Abstract Rostam is the preeminent national hero in Persian epics. There is no mention of Rostam’s name in Avesta and Dinkard, yet in few Pahlavi texts there are some brief references to his name all the more reason for later addition of it. Rostam&rsqu
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Abstract Rostam is the preeminent national hero in Persian epics. There is no mention of Rostam’s name in Avesta and Dinkard, yet in few Pahlavi texts there are some brief references to his name all the more reason for later addition of it. Rostam’s tales are quite well known and popular in Parthian era and towards the end of Sassanid era in particular and had therefore an important role in transmitting and spreading the tales to the Islamic era in two branches, eastern one with Persian language as the focal point and western one with Gorani language as the main concern. The study of the role and standpoint of Rostam in western Iran is the subject matter of this article. In fourth and fifth lunar century, Piruzan Shahnameh in western branch include the mythological history of Iran from the reign of Kayumars till the reign of Bahman with numerous tales of Rostam. Shahnameh or Gordnameh composed by Larijani in Hamedan was produced following the example of Piruzan Shahnameh. In Gorani epics there is a reference to a Shahnameh in prose which seems to be that of Piruzan. Probably the fountain head of Gorani epics goes back to this Shahnameh and narratives of Gordnameh Larijani and their sources. Gorani epics encompass the full cycle of Rostam’s life from birth to his death. Apart from Rostam’s tales in Shahnameh Ferdowsi, there are extra narratives and epics added after the composition of Shahnameh, also narratives recited by the minstrels or naqqals such as Rostam and Zonoon, Rostam and Zardhang of which only their Gorani versions are available. Keywords Rostam, Shahnameh, Gorani language, Composition of Shahnameh, Rostam Nameh.
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