The Art of Defense in Ferdowsi's Shahnameh

Abstract

Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh, the greatest epic of Persian literature, is not merely a collection of battles and heroic tales but a profound philosophical, ethical, and cultural meditation on the survival of Iranian identity. Within this monumental text, defense is conceptualized not only as military confrontation but as a multidimensional art encompassing wisdom, justice, cultural creativity, and spirituality. The analysis of the preface and the early books of the Shahnameh demonstrates how defense emerges in various forms—natural, legitimate, technological, cultural, and social—as the very foundation of civilization. Figures such as Keyumars, Hushang, Tahmuras, Jamshid, Fereydun, Sam, Zal, Rostam, Siyavash, and Kay Khosrow each embody distinct aspects of the art of defense, ranging from natural and technological protection to ethical, cultural, and sacred defense. Through powerful language and symbolic narratives, Ferdowsi transforms defense into an eternal identity marker, while his preservation of the Persian language itself stands as the highest form of cultural defense. This study argues that defense in the Shahnameh is not limited to martial valor but constitutes a civilizational art, forming the central theme of Ferdowsi’s epic vision.