Persian Literature Timeline

Behistun Inscription of Darius I; considered the first example of Persian literature.

Literature of the Achaemenid Empire lost in its conquest by Alexander the Great and the burning of library of Persepolis.

Middle Persian dialect in use during the period of the Sassanian Empire; written literature develops in response to religious texts.

Sassanian Empire falls to invading Muslim Arabs; Zoroastrian texts and Sassanian literary works destroyed.

Persian literature and culture revive under the Abbasid Dynasty.

Persian literature flourishes under the Samanid Dynasty which encourages some its greatest poets.

Life of the Persian poet Rudaki, "the father of Persian Literature".

Life of the Persian poet Daqiqi who makes first attempt at writing the Shahnameh, The Persian Book of Kings.

Life of the Persian poet Ferdowsi, author of the literary masterpiece Shahnameh, The Persian Book of Kings.

Life of the Persian mathematician, scientist, scholar, and poet Omar Khayyam.

Life of the Persian poet Sanai, author of The Walled Garden of Truth.

Life of the Persian poet Nizami.

Life of the Persian poet Attar.

Life of the Persian poet Rumi, considered one of the greatest literary artists in the world.

Life of the Persian poet Saadi.

Life of the Persian poet Hafiz Shiraz, considered the greatest Persian poet and among the greatest in the world.