1
In the following pages I use the term "Achaemenid" loosely in reference to the Persian empire from Cyrus the Great to Darius III. 2 The majority of those who treat this issue deal with the entire pre-Islamic period (6 th century BC to 7 th century AD). The most useful of recent discussions include Williams (1990) 126--137 and de Jong (1997) 424--432, general introductions; Macuch (1991), primarily on the Sasanian era; Scheidel (1995) and (2002), brief comparisons of Iranian practices with those alleged for Roman Egypt, Scheidel (1996) being important particularly on the question of the biological consequences. The more significant earlier accounts are those of West (1882), Slotkin (1947), Spooner (1966), Sidler (1971) 86--149, Frye (1985), along with Chadwick (1979) and Lee (1988), both dealing with late antiquity (for further bibliography see Scheidel [1996] 167). However, for the Achaemenid era the most important comments are those of Brosius (1996) esp. 45--47, 66--69. On the history of this period in general see above all Briant (1996). 3 E.g. by Spooner (1966) 55; Briant (1990) 95 and (1996) 104--105; Herrenschmidt (1994) 117. 4 Bidez/Cumont (1938) 78--79; Boyce (1979) 54 and (1982) 75--77; Perikhanian (1983) 644; Orsi (1987) 297--98. Goodenough (1949), on the other hand, refers to a number of discussions which reject the statements of the Greek and Roman authors. For more recent criticism of their testimony see Brosius (1996) 45--47, 66--69; cf. also Wieseho ¨fer (1996) 84--85 andNashat (2003) 23--24. 5 See, for example, Bidez/Cumont (1938) 78--79; Boyce (1982) 75--77;Herrenschmidt (1994); Scheidel (2002) 35--39 (cf. his earlier accounts, cited above in n. 2); de Jong (1997) 424--432. Briant (1990) 95 and (1996) 104--105, however, emphasises political and economic factors, without reference to Zoroastrianism or religion. Brosius (1996) 46 n. 23 rightly criticises the use of Sasanian evidence.