Persian religions
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Several important religions and religious movements originated in Central Asia and the Caucasus:
- Mithraism, with the proto-Indo-Iranian Mithra as its deity, was popular in pre-Zoroastrian times.
- Zoroastrism and Mazdaism, founded c. 1000 BCE, played an important role during the Median, Achaemenid and Parthian eras, and was the state religion of Sassanid Persia.
- Mandaeanism, a gnostic religion thought to have been founded in the 1st century CE.
- Zurvanism, a strain of Zoroastrianism that was popular during the Sassanid era (3rd - 7th century CE).
- Manichaeism, a gnostic religion founded in the 3rd century CE that may have been influenced by Mandaeanism.
- Mazdakism, a socialist philosophy that gained influence during the late 5th century.
- Yarsan, a religious order of Yazdanism, believed to have been founded in the 16th century.
- Bábísm, a mid-19th century religion that was a predecessor of the Bahá'í Faith
- Bahá'í Faith, an emerging religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh, a 19th century Persian exile.
- Persian Mysticism, a traditional interpretation of existence, life and love with Perso-Islamic Sufism as its practical aspect.
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