
Rostam is Iran's greatest mythological hero, a Persian Hercules, magnificent in strength & courage. As recounted in the tenth-century Book of Kings (Shahnameh) by the poet Ferdowsi, he was a force in ancient Persia for 500 years, undergoing many trials of combat, cunning & endurance. Although Rostam served a series of often-fickle kings, he was an independent thinker, committed to the greater good of Iran. His adventures are some of the most beloved of all Persian narratives & remain deeply resonant in Iranian culture. This book begins with the birth of Rostam's father Zal & ends with Rostam's death. The tales tell of the love between Zal & Rostam's mother, the Kaboli princess Rudabeh; of Rostam's miraculous birth, aided by the magical bird Simorgh; of Rostam's youth & the selection of his trusty horse Rakhsh; of his affair with Princess Tahmineh, the birth of their son Sohrab, &, after Sohrab grows into a mighty warrior himself, the tragic confrontation between father & son. The tales conclude with Rostam's war against demons, his seven trials, his rescue of Prince Bizhan, & finally his battle, both intellectual & physical, with the ambitious & religiously-driven Prince Esfandyar.