Influence of religion on Persian society
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Explain the influence of religion on Persian Society
The Persian kings had an interest in religions. This led the empire to be greatly influenced by religion in many ways.
Persian records contain little about Persian religion before Darius I. Cyrus, the first Persian king, allowed the worship of native religions to continue in the subject lands. Egyptian sources show that Cambyses also allowed and adapted to native religions. Egyptian inscriptions and those from other countries suggest that Darius I also accepted the existence of other gods, both Persian and foreign, and he was happy to acknowledge his connection with them to their people, but it is to Ahurah Mazda that he appears to have owed his true allegiance. All three kings accepted that it would be politically advantageous for nations to worship their own religions and continued to allow them to do so for many years.
The kings regarded Ahurah Mazda as the greatest of the Persian Gods. Darius Is inscriptions on the cliffs at Behistun, and on the palaces at Susa and Persepolis show that he regarded himself under the special protection of Ahurah Mazda. Darius also claims that it was because of Ahurah Mazda that he is such a skilful soldier, both with a bow and a spear...