History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

CHAP, III.] BIRTH OF ZOROASTER. 147

226. In the reign of this monarch great efforts were made to restore its primitive purity, according to the doctrines propounded by Zoroaster. The king himself was a person of great piety and religious enthusiasm. He collected the sacred books of the Parsis and caused them to be translated into Pehlevi, the language then current in Persia, built fire-temples for the worship of God, and restored the ancient religion of Persia to its pure and original state. This reformation by Ardeshir Babekan endured during four hundred and sixteen years, that is, until the religion and monarchy of Persia were overthrown by the Arab invaders in the year 651, at the battle of Nahavand, when Khalif Omar destroyed most of the religious books.

There is some dispute, even now, among the Parsis as to the exact date of the birth of Zoroaster. European authors do not facilitate inquiry, for they too are in doubt as to which of the six philosophers who bore, at different times, the name of Zoroaster should be selected as the lawgiver of the Parsis. One is described as a Chaldean or Assyrian, another as a Bactrian, a third as a Pamphylian, a fourth ay an Armenian, a fifth as a Median, and a sixth as a Persian.

Of all these the one who is specially recognised as the lawgiver of the Parsis was born at Rae in Media and flourished in Bactria, and we propose to give here a brief sketch of his life. As to the date of his birth,