Ancient Iranian Political Thought: A Study of its Most Prominent Trends
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64184/ajlps.V3.I3.Y2026.p.301-325.366Keywords:
Iranian thought, the Shahnameh, the Zend-Avesta, mythsAbstract
Studies of ancient political thought rely on a number of cultural legacies and historical factors that contribute to the formation of personality in general, and on the entirety of Iranian political thought in particular. The research summarizes ancient Iranian political thought from two main aspects, the first is mythological and the second is religious, and the resulting problems and approaches related to man, society, and political structure and the extent to which morals, religion, and politics contribute to shaping the identity and collective awareness of individuals and their sense of belonging to a political system that played a fundamental role in building the social and political system.
References
Sources
First/ Books:
1. Abu al-Qasim al-Ferdowsi, The Shahnameh, translated by Abdul Wahab Azzam, 1st ed. (Cairo: Dar al-Kutub Press, 1932).
2. Arthur Christensen, Iran Under the Sassanids, translated by Yahya al-Khashab, edited by Abdul Wahab Azzam, (Beirut: Dar al-Nahda al-Arabiyyah, 1980).
3. Al-Shafi'i Al-Mahi Ahmed, "Zoroaster and Zoroastrianism," Annals of Arts and Social Sciences (21) (Kuwait: Kuwait University, 2001).
4. Geoffrey Parrinder, Encyclopedia of the History of Religions: Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, Judaism, Christianity, Book Five, translated by Abdul Razzaq al-Ali, edited by Firas al-Sawah, (Riyadh: Maktabat al-Fikr al-Jadid, 2010).
5. Hassan Karim al-Jaff, Encyclopedia of Iran's Political History: From Mythological History to the End of the Tahirid State, 1st ed., Vol. 1 (Beirut: Al-Dar al-Arabiyyah lil-Mawsu'at, 2008).
6. Hassan Ne'meh, Encyclopedia of Mythology and Legends of Ancient Peoples, (Beirut: Dar al-Fikr al-Lubnani, 1994).
7. Hussein Mujeeb al-Masri, The Myth Among Arabs, Persians, and Turks: A Comparative Study, (Cairo: Al-Dar al-Thaqafiyyah lil-Nashr, 2000).
8. Sharaf Khan al-Bitlisi, The Sharafnameh: On the History of Kurdish States and Emirates, translated by Muhammad Ali Awni, Part 1, 2nd ed. (Damascus: Dar al-Zaman, 2006).
9. Taha Baqir et al., The History of Ancient Iran, (Baghdad: Baghdad University Press, 1979).
10. Mufid Raif Mahmoud al-Abed, Features of the Sassanid State History: The Era of Chosroes (226-651), (Damascus: Dar al-Fikr, 1999).
Second/ Research Articles and Journals:
1. Adel Hashem Ali, "The Median State (745-550 BC): The First Empire in the History of Ancient Iran," Journal of Iranian Studies, University of Basra, No. 13, 2011.
2. Muhammad Hassan al-Qadhi, "Iranian Political Culture: Sources, Traits, and Dimensions of Influence," Journal of Iranian Studies, Year 2, No. 8, September, 2018.
Third/ Dissertations and Theses:
• Belkacem Merzouki, "The Zoroastrian and Buddhist Religions and Their Role in the Political System of the Ancient Near East between 630 BCE and 630 CE (A Comparative Study)," Unpublished PhD dissertation, Batna University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Algeria, 2019.
Fourth/ Foreign References:
1. Abu al-Qasim Ferdowsi, Shahnameh, translated by Abd al-Wahhab Azzam, First Edition (Cairo: Dar al-Kutub Press, 1932).
2. Arthur Christensen, Iran in the Sasanian Era, translated by Yahya al-Khashab, revised by Abd al-Wahhab Azzam (Beirut: Dar al-Nahda al-Arabiya, 1980).
3. Al-Shafi'i al-Mahi Ahmad, "Zoroaster and Zoroastrianism," Annals of Arts and Social Sciences (21) (Kuwait: Kuwait University, 2001).
4. Geoffrey Brander, Encyclopedia of the History of Religions: Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, Judaism, Christianity, Book Five, translated by Abd al-Razzaq al-Ali, edited by Firas al-Sawah (Riyadh: Maktabat al-Fikr al-Jadeed, 2010).
5. Hassan Karim al-Jaf, Encyclopedia of Iranian Political History: From Mythical History to the End of the Tahirid State, First Edition, Volume 1 (Beirut: Arab House for Encyclopedias, 2008).
6. Hassan Na'meh, Encyclopedia of Mythology and Legends of Ancient Peoples (Beirut: Lebanese Thought House, 1994).
7. Hussein Mujeeb al-Masri, Mythology Among Arabs, Persians, and Turks: A Comparative Study (Cairo: Cultural Publishing House, 2000).
8. Sharaf Khan Bidlisi, Sharafnameh: On the History of Kurdish States and Emirates, translated by Muhammad Ali Awani, Part 1, Second Edition (Damascus: Dar al-Zaman, 2006).
9. Taha Baqir et al., History of Ancient Iran (Baghdad: Baghdad University Press, 1979).
10. Mufid Raif Mahmoud Al-Abed, Landmarks in the History of the Sasanian State: The Age of the Sassanids (226-651), (Damascus: Dar Al-Fikr, 1999).
11. D.T. Potts, Aspects of Kinship in Ancient Iran, (US: University of California Press, 2023).
12. D. T. Potts, The Oxford Handbook of Ancient Iran, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2013).
13. Boyce, Mary, Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices, (London; New York: Routledge, 2001).
14. Paula R. Hartz, Zoroastrianism World Religions, (New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1999).
15. Jenny Rose, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction, (London; New York: I. B. Tauris, 2010).
16. Mehr, Farhang, The Zoroastrian Tradition: An Introduction to the Ancient Wisdom of Zarathustra, (Massachusetts: Rockport Mass.: Element, 1991).
17. Adel Hashem Ali, "The Median State (745-550 BCE): The First Empire in the History of Ancient Iran," Journal of Iranian Studies, University of Basra, Issue 13, 2011.
18. Muhammad Hassan Al-Qadi, "Iranian Political Culture: Sources, Characteristics, and Dimensions of Influence," Journal of Iranian Studies, Second Year, Issue 8, September 2018.
19. Belkacem Marzouki, "The Zoroastrian and Buddhist Religions and Their Role in the Political System of the Ancient Near East between 630 BCE and 630 CE (A Comparative Study)," Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, University of Batna, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Algeria, 2019.
20. D.T. Potts, Aspects of Kinship in Ancient Iran, (US: University of California Press, 2023).
21. https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/dabestan-e-madaheb accessed on 5/25/2024
22. https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/cosmogony-iv accessed on 8/30/2024
23. Boyce, Mary, Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices, (London; New York: Routledge, 2001).
24. Paula R. Hartz, Zoroastrianism World Religions, (New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1999).
25. Jenny Rose, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction, (London; New York: I. B. Tauris, 2010).
26. Mehr, Farhang, The Zoroastrian Tradition: An Introduction to the Ancient Wisdom of Zarathustra, (Massachusetts: Rockport Mass.: Element, 1991).
27. D. T. Potts, The Oxford Handbook of Ancient Iran, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2013).
28. https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/dabestan-e-madaheb access in 25/5/2024
29. https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/cosmogony-iv access in 30/8/2024
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