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In this climate, the priesthood encountered little organized resistance and were thus able to implement a calendar reform. At this time, the five extra gatha days were added as epagomenal days, creating a 365-day calendar. This reform created a number of theological difficulties, which had the effect of multiplying the number of days of observance. |
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Whatever the traditional epoch may be, the traditional Zoroastrian calendar as it dates from Sasanid days is a calendar of 12 months, each of 30 days, and an epagomenal period of five days, called the gatha days. The calendar originally included a provision for the intercalation of a 13th month every 120 years, giving a total of (119365 + 365 + 30 = 43,830) days every 120 years, or 365.25 days per year on average, which is the same as the Julian calendar estimate of the length of the year. |
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Following the switch to a 365-day calendar, there was no intercalation, so the New Year Day (No Ruz) steadily slipped backward in the year. By the time of the ruler Peroz, it was celebrated in July. |
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At this time, a simple solution was implemented. Rather than shift the months, No Ruz was simply shifted to the first of the month that happened to be nearest to the vernal equinox at the time. The actual change was made under Kavad I between 507 and 511 A.D. when the vernal equinox coincided with the first of the ninth month, Adur. From that point, the religious No Ruz was celebrated on 1 Adur. The six gahambars (feasts) were moved to occupy the same positions relative to No Ruz as before, and the Fravashi days were moved to the end of the eighth month, Aban. |
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Intercalation was to insert a whole month every 120 years, so 1 Adur would not recede more than 30 days from the vernal equinox. Again, the calendar reform proved damaging to the religion. The people observed the religious New Day, which they called the "No Ruz of the priests" on 1 Adur, but also kept the traditional 1 Farvardin, which remained a secular new year and coronation day. The prior reform had inserted the five gatha days, so there came to be no fewer than four celebrations of No Ruz, on 1 and 6 Adur and on 1 and 6 Farvardin. |
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The Sasanid empire, together with official support for the Zoroastrian religion, declined after this period. Khosrau II (590628 A.D.) dabbled in astrology, married a Christian woman, and may have even been a Christian himself. |
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When Yazdagird III mounted the throne in A.D. 632, he initiated a new epoch, since the regnal rule was observed. At this time, the Zoroastrian calendar and the Yazdagird calendars were only five days apart. Most Persian Zoroastrians accepted the Yazdagird calendar. |
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It was the misfortune of Yazdagird, however, to be born into bad times. The armies of Islam won a decisive victory at al-Qadisiyah in A.D. 635 over Yazdagird, the last Sasanid sovereign. He escaped capture, and fled to the east while attempting to gather forces. He was betrayed and killed in Marv in A.D 651 or 652. |
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The lunar Islamic calendar was imposed upon Persia, but the native Iranians heartily disliked it. In principle, Islam tolerated Zoroastrianism, but conversions by force or persuasion were massive in many provinces. Adherents of Zoroastrianism retaliated |
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