Mazdakism (

Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...

: مزدکیه) was an

Iranian Iranian () may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Iran ** Iranian diaspora, Iranians living outside Iran ** Iranian architecture, architecture of Iran and parts of the rest of West Asia ** Iranian cuisine, cooking traditions and practic ...

religion, which was an offshoot of

Zoroastrianism Zoroastrianism ( ), also called Mazdayasnā () or Beh-dīn (), is an Iranian religions, Iranian religion centred on the Avesta and the teachings of Zoroaster, Zarathushtra Spitama, who is more commonly referred to by the Greek translation, ...

. The religion was founded in the early

Sasanian Empire The Sasanian Empire (), officially Eranshahr ( , "Empire of the Iranian peoples, Iranians"), was an List of monarchs of Iran, Iranian empire that was founded and ruled by the House of Sasan from 224 to 651. Enduring for over four centuries, th ...

Zaradust-e Khuragen Zaradust-e Khuragen ( Persian: زرتشت خورگان) was the leader of a branch of Zoroastrianism called Dorostdini and teacher of Mazdak,Esposito, John L. (2003). "Mazdakism". The Oxford Dictionary of Islam. New York: Oxford University Press ...

, a Zoroastrian

mobad A mobed, mowbed, or mobad (Middle Persian: 𐭬𐭢𐭥𐭯𐭲) is a Zoroastrian cleric of a particular rank. Unlike a '' herbad'' (''ervad''), a ''mobed'' is qualified to serve as celebrant priest at the Yasna ceremony and other higher liturgi ...

who was a contemporary of

Mani Mani may refer to: People * Mani (name), (), a given name and surname (including a list of people with the name) ** Mani (prophet) (c. 216–274), a 3rd century Iranian prophet who founded Manichaeism ** Mani (musician) (born 1962), an English ...

(d. 274). However, it is named after its most prominent advocate,

Mazdak Mazdak (, Middle Persian: 𐭬𐭦𐭣𐭪, also Mazdak the Younger; died c. 524 or 528) was an Iranian Zoroastrian '' mobad'' (priest) and religious reformer who gained influence during the reign of the Sasanian emperor Kavadh I. He claimed to ...

, who was a powerful and controversial figure during the reign of Emperor

Kavad I Kavad I ( ; 473 – 13 September 531) was the Sasanian King of Kings of Iran from 488 to 531, with a two or three-year interruption. A son of Peroz I (), he was crowned by the nobles to replace his deposed and unpopular uncle Balash (). Inheri ...

(), until he was killed by Emperor

Khusrau I Khosrow I (also spelled Khosrau, Khusro or Chosroes; ), traditionally known by his epithet of Anushirvan ("the Immortal Soul"), was the Sasanian King of Kings of Iran from 531 to 579. He was the son and successor of Kavad I (). Inheriting a rei ...

().

Theology

Mazdakism was a dualistic religion that emerged from Zoroastrian thought, teaching about principles of light and darkness, the mixture of which were said to have created the world. Mazdakites believed it was their duty to defeat the darkness and evil in the world. Zaradust and Mazdak may have been influenced by

Manichaeanism Manichaeism (; in ; ) is an endangered former major world religion currently only practiced in China around Cao'an,R. van den Broek, Wouter J. Hanegraaff ''Gnosis and Hermeticism from Antiquity to Modern Times''. SUNY Press, 1998 p. 37 found ...

Gnosticism Gnosticism (from Ancient Greek language, Ancient Greek: , Romanization of Ancient Greek, romanized: ''gnōstikós'', Koine Greek: Help:IPA/Greek, �nostiˈkos 'having knowledge') is a collection of religious ideas and systems that coalesced ...

, or

Platonism Platonism is the philosophy of Plato and philosophical systems closely derived from it, though contemporary Platonists do not necessarily accept all doctrines of Plato. Platonism has had a profound effect on Western thought. At the most fundam ...

; however, unlike many Manichaean or Gnostic sects, they eschewed asceticism and did not teach that the world or matter were evil or needed to be renounced.

Ethics

Mazdakism opposed war, and also opposed the eating of meat, except for potentially when an animal was already nearing its death of natural causes. During the period in which Kavad II was influenced by Zaradust's ideas, he tried to refrain from war and was lenient to his subjects, even enemies. However, Mazdak's followers did believe that it was permissible to use violence when in revolt against their enemies. The movement also believed in the holding of all things in common to reduce greed. This extended not just to property, but also to the communal sharing of women. Historical accounts differ on whether this belief amounted an intent to entirely abolish private property and marriage, or whether Mazdak simply intended to redistribute property from the wealthy to the poor and end the practice of

polygamy Polygamy (from Late Greek , "state of marriage to many spouses") is the practice of marriage, marrying multiple spouses. When a man is married to more than one wife at the same time, it is called polygyny. When a woman is married to more tha ...

Citations

Cited sources

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General sources

* * * * {{Sasanian-stub Iranian religions Religion in Iran Religion in the Sasanian Empire Religions that require vegetarianism Zoroastrianism Zoroastrianism sects