Latest / The Story of Armenia: Survival Through Empires and Genocide — Fexingo History / The Zoroastrian Legacy of Armenia Before Christianity
Transcript
- Lucas: So, we've talked a lot about Armenia's Christian identity — Vardan Mamikonian, the alphabet, the whole story. But what a lot of people don't realize is that Armenia was deeply Zoroastrian for centuries before that. Luna: Wait, really? I thought Zoroastrianism was mostly a Persian thing. Lucas: It was, but Armenia was right next door and heavily influenced. Under the Achaemenid Empire, Armenia was a satrapy — a province — and the Persian religion seeped in. The Armenian nobility adopted Zoroastrian elements, especially the idea of 'farr' — that divine glory that legitimized a king. Luna: So they had their own version of it? Lucas: Exactly. Armenian Zoroastrianism wasn't a carbon copy. They kept their own gods like Mihr, Anahit, and Vahagn, but syncretized them with Zoroastrian ones. Mihr is Mithra, Anahit is Ardvi Sura Anahita, Vahagn is Verethragna. The fire temples were everywhere. And the temple of Garni — that beautiful Hellenistic building that still stands — was actually dedicated to Mihr. Luna: Garni, the one with the columns, like a Greek temple? Lucas: That's the one. It was built in the first century AD by King Tiridates I, who was a Zoroastrian. He actually traveled to Rome to be crowned by Nero, but he insisted on performing Zoroastrian rituals during the ceremony. He brought magi with him. The Romans were like, 'Okay, weird, but fine.' And that's the thing — Armenian kings used Zoroastrianism to assert their own identity, separate from both Rome and Parthia. Luna: So it was a political tool as well? Luna: Like an eternal flame? Lucas: Exactly. And when Christianity came, that was a huge clash. The first Christian king, Tiridates III, actually started out as a Zoroastrian. He persecuted Christians before converting. But once he converted, he ordered the destruction of many fire temples. Still, Zoroastrian practices lingered for centuries in folk traditions — like jumping over fires on the feast of Candlemas, which is basically a Zoroastrian purification ritual. Luna: So there are traces of it even today? Lucas: Absolutely. Even the word 'Ashot' — a common Armenian name — comes from the Persian 'Ardashir', meaning 'righteous ruler', a Zoroastrian concept. And the way Armenians venerate saints sometimes mirrors how they used to honor their yazatas — the Zoroastrian divine beings. It's not obvious, but it's there. Luna: That's fascinating. I never thought of Armenia having a pre-Christian identity that strong. Lucas: And that's exactly why it's worth exploring. The story of Armenia isn't just about surviving empires — it's about absorbing and transforming ideas. Zoroastrianism gave them a framework for kingship, ethics, and even cosmology. When Christianity arrived, it didn't erase everything — it built on the foundations. Luna: So what happened to the Zoroastrian community after Christianity became state religion? Lucas: Good question. Some nobles clung to it for a while, especially in the eastern regions like Siunik and Artsakh. But over time, the church suppressed it. By the 5th century, most Armenians were Christian. However, Zoroastrianism didn't disappear entirely — it went underground, mixing with folk religion. You can see it in the veneration of fire, in certain wedding rituals, even in the way people ward off the evil eye. Luna: So it's like a hidden layer of Armenian culture. Lucas: Exactly. And it's a layer that historians are still uncovering. One of the most fascinating sources is the 'History of the Armenians' by Movses Khorenatsi — the 5th-century historian we've mentioned before. He actually preserves a lot of Zoroastrian lore, like the story of King Tigran and the dragon, which is clearly derived from the Zoroastrian myth of the dragon slayer. Luna: Wait, Tigran the Great? Or a different one? Lucas: No, an earlier mythical king. Khorenatsi weaves together Zoroastrian and biblical stories to create a national epic. So even the written Armenian tradition is partly Zoroastrian. And then there are the archaeological remains — fire altars carved into rocks, like the one at the site of Agarak in the south. Luna: I'd love to see that. Lucas: It's remarkable. But you know, this deep history is something we try to bring to life in every episode. And it's possible because people support the show directly. We deliberately don't run ads — no commercial breaks, no sponsors pushing products. If you value that kind of independent history, you can help keep it going at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Just a simple way to say this matters. Luna: Yeah, it's a small gesture that makes a big difference for us. Lucas: Absolutely. So back to the Zoroastrian influence — one of the most interesting bits is the Armenian calendar. Before Christianity, the Armenians had a calendar with months named after Zoroastrian deities, like 'Mehekan' after Mihr, 'Ahekan' after the fire god. When Christianity came, they renamed them, but the old names survived in rural areas for centuries. Luna: So they literally had a month called 'Mihr-month'? Lucas: Yes. And the New Year, 'Navasard', was originally a Zoroastrian festival. To this day, some Armenians celebrate the grape blessing on the feast of the Assumption, but that date corresponds to the ancient festival of Anahit, the goddess of fertility. So it's all layered. Luna: It sounds like a palimpsest — you can see the old text underneath. Lucas: Exactly. And that's what makes Armenian history so rich. So next time you see a khachkar or hear a folk song, remember there might be a Zoroastrian echo in there. Luna: I'll definitely listen differently now.