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Zoroaster (or Zarathustra), a Persian prophet from the Bronze Age, was paradoxically revered by ancient Greeks as the founder of "magic" (magus) and astrology.
While historically a religious reformer focusing on monotheism and cosmic dualism, his followers—the Magi—were renowned for rituals, astral projection, and interpreting stars, linking his name with occult traditions and "magician" roles.
Zoroastrian - Greek "The MAGI"
Founder of the Magi: Greeks identified Zoroaster as the Chaldean founder of the Magi, the priestly class that performed magical rites, astrology, and divination.
Role of the Magus: The term "magic" is derived from magus (Greek for Magian), with early writers considering him the teacher of all magic sciences.
Legendary Magical Feats: While not originally a "magician," myths surrounding him included him laughing at birth, having a pulsating head that repelled hands, and producing a massive body of literature on gemstones and astrology.
Misconceptions & Interpretations: Later antiquity writers, such as Pliny, portrayed him as a master of magical practices rather than just a prophet, often distorting his role as a purifier of ancient Iranian traditions.
Historical Role vs. Myth
Prophet, not Sorcerer: Historically, Zoroaster was a religious prophet (c. 16th to 7th century BCE) who taught a dualistic battle between good and evil, promoting the supreme god Ahura Mazda.
Cultural Fusion: The association of Zoroaster with magic occurred largely through Greek misunderstanding of Eastern, specifically Median, religious practices, which were combined with Babylonian shamanic traditions.
Influence on Western Occultism: Despite the disconnect from his original teachings, the association has persisted in literature and occult circles for centuries
Equivalency to Zeus: The Greeks recognized Marduk's role as the head of the Mesopotamian pantheon, matching him with Zeus/Jupiter.
The Hero-King: In the Babylonian creation epic Enuma Elish, Marduk rises from a young god to king by defeating the primordial chaotic dragon-mother, Tiamat. This closely mirrors Zeus defeating the Titans and Typhon to take power.
Storm and Sky Deity: Both are seen as sky/storm gods who use lightning (or similar cosmic weapons) to maintain order.
"Belos" or "Belus": The Greeks frequently referred to Belus as an ancient Babylonian king or god, which was a direct title for Marduk (from Akkadian bēlu, meaning "lord")
The Apkallu (or Abgal) are seven legendary sages in ancient Mesopotamian mythology, created by the god Enki (Ea) to teach humanity civilization, arts, and law. Often depicted as fish-men or winged humanoids, they lived before the flood and served as keepers of divine knowledge, serving to maintain cosmic order,
portrayed as having the lower torso of a fish (pisci-centaurian), sometimes in great cloaks, or as winged human figures.
Babylonian Lunar Theory: Ancient Babylonian astronomers were highly proficient in tracking the moon's motion and calculating lunar cycles ("System B"), which still form the basis of the Hebrew calendar.
Mythological Connection: The Mesopotamian moon god Sin (or Nanna) was worshipped, particularly in the city of Ur
"Creatress" is a noun meaning a female creator, originator, or goddess.
Babylon and the Greek goddess Artemis are primarily rooted in the syncretism of ancient Near Eastern fertility goddesses with the Greek huntress, as well as shared mythological and cultural traditions that predate the Greek Olympian pantheon.
1. Ancient Near Eastern Origins
Pre-Greek Roots: Artemis, particularly in her role as the Ephesian Artemis (Diana of Ephesus), is not purely Greek. Her origins can be traced back to Western Turkey (Lydia) and earlier Anatolian, Persian, and Babylonian mother goddesses.
Syncretic Evolution: As the Ionians settled in Ephesus around 1100 BC, they adopted local, older mother goddess figures—who were likely worshipped in Babylon and surrounding regions—and named them after the Greek goddess Artemis.
Fertility and Nurture: Unlike the Greek virgin huntress, the Babylonia-connected Artemis of Ephesus was a "mother goddess" figure associated with fertility, childbirth, and nature. She is often depicted with numerous "breasts" or "gourds" representing abundance and life.
2. Mythological Connections
Babylonian King Myth: Artemis is linked in myth to an ancient Babylonian king named Klinis. When Apollo caused the king’s donkeys to go mad, Artemis helped save the king.
Role in Childbirth and Life: Similar to Mesopotamian goddesses, this form of Artemis was regarded as a "midwife" with the power to both give and take life.
