Mazdak

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

He was the main representative of set of religious and philiosopical teachings called Mazdakism, which are seen as a reformed version of Zoroastrianism.[1][2] Some people have argued, his teachings show influences from Manichaeism as well.[1] Zoroastrianism was the dominant religion of Sassanid Persia. Mazdak was a Zoroastrian priest. Most of the Zoroastrian clergy regarded his teaching as a heresy.

There is very little information about Mazdakism. The teaching of Khurramism developed from Mazdakism and can be used to tell certain details about Mazdakism.[3]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Yarshater, Ehsan. 1983. The Cambridge history of Iran, volume 2. p.995-997
  2. ↑ 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.
  3. ↑ Yarshater, Ehsan. The Cambridge history of Iran, volume 2.