Iranian epic and the Manichean Book of Giants

Subject Areas : epic

Prods Oktor Skjaervo ¹ , Hamid Reza Ardestani Rostami ²

1 - Professor of ancient Iranian languages and culture at Harvard
2 - استادیار گروه زبان و ادبیات فارسی دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی – واحد علوم و تحقیقات تهران.

Received: 2018-08-24 Accepted : 2018-09-05 Published : 2018-08-23

Keywords: Shahnameh, myth, Mani, Book of Giants, epic traditions, Manicheism,

Abstract :

This research deals with the study of the relationship between the ancient Persian epic tradition and Mani’s Book of Giants.  The epic mythological narrative and the well known stories of the past regarding the origin of the world and man’s origin to a certain extent is incorporated in Mani’s myth and those myths propagated by Manichean missionaries were also intertwined with mythological traditions  in connection with biblical accounts regarding Giants and flood.  Mani had transformed Iranian mythologies in such a way to create harmony between the old mythological traditions and his own narrative version of origin of the world.  All literary pieces come down to us from Mani encompass references to Persian epic tradition and for easy access they are presented in this paper.

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