3. Artistic and Symbolic Parallels
"Potnia Theron" (Mistress of Animals): The concept of Artemis as the Mistress of Animals likely shares roots with ancient Near Eastern, including Babylonian, iconography that depicts a goddess dominating wild animals.
Zodiac Connections: Some ancient statues of the Ephesian Artemis show her wearing a zodiac symbol around her neck, reflecting an astronomical/astrological connection common in Babylonian religion.
Associated with Istar/Ishtar: Historians have noted that the Artemis-like figures in Asia Minor share attributes with Babylonian goddesses such as Istar (Ishtar), who was revered as a "creatress" and, in some contexts, known as Gingira or Gingiri.
4. The Temple of Artemis Comparison
The famous Temple of Artemis at Ephesus—one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—was often described in comparison to the grandeur of "lofty Babylon" by ancient travelers like Antipater of Sidon.
In summary, the connection lies in the evolution of Artemis from a mature Anatolian/Babylonian mother deity into the younger Greek virgin huntress, with the city of Ephesus serving as a major hub for this cultural blending.
Bagohi (Bagoas) was a 4th-century BCE Persian governor (satrap) of Yehud Medinata, the autonomous Jewish province under the Achaemenid Empire, serving during the reigns of Darius II and Artaxerxes II.
Mentioned in the Elephantine Papyri (c. 408/407 BCE), where Darius was asked to help rebuild the Jewish temple in Egypt.
Bagohi and Yehud:
Bagohi (or Bagohi) oversaw the province of Yehud (Judah), which was part of the larger satrapy of Eber-Nari.
Elephantine Papyri: A 407 BCE letter from the Jewish community in Elephantine, Egypt, to Bagohi—and a similar request to Delaiah, son of Sanballat I of Samaria—requests assistance in rebuilding their temple after its destruction.
Temple Involvement: According to Josephus, Bagohi was involved in high-level Jewish politics, forcing his way into the Temple of Jerusalem following the murder of Jesus (Joshua) by his brother Johanan, the High Priest.
Context: He is associated with the period when Yehud was an autonomous administrative division
Based on historical analysis of early Yehud coinage, the Persian official Bagoas (associated with the governor Bagohi) is believed to have had coins made in or around Samaria or Philistia.
Context: These coins, dating to the late 4th century BC, are often attributed to the Persian province of Judea (Yehud) or nearby regions during the period Bagoas served as a high-ranking official.
Analysis: Chemical X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) testing showed that a notable silver drachma (often known as the "God on the Winged Wheel" coin) featured a metal composition consistent with issues from Samaria or Philistia.
Debate: While associated with Bagoas (Bagohi) mentioned in the Elephantine papyri, scholars sometimes debate whether these coins were produced in Jerusalem or at a neighboring mint------ MINED FROM EDOMITES AND MINTED??
Chemical analysis of the drachma has provided further insights into its origin. X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) testing revealed that the coin is composed of 93% silver and 6% copper, a composition consistent with other coins from Samaria and Philistia during the same period.[10] This metallurgical profile, combined with the coin's stylistic features, suggests that it may have been minted in Samaria or Philistia, rather than Judea as had been claimed minting in Jerusalem.
Yehud Medinata (Persian-era Judea) coins are primarily tiny silver, low-denomination currency (obols, gerahs) minted in Jerusalem, not high-value tetradrachms. These 4th-century BCE coins feature a small owl (imitating Athenian coins), a lily, or "YHD" (Yehud) inscriptions, measuring only 7-8mm and usually weighing under 1 gram.
Key Facts on Yehud Coins:
Significance: These are the first coins produced by a Jewish authority in Jerusalem, acting as a semi-autonomous province under the Achaemenid Persian Empire.
Design: Often feature the goddess Athena's owl, the lily of Jerusalem, or the head of a governor (e.g., Hezekiah).
Inscription: Bear ancient Hebrew/Aramaic text such as "YHD" (Yehud) or "YHDH" (Judah).
"Tetradrachm" Context: While the Yehud province itself did not mint tetradrachms, the region used Athenian tetradrachms, and later Jewish revolts (much later, in AD 132) issued silver tetradrachms.
Numismatists studying the Yehud province find that the small coins from this period (c. 539-332 BCE) indicate a local, rather than international, economy
1/4 Shekel Judea Satrapy of Yehud Medinata Numista 539 bc - 332 bc - Silver 15 mm Hammered
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