The Shahnama is also know as the The Epic of Kings. The Shahnama, was written by Abolqasem Ferdowsi around 1000 AD. It is one of the most important literature works in Iran that ever exsisted. The Shahnama is considered a epic because it is a long poem of heroic tales. The epic of the heroic tales are not like classical epics from Homer that deals with heroes, Gods, and Goddess. The tales of this epic are more about tales that are combined with history and mythology of ancient Iran.
             Abolqasem Ferdowsi is considered to be one of the greatest Persian poets to have ever lived. He is placed among the national heroes and the literately greats of all time. Ferdowsi was born in what is presently northeastern Iran, in an ancient city called Tus around 935 AD. His life-long endeavour, dedication, and personal sacrifices to preserve the national identity, language and heritage of his homeland put him in great hardship in his lifetime but won him fame and honour for one of the great literally masterpieces of all time; the Shahname. This great epic was accomplished in most of his adult life. Ferdowsi is one of the undisputed giants of Persian literature. After Ferdowsi's Shahnama a number of other works similar in nature surfaced over the centuries within the cultural sphere of the Persian language. Without exception, all such works were based in style and method on Ferdowsi's Shahnama, but none of them could quite achieve the same degree of fame and popularity as Ferdowsi's masterpiece.
             In the Shahname, the episod of the Tragedy of Sohrab and Rostam, is a very moving story. Jerome W. Clinton has translated into English blank verse the most famous episode, the tragic story of Sohrab and Rostam. Rostam is the most powerful man of the time and is very feared. One day Rostam went hunting because he was sad. After hunting down onagers he cooked one and rested. While he took a nap, Rakhsh graze in the meadow, and was seen by some Turkish ho...