The Sistani Cycle of Epics and Iran’s National History: On the Margins of Historiography

Description

This work argues that the Sistani Cycle of Epics constitutes a genre of historiography, retaining reflections of events of Iran’s antiquity, notably the affairs of the Sistani kingdom and its relationship to the Parthian throne circa 1st century BCE- 2nd century CE. Contents Acknowledgments Notes on Transliteration List of Figures Abbreviations Introduction Chapter 1 The Historical Context 1.1 The Scythio-Parthian Kingdom of Sistan 1.2 The Ruling Family in Sistan in Ancient Times 1.3 The Family of Suren, the Family of Rostam 1.4 The Other Parthian Family 1.5 Reflections of Parthian History in the SCE Chapter 2 The Appropriation of an Avestan Hero and the Birth of the House of Rostam 2.1 Garshāsp’s Genealogy 2.2 Garshāsp and the Founding of Sistan 2.3 The Repertoire of Heroic Motifs 2.4 Another Version of the Story/History 2.5 Footprints of a Religious Conflict Chapter 3 The Zenith of Suren Power 3.1 Rostam’s Early Heroic Career 3.1.1 Babr-e Bayān 3.1.2 Kok-e Kuhzād 3.1.3 The Haft-Khān 3.2 Historical Reflections 3.2.1 A Time of Alliance 3.2.2 The Special Status of the House of Rostam 3.2.3 The Beginning of the End: The Advent of Lohrāsp Chapter 4 The Downtrodden Sistani Heroes 4.1 Borzu 4.2 Jahāngir 4.3 Shahriyār Chapter 5 The Polemics of Making Heroes and Anti-Heroes 5.1 Farāmarz in Qannuj 5.2 Transformation of Heroic Imagery 5.3 Farāmarz and Bahman: The Final Showdown 5.4 Bahman the Anti-Hero Par Excellence Epilogue Appendix A The Sistani Cycle of Epics: Stories and Their Manuscripts Rostam Stories not Included in the Shāhnāmeh Garshāspnāmeh Bahmannāmeh Farāmarznāmeh Bānu-Goshaspnāmeh Borzunāmeh Shahriyārnāmeh Jahāngirnāmeh Appendix B Narrations of Bahman’s Reign 1 Ḥamza al-Iṣfahāni 2 Al-Thaʿālibi 3 Al-Ṭabari 4 Al-Dinawari 5 Gardizi 6 Balʿami 7 Ibn Balkhi 8 Masʿudi 9 Mujmal al-Tawārikh wa’l Qiṣṣaṣ Figures Bibliography Index