Ferdowsi and Iranians' National Identity

Among fine Persian works, the theme of any work is not as closely related to the subject of "Iranian nationality" and "Iranians national identity" as Ferdowsi's Shahnameh. Elements and national symbols such as "land" with specific geographical boundaries (whether mythical or real), customs and traditions, history, common national language and finally the position of people, religion and government, have been reflected everywhere in this great and unique poem. In this regard, Shahnameh has rightly been considered as the "document of national identity of Iranians". But to what extent the survival of the "Iranian nation" may owe much to the sage of Tus and his Shahnameh is a question that, although difficult to answer in the first place, seems to be possible to provide a suitable answer to it with a brief review of the development of the phenomena that led to the formation of "Iranian nation" in the ancient world and consequently, the compilation and arrangement of legends and narratives recounted through the legendry history of Iran about the formation of the nation and various cultural manifestations of the Iranian nation.