Impact of Climate Conditions on the Place and Role of Religion in Ancient Iran Stratification System

Abstract

Human social - economic life has passed historical development so far and today many human relations are the result of its historical past. Understanding the mechanisms and dynamics of this historic relationship can better explain the human relations and treatment. Ancient Iran was one of the Iran temporal - historical periods, which had its own social system and human relations, that on the basis of documents and texts, we can trace the effects of climatic conditions and nature in construction of this system and relations. According to the documents, one of the most important classes in the upper layers of ancient Iran stratification pyramid were clergymen and priests who assigned a lot of advantages and features of the labor division system to themselves. In this study, using citation and studying the documents and literature in the field of social - economic life of ancient Iran, the effects of climatic condition on the role and place of religion in the hierarchical system were examined, and these results were obtained: Pastoral and agricultural economy as subsistence economy of ancient Iran was in close relationship with nature and the natural environment and climate. Therefore, the goddesses who people worship were somehow connected with the natural environment of the social construction. Clergymen or priests, or Magi as religious leaders and custodians of the goddesses and organizers of religious ceremonies, were always as one of occupants of upper parts of the stratification pyramid in these communities and consequently, they have benefited from the advantages and facilities unequally. Clergymen most important functions in the ancient Iran division of labor was to enforce civil and military affairs, to hold religious ceremonies, narrating and writing the old stories, the scientific authority. Priests were involved in the hire and fire of the king besides the religious power and the spiritual guidance.