Myth and History in Ancient Persia

the Achaemenids in the Iranian Tradition

Zarghamee, Reza Shaghaghi

Traces ancient Iranian mythical-legendary traditions within classical sources on Median and Persian royalty
Combines leading research in different interdisciplinary areas, including classics, Iranology, oral traditions, comparative mythology, and religious studies (focusing on Zoroastrianism, Mithraism, and other Old Iranian religions)
Expands on previous scholarship and utilizes overlooked Iranian evidence
Provocatively rereads the accounts of key events in Median and Achaemenid history, including passages that are of tremendous interest outside the field of Iranian studies
Overturns longstanding perceptions regarding the methods and overall reliability of classical authors
Presents findings that may serve as a foundation to future narrative works on Achaemenid history, as well as to the concept of cultural production in the Achaemenid period
This book fills an important gap in Achaemenid studies by using traditional Iranian narratives, such as those found in the famous Shahnameh, or ‘Book of Kings’, of Ferdowsi, to analyse the Greco-Roman accounts of Median and Persian royalty. The study shows that the classical authors derived their accounts from Iranian traditions, grounded in age-old myths and legends. This analysis serves many purposes. It refines the extent to which the classical sources may be used in historical reconstructions and sheds new light on the literary methods of authors, such as Herodotus, Ctesias, and Xenophon. Finally, the book offers insights into one of the thorniest enigmas in Iranian historiography, the apparent disappearance of Illustrious rulers like Cyrus II, Darius I, and Xerxes I from native historical traditions. Standing at the crossroads of Iranian studies and Classics, this book is an indispensable source for scholars of ancient Iran, Greek historiography, and the Shahnameh.