An Alternate Theory of the History of Christianity
Ardashir creates the Persian State Zorastianism Religion c.223 CE Constantine creates the Roman State Christian Religion c.324 CE
Web Publication by Mountain Man Graphics, Australia

"Religion is regarded
by the common people as true,
by the wise as false,
and by the ruler as useful"

---- Seneca the Younger

Introduction

The following article consists of three sections:

		(1) Ardashir creates Zoroastrianism (c.225 CE)

		(2) Constantine creates Christianity (c.325 CE)

		(3) Original Notes - Cambridge Ancient History, Volume XII
                             The Imperial Crisis and Recovery (193 to 324 CE)
                             Chapter 5: SASSANID PERSIA
                             The Sassanian Empire: Political History


The text for (1) is a rearrangment of (3).

The text for (2) compares the acts of Constantine a century later.

(1) Ardashir creates Zoroastrianism (c.224 CE)

In the third century the Persian "King of Kings"
Ardashir created a new State monotheistic religion
which he actively promoted, organized, supported and
protected, by legislation. He guaranteed its orthodoxy
by the sword. It was characterised by a strong
centralised power structure, centered on the King and
his appointed Magi (ie: academic temple priests, and
their chiefs)

A gifted researcher and high cleric of this religion
in the tradition named Tansar was ordered to gather
the scattered "Avesta" of the Mazdeans from ancient
sources, and to edit these in order to reproduce an
authorised and canonical version of the "Avesta",
the holy writ of Zoroastrianism. Finally the Sassanid
state monotheistic church was characterised by widespread
architectural replication of square fire-temples for
the official religion throughout the major cities and
provinces of the Sassanid Persian empire. This was a
novel step.

Epigraphic and monumental evidence suggests the pre-
existence of the earlier religion of the Mazdeans in
the epoch of the Parthian civilisation.

(2) Constantine creates Christianity (c.325 CE)

In the fourth century the Roman emperor Constantine
created a State monotheistic religion which he
actively promoted, organized, supported and protected,
by legislation and by the army. He guaranteed its
orthodoxy by the sword. It was characterised by a
strong centralised power structure, centered on the
emperor (, his army) and his appointed bishops.

A gifted researcher and high cleric of this religion
Eusebius Pamphilus of Caesarea was ordered to gather
the scattered books of both the Hebrews and the
Christians from ancient sources, and to edit these in
order to reproduce an authorised and canonical
version. A history of the new state religion prior to
the age of Constantine is now known to have been
assembled by Eusebius during the years 312 to 324 CE.

Finally the state church was characterised by the
widespread architectural replication of basilicas
throughout the major cities and provinces of the
empire. All these were by no means novel steps
as should be clear from the above.

Cambridge Ancient History
Volume XII
The Imperial Crisis and Recovery (193 to 324 CE)
Chapter 5: SASSANID PERSIA
The Sassanian Empire: Political History

p.109


208 Ardashir (described as a rebel) becomes king of Persis
"[his brother] Shapur having dies suddenly in consequence
of an accident, if the tradition may be trusted.

224  Ardashir defeats the (other) King Artabanus V
226  Ardashir crowned "King of Kings" (Shahansha) of Iran.

What differentiated the new Empire and State
from that of the Parthians was:

(1) STRONG CENTRALISATION: "substituted a unified State for a loose
    congeries of vassal kingdoms.

The empire was divided into cantons, the dimensions
of which were based on military considerations.
These cantons were designed to resist the influence
of hereditary interests and feudal rivalries.
Local governors who descended from the ruling family
bore the title of shah - "no more than high officials
in the Great King's service".

(2) Creation of an Official State Church
resting on Mazdean (Zoroastrian) doctrine,
which had been for centuries to common faith of the people
and which he Partian Kings had followed with zeal
that grew as iranism prevailed over hellenism.

It was an innovation.

The church was a powerful and distinctive element in
the civilisation of the Sassanian period.

(3) The Documents of the New State Religion
============================================
The "Avesta" was the holy writ of Zoroastrianism

"According to the Zoroastrian tradition Ardashir I
caused a high cleric official Tansar, his chief helper
in the task of organising the Mazdean church,
to have the scattered texts of the Parthian "Avesta" collected
and to produce a new edition of it
which was authorised and made canonical."



from p.120
(4) The STATE RELIGION and COINS
=====================================

Essentially fire worship of an ancient (Vedic) kind (tripods).
COINS show ......

Ardashir depicts a fire burining upon a tripod.
Later kings: fire on an altar in the form of a column
and without a tripod, flanked by two men holding in their
hands some rod-like object.

Running around the obverse of Sassanian coins
is frequently found the legend:
The Fire of XXXX (where XXX is the ruler).



p.121.
INTERESTING

The brother of Shapur I -- Peroz (Shah)
"the worshipper of Mazdah" featuring
the image of Buddha, bear striking
testimony to a peaceful rapprochement
between the two religions.





from p.120
(5) The STATE RELIGION and the TEMPLES
=======================================

There were house-fires, village-fires and provincial-fires.
Mithra is associated with the dedications (p.120)


"Each of the great temples ... which were established in the provinces,
had a considerable body of priests under the direction of 'a mobadh'
(ie: Magus of the Magi) to serve it.  "Ehrbadhs" KEPT WATCH OVER
the ceremonies of divine worship, assisted by lower clergy,
each of whom had his special task.

Many inscriptions attest to the institution of buring FIRES
for the souls of princes and other great personages.
(eg: the major temple in Anahita at Stakhr.



The Mazdean FIRE-TEMPLES were distinctive:

The fire-temples conform to one type:
a square building, surmounted by a cupola,
within which thw sacred fire was kept burning
upon an altar in a room that remained completely dark,
so that it could not be touched by the light of the sun.
[Herzfeld, Arch. Hist of Iran, p.88]







Brief TIMELINE
===============

241 CE Ardashir dies
242 CE Shapur I crowned
252    Shapur takes Armenia from Rome
       Cappadocia and Syria ?
       Antioch sacked?
256/7  fall of Dura Europos

260 CE Emperor Valerian captured by Shapur

       * PIC1 =  Rock-face relief at Naqsh-e Rustam of Shapur (on horseback) with Philip the Arab and (perhaps) Emperor Valerian.
       * PIC2 =  The Emperor's Dam or bridge (Band-e-Kaisar) near Shoshtar (near Gundeshapur) built by Romans.

272 Shapur I dies
272 Hormizd I
273 Vahram I (273-276) brother, abandoned Mani to the Mazdean clergy
276 Vahram II (son of above) to 293 CE







p.114

ORGANISATION and ADMINISTRATION of the SASSANIAN STATE
======================================================

The Parthian derived fuedal structure had four classes:

1) The clergy  (ie: the priesthood of the Mazdean/Zoroastrian religion, the magi)

2) The warriors (ie: the army)

3) The Bureacrats (ie: the secretaries)

4) The Commons  ----- the peasants, the artisans, the workmen.





p.117

SOCIAL and ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
===================================

The Avesta glorifies agriculture as the best form of livelihood:
by working the land man assures himself of all kinds of divine rewards.


He was thus ---- tied to the soil,
                 bound to furnish statutory labor,
                 to serve as a foot soldier in times of war
in addition he was liable both to --- a personal (POLL) tax
                                      and a land tax.


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