Citation with stable link: Philip A. Harland, 'Persian wisdom: Eudemos of Rhodes on Magians (fourth century BCE),' Ethnic Relations and Migration in the Ancient World, last modified May 29, 2024, https://philipharland.com/Blog/?p=6311.

Ancient authors: Eudemos of Rhodes (fourth century BCE), as cited by Damaskios (fifth century CE), Problems and Solutions concerning First Principles 125.2 (link).

Comments: Eudemos of Rhodes was a student of Aristotle. Damaskios, who cites Eudemos here, was a neo-Platonist in the sixth century CE. The passage claims to present the cosmic dualism of the Magians and the Iranian people.

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Regarding the Magians and the entire Iranian (Areion) people, just as Eudemos also writes, some call everything that is intelligible and unified “Place” (topos) and others call it “Time” (chronos). From this either a good god and an evil lower spirit (daimon) have separated. or light and darkness have separated before these, as some say. However, they also posit, after the undifferentiated nature, the existence of a double series of higher beings of which Ahura Mazda (Oromasdes) controls one and Angra Mainyu (Arimanios) the other.

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Source of translation: Translated by Harland.