Introduction
It is hard to disagree that different states and people have always been affecting each other’s cultural norms and views, faith and spiritual practices, and the general course of development. Dating back to the fifth century BCE, the Persians are now the majority of the population in Iran. The history of this ethnic group is quite rich, and the impressive events that affected it shaped the development of Persian culture and religious views. To understand whether it is possible to evangelize the selected target group, it is essential to describe its history, provide an overview of the Persian culture, and discuss its previous and current religious traditions.
History of the Ethnic Group
To begin with, it is essential to provide an overview of the key events that have shaped Persian history. Notably, Olmstead indicates that the majority of the knowledge modern researchers have about this ethnic group is derived from the works of Herodotus, an ancient Greek historian who lived in the fifth century BCE. According to Kordas et al., the origins of the Persians date back to approximately 2000 BCE, when the Near East witnessed the arrival of nomadic Indo-Europeans. Those who settled in the territory of modern Iran, including the southern Zagros Mountains, were predominantly pastoralists and led migratory lives.
Kordas et al. also write that the Persians shared territory and multiple cultural traits with the Medes, who conquered the ethnic group in the seventh century BCE. About a century later, in 550 BCE, Cyrus II reorganized the Persian state’s military structure, led the Median troops in a revolt, and extended the Persian Empire, making it powerful and free. By 525 BCE, Egypt, Syria, Mesopotamia, Judah, and Phoenicia were conquered and incorporated by the Persians.
It is essential to note that showing respect for the religions, traditions, and cultures of the peoples the Empire defeated enabled its emperors, especially Cambyses II, to earn their trust and support. Kordas et al. write that in 522 BCE, due to circumstances that modern historians are unsure about, the Persian Empire came under the control of Darius, who was probably not even of royal descent.
Olmstead and other researchers consider Darius I to be the most powerful, influential, and famous Persian leader. After ascending the throne, he reorganized the empire by dividing it into twenty satrapies – locally governed districts. To strengthen his authority and ensure that his semiautonomous provinces remained loyal, Darius I created highly effective communication networks for sending and receiving letters, keeping the Persian heartland and other cities connected. Further, the emperor dedicated time and resources to constructing palaces and other buildings and to developing infrastructure.
Therefore, due to the efforts and skilled leadership of the mentioned emperors, the Persian Empire flourished and became the strongest and most influential among other contemporary states. At the same time, not everyone was ready to submit to the Persians, and the Greek cities on the western coast of Asia Minor were determined to maintain their autonomy. According to researchers, “a revolt there in 499–494 BC was followed by Persian invasions of the Greek mainland in 492, 490, and 480–479 BC.” However, the united forces of Sparta, Athens, and other states defeated the Persians, which most likely marked the beginning of the empire’s decline.
This unsuccessful invasion of Greece was led by Darius’s son Xerxes I. This emperor was the last to ascend the throne of the almighty state because, after his reign, subsequent rulers only sought to restore the empire to its former glory. Persia’s subject territories faced increased taxation due to severe financial losses. These attempts to restore the empire’s power and greatness continued until 330 BCE, when Greece grew strong and decided to invade Persia, achieving success.
Overall, one should note that numerous factors led to the fall of the mighty empire, including a lack of proper skills among its last rulers. Kordas et al. note that over the following centuries, Persia experienced various events and processes of further reorganization. Still, in the seventh century CE, it was conquered by Muslims, which led to the decline of Zoroastrianism. In the 1930s, to mark the beginning of new paths and developments for the state, its ruler, Reza Shah Pahlavi, renamed Persia to Iran.
Culture of the Ethnic Group
Further, it is informative to explore the cultural aspects and concepts of the selected ethnic group to shed light on its primary characteristics. As mentioned earlier in the paper, the first several rulers of Persia highly valued the art and traditions of the states they had conquered, thereby allowing them to maintain their cultural heritage and identity. Therefore, the culture of the Persians was, to some extent, influenced by the peoples included in the empire, which made it rich and diverse.
Before discussing the modern culture of the ethnic group, it is essential to explore the artistic part of its life centuries ago. According to Lincoln, the Persians were engaged in various art forms, such as architecture, calligraphy, weaving, carving, rock, and metalwork. When the empire conquered, yet another artistic center of ancient civilization, the Persians adopted new art styles or changed their own in response to the influence of these states. It was common among early Persians to carve rock reliefs into cliffs. This was done to honor their rulers, tell stories about heroic and influential events and battle victories, and ensure that society was impacted by the impressive large creations, further strengthening the leaders’ influence.
Their metalwork was also of high quality, and in the 1870s, multiple silver and gold artifacts were discovered in modern Tajikistan, where the Persians had lived centuries earlier. Lincoln writes that these artifacts included bracelets, coins, and a small golden chariot, and that a griffon motif was popular among them because it was the symbol of Persepolis, the capital city and heartland of Persia. Nowadays, many such artifacts are exhibited at the British Museum.
These art elements impacted the modern artistic expressions of the Persians, who now compose the majority of the population in Iran. As Brosius indicates, Persian carpet weaving, which remains popular among tourists and locals and is admired by other cultures, can be traced back to nomadic tribes. The ancient Greeks also celebrated the beauty of these hand-woven rugs, with their bright colors and detailed designs. Different animals and historical events could be depicted on these carpets, making them an integral part of both ancient and modern Persian culture.
