THE SCHOOL OF ATHENS: Focus on Zoroaster and Ptolemy

In the painting, Zoroaster (c. 630 - 550 BC) faces us holding a celestial sphere.  Also sometimes known as Zarathrustra, Zoroaster was a Persian priest and prophet who founded one of the world's oldest religions.  He claimed that the world is divided into spheres of good and evil and that a monotheistic deity would one day win the struggle against evil.  Ptolemy (85 - 165 AD) has his back to us and holds a globe.  He is best known for propounding a geocentric theory of the solar system (where the earth is at the center and the sun and planets revolve around the earth).  The figure just to the right of Ptolemy's head (that appears to be looking at you) is a self-portrait of Raphael.