Morty Vicar
Banned
WI The Roman Empire adopted Zoroastrianism instead of Christianity as a State Religion?
WI The Roman Empire adopted Zoroastrianism instead of Christianity?
- Thread starter Morty Vicar
- Start date
You'll first need zoroastrian minority worth of mention within the Roman Empire.
Then that Sassanids aren't a threat anymore and probably don't exist at all.
And that Zoroastrian change radically their uses and allow exogamy.
So, it would necessit a POD earlier than Roman Empire (the more close would be in the -600's), and of course earlier than 300's, in a way that would likely butterfly away Christianity, and Rome as we know it.
Then that Sassanids aren't a threat anymore and probably don't exist at all.
And that Zoroastrian change radically their uses and allow exogamy.
So, it would necessit a POD earlier than Roman Empire (the more close would be in the -600's), and of course earlier than 300's, in a way that would likely butterfly away Christianity, and Rome as we know it.
That's not possible, I believe. Firstly, it took a hell of a lot to get Christianity to become entrenched in Roman life, and that wasn't the religion of the Empire's greatest enemy. In the traditional Roman religion, the Emperor was ensconced as a god, in Christianity as the "Equal to the Apostles," while in Zoroastrianism, that role of the leader of the religion would always be contested with the Sassanids.
Christianity itself rising was really a fluke. Zoroastrianism rising would be madness.
Morty Vicar
Banned
Okay scratch that, new question:
WI The Roman Empire adopted Judaism instead of Christianity?
I was actually going to add this as a sub question, but then changed my mind.
WI The Roman Empire adopted Judaism instead of Christianity?
I was actually going to add this as a sub question, but then changed my mind.
It would need that Jews made mass converted, adress themselves far more to "Gentiles from the door" (non-Jews present in jewish prayers), split from Shanderin and adapt themselves to greco-roman uses by adopting the classical philosophy into their dogmas and rejecting the more annoying issues as circumcision and taboo in food.
Wait a minute...
That would require a precedent for proselytism in the Jews, which wasn't really active. Dietary restrictions are probably going to be gotten rid of too, as well as circumcision, all of which served to isolate the Jewish people from foreign culture, and to provide them with their own culture that could not blend with others.
The main problem regarding Mithra isn't really the oriental origin, it's that is a deity that is for soldiers.
For a state's religion you need something more worshipped, by all social classes.
I think that the better candidate would be manicheism. It was relativly popular, and if it's not Christianism to fight it, it would be a serious option.
If not, maybe a reduced polytheism around Sol Invictus, but even there i'm not really conviced regarding the militar indentity of the cult.
Morty Vicar
Banned
Last try 
how about Hinduism, initially taken from India via the Macedonian empire, develops along the lines of Hellenistic Judaism
how about Hinduism, initially taken from India via the Macedonian empire, develops along the lines of Hellenistic JudaismLast try
Err...No.
Defenitly not adapted to greek culture, a fortiori roman one. Unless you drastically change everything in hinduism at the point that is no longer hinduism.
While we're here, i would think the same about taoïsm, atenism, babayagism, shinto, or pre-islamic arab cults.
Again, if you search some serious candidate, there's manicheism.
Imperial Cult didn't have a real grasp on the population, it was mainly for loyal legions and urban elites.
The Imperial Cult was really just a supplement to the traditional religion.
Morty Vicar
Banned
Are there equivalents to the ten Commandments in Mancheism? Also according to Muslim documents, Mani was crucified (not in the nailed-to-the-cross way that Jesus allegedly was but rather cut in half and hung on a gate) maybe the gate would be used in later european flags..
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Manicheism is a syncretism of all big oriental religions. So, it's not really about texts, but more about a moral revelation. But you have indeed the "10 commendments of Mani" : four prayers corresponding to sun evolution, imposed charity, alimentary taboo, reincarnation and social dualism between "adepts" (more free but inferiors) and "Chosen" superior but having more duties and rites to respect.
The Manicheist more known symbol is the black and white, the opposition between light and darkness. You have a cross symbol in reference to Jesus, but gate wouldn't be revered.
Indeed, the passage of Mani into a better level would signify that his carnal presence including gate and death would have little importance and even to be rejected as a part of "evil world".
Manicheism would be, and have been, seriously argued, and object of philosophical study as Christianism in OTL. After all, St Augustine was a manicheist before his reconverstion to Christianism.
Morty Vicar
Banned
I'd be interested to develop a basic TL from this, or at least an idea of how European society may differ. I would imagine the Crusades still took place, the Holy Land also being holy to Manicheists (right?) and thus the basis for pan-european 'christendom' euqivalent. Would there be a great schism, or indeed reformation? Inquisition, witch hunting, supression of science?
SOL INVICTVS instead of christianity
I think the only cult that had a real chance to replace the role of OTLs christianity was the one of Sol invictus. Most important, like christianity it had the backing of an emperor.
I think the only cult that had a real chance to replace the role of OTLs christianity was the one of Sol invictus. Most important, like christianity it had the backing of an emperor.
Well, it goes to show you can learn some theology here. I never heard of Manicheism before. I looked for information on it online and seems to be a complex religion.