Myth Madness: A Mythology Podcast

This episode (83) features two more stories of the legendary Persian king Kay Kavus’s foolishness as recorded in the Shahnameh. The first involves a woman named Sudabeh, and the second again involves the mischief of divs.

This episode (82) will cover another of the Iranian hero Rostam’s adventures from the Shahnameh, an epic poem composed in Persian around 1010 AD. With the tragic story of Sohrab we begin to see Rostam’s flaws, his actions that come from them, and his despair that results.

The Persian ruler Kay Kavus is an utter fool. So when he falls into some serious trouble it becomes the hero Rostam’s job to save him. To do so, in this episode, Rostam completes a series of trials. Due to the trials, Rostam is often superficially described as an Iranian Heracles.

Up to now the Shahnameh largely focused on conflicts between the forces of good and evil with evil being represented by monsters and strange otherworldly creatures. But now, the Shahnameh switches its approach, and the Iranian heroes will struggle against foreign human enemies. 

This episode (80) introduces the feud between the neighbouring kingdoms of Iran (Persia) and Turan, and the destruction wrought by the wars between them. 

In this episode (79) I introduce Rostam, one of the most significant heroes in Persian legends and who is often compared to the Greek Heracles. The Shahnameh covers the story of his birth but for other stories of his youth, we have to look at other epic poems. While sharing from these, I also introduce the close association between Rostam’s family and that of another Persian hero named Gudarz. 

This episode (78) covers the romance of the Persian hero Zal (Zaal) and the beautiful princess Rudabeh. While a foreigner, Rudabeh represents the ideal Persian woman – virtuous, beautiful, dutiful, and intelligent. Their romance as presented in the Shahnameh, in the original language, is considered one of the best examples of Persian poetry. Its also just a great story, a bit like Romeo and Juliet if everyone was a good communicator.

The first part of the Shahnameh focuses on several generations of legendary kings and their conflict with the forces of evil. But during the reign of the king Manuchehr, its heroes – the king’s various commanders – leave the background, begin to play a larger role, and are the stars of their own stories.

This episode (77) focuses on Sam, loyal ruler of the region of Sistan and a powerful warrior. I use other sources, like the Samnameh, to introduce Sam and share some of his exploits. Then I move to the Shahnameh to share the story of his son Zal’s birth. 

Fereydun’s rule ushered in another Golden Age but trouble brewed when his three sons were well into adulthood. The two eldest, Salm and Tur, coveted what Ferdydun granted the youngest, Iraj, to rule. They murdered him and Fereydun hoped his great grandson, Manuchehr, would one day avenge Iraj. 

King Fereydun was mentioned a few times in previous episodes. The first half of this episode recaps Fereydun’s birth and how he grew up to save the world from the monstrous tyrant Zahhak. The second half focuses on Fereydun’s sons, how they found their wives, and the trouble they got up to. I also quickly compare the Shahnameh’s Fereydun to his Avestan/Zoroastrian equivalent. 

Throughout the Garshaspnama, the tyrant Zahhak repeatedly sends Garshasp on various adventures. But its a new world, Zahhak is gone and Fereydun is now king. Naturally, Garshasp embarks on a new quest, to go east and affirm Fereydun’s rule in China.