The Sasanians were a group of people who lived during the late antiquity and early middle ages in Iran, Iraq, Armenia, Central Asia, and Turkey. They established an empire that lasted for about four centuries until it was conquered by Muslim armies in 651 CE. The Sasanians had a unique religion called Zoroastrianism, which influenced their belief system, culture, art, architecture, and even cuisine. In this article, I will discuss how Sasanian religious ideology connected sexuality to the cosmic struggle between good and evil.
Sexual morality
In Zoroastrianism, sex is considered sacred and holy, but it must be practiced within marriage for procreation purposes. According to the Avesta, the sacred book of Zoroastrianism, God created humans as male and female so they could produce children through intercourse. Therefore, the act of sex was seen as a way to propagate the human race and maintain the balance between men and women.
Outside of marriage, sex was considered immoral and sinful, and those who engaged in premarital or extramarital sex were punished harshly.
Eroticism
Although sex was seen as sacred and holy, there was also a strong erotic component to the Sasanian understanding of sexuality. This is evident in their literature and art, which often depicted sexual scenes with a high degree of sensuality and passion.
The Shahnama, a Persian epic poem written during the Sasanian period, contains numerous descriptions of romantic encounters and passionate lovemaking. Similarly, many Sasanian sculptures and paintings feature nude figures engaged in various sexual positions.
Intimacy
Intimacy was an important aspect of Sasanian sexuality. The concept of "love" (especially romantic love) was central to the Sasanians' understanding of sexual relationships. They believed that true love could only exist between two people who had deep emotional bonds and knew each other well. As such, intimate relationships were highly valued and pursued, and many couples would spend years getting to know each other before marrying. Once married, husbands and wives were expected to be faithful and loyal to one another, and adultery was strongly condemned.
Cosmic struggle
According to Zoroastrian beliefs, the world was divided into three realms: material, spiritual, and divine. In the material realm, humans lived, where they faced temptations from evil spirits known as demons. These demons sought to lead humans astray by encouraging them to engage in immoral behavior, including sex outside of marriage or homosexuality.
If humans remained pure and virtuous, they could protect themselves from these demonic influences and maintain their connection to God. Sex within marriage, therefore, became a way for humans to fight against evil forces and preserve the goodness of the world.
Sasanian religious ideology connected sexuality to the cosmic struggle between good and evil through its emphasis on procreation, eroticism, intimacy, and the dangers of immorality. By practicing sex within marriage and avoiding sinful behaviors like premarital sex or homosexuality, humans could maintain their connection to God and help preserve the balance between good and evil in the world.
How did Sasanian religious ideology connect sexuality to the cosmic struggle between good and evil?
Sasanian religious ideology linked sexuality to the cosmic struggle between good and evil through its concept of mēnōg-xwadāyīh, which is translated as 'angelic intercourse' in Pahlavi, the Middle Persian language. This ritualized form of sex was believed to be the only way for men to produce male offspring who would become Zoroastrian priests and warriors.