[alloysteel]

The Farsi, descendents of the people of the empire of Alexander the Great, have always been aloof from the Arabs, whom they considered to be a scruffy and only semi-civilized people, reduced to nomadic desert living at a subsistence level. They had their own highly developed religious traditions, among which were Mithraism and Zoroastrianism, and simply grafted parts of these religions onto the Arabic version of Islam, to create their own unique interpretation. Makes the Arabs nuts.

[powderhorn]

They had their own highly developed religious traditions, among which were Mithraism and Zoroastrianism, and simply grafted parts of these religions onto the Arabic version of Islam, to create their own unique interpretation. Makes the Arabs nuts.

Will Durant, in CAESAR AND CHRIST says pretty much the same about the development of the early Christian religion. Pagan Mithraism and Zoroastrianism gave something to the otherwise more powerful cultures: The pagans had poetry in their religion, Jews and Christians had a sense of purpose in their religion. The combination of poetry and purpose established both mighty and compelling roots to grow from.