Mazdak (died 524 or 528) was a Persian reformer and religious activist. He became influential under the reign of the Sassanian Shahanshah Kavadh I. He claimed to be a prophet of God, and started communal possessions and social welfare programs.
Mazdakism[change | change source]
He was the main representative of set of religious and philiosopical teachings called Mazdakism, which are seen as a reformed version of Zoroastrianism. Some people have argued, his teachings show influences from Manichaeism as well. Zoroastrianism was the dominant religion of Sassanid Persia. Mazdak was a Zoroastrian priest. Most of the Zoroastrian clergy regarded his teaching as a heresy.
References[change | change source]
- Yarshater, Ehsan. 1983. The Cambridge history of Iran, volume 2. p.995-997
- Shaki, Mansour. 1985. The cosmogonical and cosmological teachings of Mazdak. Papers in Honour of Professor Mary Boyce, Acta Iranica 25, Leiden, 1985, pp. 527-43.
- Yarshater, Ehsan. The Cambridge history of Iran, volume 2.