Editing Zoroastrian Theocracy (section)

==History==
[[File:Zarathustra.png]] Zarathustra existed somewhere between 1500 BC and 500 BC in Iran where he would serve as a prophet for the Zoroastrian faith, which would slowly begin to spread around Iran and supersede the [[File:PagTheo.png]] [[Pagan Theocracy|local pagan beliefs]], eventually being adopted by the Median Empire which would later be succeeded by the [[File:Achaemenid.png]] [[Universal Monarchism|Achaemenid Empire]]. The Achaemenids would go on to conquer most of the known world and create the Zoroastrian Theocracy to the largest extent, after their fall, different states in east Anatolia, including the Kingdom of Armenia, all the way to Afghanistan and India would also have Zoroastrianism as their state religion. After the fall of the Hellenistic Seleucids Iran would continue being ruled by a series of Zoroastrian empires such as the [[File:Parthia.png]] Parthians and the [[File:Sassanid.png]] Sasanians.

One of the darkest chapters in religious relations during the Sasanian period is attributed to the persecution of Christians during the reign of Shapur II; an event that is described in some Christian sources, including Andrew Miller's book "History of the Ancient Church in the Roman Empire and Persia," with extensive figures of those killed.
The terrible massacre of Christians during the reign of Shapur II of Sasanian Dynasty
The massacre of 16,000 Christians was recorded during this period alone! And many more were not recorded:
Miller writes in his famous book History of the Ancient Church in the Roman Empire and Persia:
Confessors were either stoned, or fell prey to the sword, or were gradually torn to pieces, or were tortured and killed in other horrible ways. The names of 16,000 people who gave their lives for the cause of Christ at that time are recorded, and in addition to these people, many others whose names are written only in heaven also gave their lives for the cause of Christ at the same time. Although the number of Iranian Christians was large, we do not read in history that they drew the sword in self-defense.
He issued a decree for the persecution of all Christians in his empire. For ten days, Christians were massacred, and many men, women, and children tasted the poison of death.
In the same year, 120 other priests were also killed.  As a result of this persecution, no one was elected to the position of Catholicos for another twenty years.

Shapur captured a city in Mesopotamia from the Romans and brought nine thousand prisoners from there to Bakhchistan. Among the prisoners were many Christians with their bishops and priests. Shapur ordered that three hundred of the elders of these Christians be taken to a fertile desert, and there they were announced by the king that if they denied Christ and accepted the religion of the king, the said land would be given to them for silence, and if they remained steadfast in the faith, they would be condemned to be killed. Bishop Behme preached to them to remain steadfast in the faith. Two hundred and seventy-five of them confessed and were executed.

The decline of Zoroastrianism would start with the [[File:Jihad.png]] [[Jihadism|Muslim Conquest of Persia]] done by the [[File:Cball-Rashidun.png]] [[Islamic Theocracy|Rashidun Caliphate]] between 632 and 654 which would also lead to the Islamization of Persia. After the fall of the Sassanid Empire to the Rashiduns zoroastrian theocracy would be limited to mostly smaller kingdoms around the region of central asia, all of them eventually also either converting to Islam or being conquered by a larger non-zoroastrian neighbor, from that point on zoroastrianism would continue to decline and in the present day it has only around 100,000 to 200,000 followers, with no movements in favor of a zoroastrian theocracy existing today.

In the modern era, Zoroastrianism is divided between reformists and traditionalists. Traditionalists, mostly Parsis, maintain strict criteria for Zoroastrian identity, while reformists advocate a return to the Gathas, emphasize the faith as philosophy, and support ethical and social reforms. The Parsis have played a significant role in India's economic development, with notable contributions to business and industry.