[Cronos]

Actually Judaism is also influenced by Zoroastrianism -- the angelic figures and the messianic figures appear only after the Babylonian (subsequently Persian) rule. Plus the Zoroastrians were very tolerant of other faiths, unlike the Babylonians.

It's an offshoot of the Indo-Aryanic religions, most of which deal with two sets, 'families' of Gods -- as witness the Aenir and the Vanir of the Nordic peoples (which is a primitive form of the Aryanic religion).

The more developed forms of the Aryanic religion were to be found in India and Persia -- actually opposing groups with the Indic peoples (Hindus == from the river Indus) elevating the Daevas as gods and the Asuras as demons (of course that seems to have been accelerated by Christian though) while the Irani peoples (Persians, Parthians, Medes etc) elevated the Asuras (or Ahuras In Iranic) to the level of Gods and the daevas to minor deities or demons. Zoroaster came and changed this, making a somewhat monotheistic religion.

[Citizen Tom Paine]

The interesting thing to me is that the Parsi wear yarmulka when they pray and also use something very close to a rosary.