zarathustra, the founder of the Magian system of religion, probably a historical personage who has become the subject of legends; a Persian who is believed to have lived in the 6th cent. BC during the reigns of Cyrus, Cambyses, and Darius.
The Zoroastrian religion was founded on the old Aryan folk religion, but the polytheistic character of the latter was completely changed. The essential feature of Zoroastrianism is the existence of two predominant spirits: Ahura-Mazda (Ormazd) the wise one, the spirit of light and good; and Ahriman, the spirit of evil and darkness. The conflict between these two is waged in this world, and centres in man, created a free agent by Ormazd . (See also Nietzsche .)
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