What do Emperor Xerxes, Freddie Mercury, and Ireland’s richest citizen Pallonji Mistry have in common? All of them are Zoroastrians. The ancient religion of Iran. This is one of the oldest ongoing religions and altered the course of history by influencing Judaism, Christanity, Islam, and Greek philosophy.

Zoroastrianism was born in ancient Iran at least 3,500 years ago. It all began around 1500BCE give or take a few centuries with the Prophet Zarathustra or Zoroaster as the ancient Greeks called him and so English speakers do too. While we call the religion Zoroastrianism actual Zoroastrians tend to call it Mazdayasna, meaning Worshipper of Mazda.

But today it has only a fraction of the millions of followers it once had. So what is Zoroastrianism, what do Zoroastrians believe, and where do otters fit into it? Well Let’s find out.