Concept
Vishtaspa
Overview
Vishtaspa (Avestan: 𐬬𐬌𐬱𐬙𐬁𐬯𐬞𐬀 Vištāspa; Old Persian: 𐎻𐏁𐎫𐎠𐎿𐎱 Vištāspa; Persian: گشتاسپ Guštāsp; Ancient Greek: Ὑστάσπης Hustáspēs) is the Avestan-language name of a figure appearing in Zoroastrian scripture and tradition, portrayed as an early follower of Zoroaster, and his patron, and instrumental in the diffusion of the prophet's message. Although Vishtaspa is not epigraphically attested, he is – like Zoroaster – traditionally assumed to have been a historical figure, although obscured by accretions from legend and myth.
In Zoroastrian tradition, which builds on allusions found in the Avesta, Vishtaspa is a righteous king who ruled from Bactria (present-day Afghanistan), and helped propagate and defend the faith. In the non-Zoroastrian Sistan cycle texts, Vishtaspa is a loathsome ruler of the Kayanian dynasty who intentionally sends his eldest son to a certain death. In Greco-Roman literature, Zoroaster's patron was the pseudo-anonymous author of a set of prophecies written under his name.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
Possible passages
Found by search and not yet checked by a person; they may only mention the idea in passing.
Round about this enclosure dwell Phenicians of Tyre, and this whole region is called the Camp of the Tyrians. Within the enclosure of Proteus there is a temple called the temple of the "foreign Aphrodite," which temple I conjecture to be one of Helen the daughter of Tyndareus, not only because I have heard the tale how Helen…
Herodotus, An Account of Egypt
States what Vishtaspa is.
The god to whom these spoils were consecrated is called Jupiter Feretrius, from the trophy carried on the feretrum, one of the Greek words which at that time still existed in great numbers in Latin: or, as others say, it is the surname of the Thundering Jupiter, derived from ferire, to strike. Others there are who would have the name to be deduced from the strokes that are given in fight; since even now in battles…
Plutarch, Plutarch
States what Vishtaspa is.
This the natives say is the pillar of the heaven. After this mountain these men got their name, for they are called Atlantians; and it is said that they neither eat anything that has life nor have any dreams.
Herodotus, The History of Herodotus — Volume 1
States what Vishtaspa is.
Related ideas
- Justin Martyr
- Denkard
- Lactantius
- Parthia
- Myth
- Roman Empire
- Balkh
- Zoroastrianism
- Zoroaster
- Hellenistic period
- Pseudepigrapha
- Legend
- Gathas
- Avesta
- Chaldea
- Clement of Alexandria
- Afghanistan
- Cyrus the Great
- Arabic
- Middle Persian
- Ostanes
Opposing perspectives
Place in the tradition
Part of Iranian philosophy.