Regarding other cultural aspects, the official language of Persia, now called Iran, is Persian, known as Farsi. Researchers like Browne indicate that it has undergone three historical stages of development, beginning from the old, then the middle, and now the modern Persian language. Due to the empire conquering other states and being influenced by their cultures, and also because more powerful peoples successfully conquered the Persians, their language changed over the course of its development, but maintained its prominence. The impact of the Arabic writing is most evident in it because of the Muslim or Arab conquest of Persia.
Eventually, it is also essential to mention how culture is shaped nowadays in Iran, considering that many Persians are not Muslims and try to integrate their faith into daily lives. As Niechciał explains, the Zoroastrians of Iran use their calendric time as a key concept in their group identity, especially when facing Muslim domination. Thus, although the calendar is associated with a specific religion and enables appropriate participation in various rituals, it has become a significant cultural artifact of the Persians and now promotes their values and ideals.
Religion of the Ethnic Group
The last subtopic to discuss regarding the Persians is their religion. As mentioned above, Kordas et al. state that Persia was quite tolerant of the religious expressions of the peoples it conquered. Hence, the faith that the majority of ancient Persians promoted both influenced other states and was influenced by earlier traditions or contemporary sacred teachings. What is more, specific historical events have led to a shift in the faith of modern Persians living in Iran and other states.
Centuries ago, before the Muslim invasion of Persia, this ethnic group practiced Zoroastrianism. Zarathustra, also known as Zoroaster, founded it, and it is believed that he “lived at some point between 1400 and 900 BCE and was almost certainly a Persian priest, prophet, or both.” While dualistic in nature, the faith still promoted a monotheistic ontology, meaning that among various deities, it was necessary to worship only one God.
Initially, these deities included both more heavenly and terrestrial gods, and the religious practices were in many ways similar to the rituals of Indo-European speakers who held the Vedic traditions. According to Kordas et al., “ceremonies included various rituals similar to those of other polytheistic religions, such as the sacrifice of animals on outdoor altars.” Olmstead writes that later, two personified forces appeared in this faith: the wise and good Ahura Mazda and the evil and destructive Angra Mainyu. As Shehu mentioned, Zoroastrians emphasized the perpetual conflict between these just and unjust forces, believing the world was created good but later corrupted by Angra Mainyu and other evil spirits. It was also predicted that, at some point in the future, Ahura Mazda would win the battle, and all the Persians would face judgment for their good and bad deeds.
Despite the colossal impact of this religious tradition, the Muslims managed to spread their Islamic teachings after invading Persia. This process of Islamization, which began in the seventh century CE, lasted for centuries because the Persians initially rejected this faith. Notably, although the Persian population did not entirely accept the spread of Islamic spiritual practices and views, the impact was not entirely negative.
The Arabs improved other fields and disciplines, such as literature and politics, through Islam. It is also critical to indicate that the Muslims never tried to eliminate any expression of Zoroastrianism, even though Islam was viewed as the dominant faith. Those Persians who wanted to remain Zoroastrians had this right, but the religious tradition still faced significant decline, eventually becoming one of the least followed.
Nowadays, almost all Persians living in Iran follow the teachings of Shīʿite Islam or other branches of this spiritual tradition. Niechciał states that there are also modern Zoroastrians who do their best to maintain their self-identity and promote the values, ideals, and views of the faith that their ancestors followed. Additionally, Christianity is also officially recognized and allowed in modern Iran, so there are some followers of this religion among the Persians.
Conclusion
To conclude, the research shows that the Persians have also been a powerful and proud people. Their rulers respected the traditions, cultures, and religious views of the states they conquered, which also shaped the development of this ethnic group’s characteristics. Certain historical events led to the Persians being subjected to Muslim rule, which affected their culture and faith. However, this ethnic group, now living in Iran, managed to maintain significant aspects of its culture, including language and self-identity. These topics and concepts have to be considered before trying to evangelize the target group.
Bibliography
Brosius, Maria. 2020. A History of Ancient Persia: The Achaemenid Empire. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.
Browne, Edward Granville. 2020. A Literary History of Persia: Modern Times (1500-1924). London: Routledge.
The Getty Center. n.d. “Persia.”
History.com. 2023. “Persian Empire.”
Kordas, Ann, Ryan J. Lynch, Brooke Nelson, and Julie Tatlock. 2023. World History, Volume 1: to 1500. OpenStax.
Lincoln, Bruce. 2021. Religion, Culture, and Politics in Pre-Islamic Iran: Collected Essays. Leiden: BRILL.
Niechciał, Pauline. 2019. “Calendar as an Identity Marker of the Zoroastrian Community in Iran.” Iran and the Caucasus23, no. 1 (Winter): 35-49.
Olmstead, Albert T. 2022. History of the Persian Empire. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Shehu, Fatmir. 2020. “Revisiting the Ancient Persian Religion of Zoroastrianism: Its Founder and Sacred Scripture.” Journal of Islamic Sciences and Comparative Studies 4, no. 1 (Winter): 5-23.