MAGIANSParvlz.126 After the Islamic conquest, the turn of the millennium was
redated to the beginning of the conquest in 634, to the death of
Yazdagerd III in, 652, or to about 660;127 but it was later identified
with the beginning of the era of Yazdagerd III in 631, which was used
by Magians for dating.
The centuries-long warfare between Persians and Romans in Late
Antiquity contributed some of the themes of Magian eschatology.
Fourth-century expressions put the ultimate victory in this conflict in
a millennial context. For Romans the reign and defeat of antichrist
would precede the final Roman victory over the Persians. For Persians
the defeat of Rome would be followed by many wars until the remnant
of the just who were besieged on a mountain would be rescued by a
savior-king sent from the sun.12S
It is not difficult to recognize the events at the end of the Sasanian
period that are included as post eventum "prophecies" in later Magian
apocalyptic literature, such as the Bahman Yasht and the Jiimiisp
Niimak. The end of the millennium of Zoroaster would come after the
reign of Khusraw, son of Kavad. A Turkish army would invade Khur-
asan and conquer Iran, a great plague would strike, and a pretender
would seize power and be overthrown by foreigners. A victorious king
(M.P. aparvez xvatiiy) would then arise who would conquer the world
and amass great wealth, but he would gain no advantage from it. The
millennium of Oshedar would begin when he died and was succeeded
by child rulers with short, violent reigns. Iran would be invaded from
all sides. The Romans would invade Iraq (Shuristan), but the king
would stay there. A great army of Persians, Turks, and Arabs would
fight the Romans on the banks of the Euphrates, after which the
Romans would rule briefly until an army from India would conquer
Iran, restore the Sasanians (Kayans), and reestablish the Magian re-
ligion.
After the Islamic conquest, apocalyptic expectations were retouched
and extended. Magians expected the Kayan king Varhran to come
from India with an army and one thousand elephants to take revenge
126 A. Destree, "Quelques reflexions sur le heros des rI!cits apocalyptiques persans et
sur le my the de la vilIe de cuivre," in La Persia nel Medioevo (Rome, 1971), p. 651;
M. Grignaschi, "La riforma tributaria de Ijosro I e il feudalesimo sassanide," in La
Persia nel Medioevo, pp. 144, 146.
127 Boyce, Tansar, p. 68; B. Faravashi, "Les causes de la chute des Sassanides," in
La Persia nel Medioevo, p. 485; Grignaschi, "La riforma tributaria," pp. 145-46.
128 Destree, "Apocalyptiques persans," p. 640; Duchesne-Guillemin, "Religion of
Ancient Iran," pp. 346-47.