Manichaeism, presumably an offshoot of Zoroastrianism, was not only an inspiration for various heretical movements in Christianity but also dominated the religious life of Central and Eastern Asia for centuries.

Through the four centuries of Sassanid rule over Persia (224-651 CE) Zoroastrianism was the official state religion. Historians, however, have spoken of several heretical sects. One such cult was that of the Manicheans, founded by Mani at the beginning of the Sassanid era.

The founder of the new religion believed to have been the culmination of Zoroastrianism, Christianity and Buddhism was born in 216 CE in southern Babylonia of noble Persian stock.

He grew up under the careful guidance of his father who was a religious leader of a Jewish-Christian baptizing sect. At the age of twelve, Mani claimed that an angel named The Twin had instructed him in a vision to withdraw from the sect and purify himself through asceticism. The Angel later returned to young Mani, this time calling upon him to preach a new religion.

The Sassanid founding father Ardashir came from a long line of priests and successfully united the nation under the call of religion, the restoration of which he believed to be the only means to establish a stable rule.

After his death in 242 CE, his son Shapur I inherited the new empire built on the solid foundation of faith.

In their struggle to achieve solidarity through the uniformity of belief, the Sassanids naturally favored the priesthood of one particular religion and placed special importance on its beliefs which gave rise to intolerance for other faiths.

It was at this time that Mani proclaimed a new syncretic religion which combined Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and Buddhism along with elements of Greek philosophy and Indian Jainism, at the court of the Persian monarch Shapur I in 242 CE. He was not well received and was forced to flee the country.

He traveled through modern-day Uzbekistan, India and Western China, making converts wherever he went. Because he intended his creed to be the first world-religion, Mani consciously adapted his teachings to accommodate local beliefs and customs. This greatly helped the rapid spread of his creed throughout Central Asia.

During his years in exile, Mani gave final shape to his teachings and committed them to writing. Between 244 and 261 CE, he sent a mission to Egypt which met with considerable success.

Apart from the extensive body of anti-Manichaean literature, there are numerous Latin, Greek, Coptic, Middle Iranian, Uighur, and Chinese documents, found in the 20th century, on the Manichean doctrine and practices.

Manichaean sacred texts include The Living Gospel, The Treasure of Life, The Pragmateia, The Book of Mysteries, The Epistles, The Book of Giants, and Psalms and Prayers.

Other Manichaean writings consist of the Shahburagan, a summary of Mani's teachings prepared for Shapur I, the Ardahang, a picture-book illustrating Mani's view of the world and the Kephalaia, a collection of Mani's sayings.

According to some sources, in addition to preaching, Mani practiced medicine and healed the sick.

Mani eventually returned to Persia, where he was warmly received by Shapur I, or according to other accounts his successor Hormisdas, who allowed him to preach freely and gave him a city in Khuzistan to reside in.

Some historians believe Mani returned from exile only after the death of Shapur I in 272 CE. Whatever the case, it appears that by the time of Shapur's death, Manichaeism was well established in his realm, although the state religion continued to remain Zoroastrianism.

In 276 or 277 CE, during the reign of Bahram I, Mani was arrested and imprisoned. He died after 26 days in captivity. Thereafter his followers were cruelly persecuted.

Historical evidence shows that Manichaeism flourished outside Persia, spreading to Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, North Africa, Asia Minor, Armenia, Dalmatia, Rome, Spain, Southern Gaul, Turkestan, India, China and even Tibet.

Mani's main teaching concerned the struggle between Good and Evil. The Manichean doctrine, 'The Teaching of Light', says that the Universe was primordially divided between the two eternal and irreconcilable principles of Light and Darkness. Light was Spirit and hence 'good' while Darkness was Matter and consequently 'evil'.

The Realm of Light extended infinitely to the North and was ruled by the Father of Greatness. The Realm of Darkness extended infinitely to the South and was ruled by the Prince of Darkness.

Due to its inherent restlessness, the Realm of Darkness was always approaching the borders of the Realm of Light and contending with its forces.

Mani said that the Last Day would be signaled by a great war, followed by the second coming of Jesus who will separate the righteous from the sinners. Heaven and earths will collapse, and a great fire will break out freeing the last particles of Light.

Mani taught that salvation lies in the release of goodness (Spirit or Light) from Matter, and that a soul may be incarnated several times before its release through perfected virtue.

The Light which made up the soul could be redeemed through the virtues of brotherly love and faith, patience, wisdom, truth, peace and joy, kindness, temperance and chastity.

The Manichaean Church was tasked with caring for the Light that remained in the world, and protecting it from injury, through strict asceticism.

The Manichaean community was divided into two groups: the "Elect," who formed the core of the Church and adhered to a rigid asceticism, and the "Hearers," who learned from the Elect, served them and could hope for salvation only after re-incarnation as one of them.

The church hierarchy was recruited only from the Elect, who were obligated to abstain from meat and wine, lying, work, carnal relations, hurting animals and plants, polluting water, and owning worldly possessions. Women could become Elect but not officers.

The Elect lived in monasteries and were 'sealed' with the three seals of mouth, hands and breast, symbolising the virtues of speech, act, and feeling. They were required to fast, meditate, and study and translate religious texts.

Hearers were bound to monogamy and were cautioned against lying, worshiping idols, practicing magic, killing animals, theft and neglecting their duty of caring for the Elect.

Before his conversion to Christianity, Saint Augustine was a Manichaean Hearer for nine years.

Manichaeism was founded on the pillars of prayer, the singing of hymns, fasting, confession and penitence.

In Central Asia Manichaeism became the state religion of the Uighur Empire in 762 CE. It survived in southern China as the 'Religion of the Venerable Light' until the 17th century.

Even after its official demise in Europe in the 6th century, a number of Christian sects which shared certain concepts and practices with the followers of Mani arose from its ashes.

Although these sects, like the Manicheans before them, endured bloody persecutions, they persisted well into the Middle Ages.

Due to its inability to compete with Islam and Christianity, which offered easier paths to understand and follow, Manichaeism ultimately failed in Europe and the Middle East.