شاهنامه — حماسه فردوسی که زبان پارسی را نجات داد
The Shahnameh (شاهنامه, 'Book of Kings') is the magnum opus of Persian poet Abolqasem Ferdowsi, completed around 1010 AD. At nearly 60,000 verses (over 120,000 lines), it is the longest epic poem ever written by a single author — and arguably the most important literary work in the Persian language.
Ferdowsi spent 30+ years deliberately writing in pure Persian, avoiding Arabic loanwords at a time when Arabic was rapidly replacing Persian after the Arab conquest. His work is widely credited with saving the Persian language from extinction and preserving Iran's mythological and historical heritage.
The epic spans the mythical and historical past of the Iranian world from creation to the Arab conquest in the 7th century. Its heroes — Rostam, Sohrab, Siavash, Kaveh the Blacksmith — embody Persian values of honor, courage, and justice. The tragic tale of Rostam and Sohrab remains one of world literature's greatest stories.
The Shahnameh contains nearly 60,000 verses (about 120,000 lines), making it the longest epic poem ever written by a single author — more than seven times the length of Homer's Iliad.
Ferdowsi wrote the Shahnameh to preserve Persian mythology, history, and language at a time when Arabic was replacing Persian after the Arab conquest of Iran. He deliberately used pure Persian words.