Review of Zarghamee, Myth and history in ancient Persia

BRYN MAYR CLASSICAL REVIEW: Myth and history in ancient Persia: the Achaemenids in the Iranian tradition.

Reza Shaghaghi Zarghamee, Myth and history in ancient Persia: the Achaemenids in the Iranian tradition. Edinburgh studies in ancient Persia. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2025. Pp. 376. ISBN 9781399530989.

Review by
Rhyne King, University of Toronto. rhyne.king@utoronto.ca

This ambitious book aims to bring the field of Achaemenid history into conversation with Zoroastrian studies and the study of early Islamic literature. As Reza Shaghaghi Zarghamee notes, Achaemenid historians have rarely engaged with sources in Avestan, Middle Persian (also known as “Pahlavi”), and New Persian, and the author seeks to rectify that. ...

I noted the publication of the book here.

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