Kārnāmag-ī Ardashīr-ī Pābagān
Also known as: Karnāmag-ī Ardaxšīr ī Pābagān, Karnameh-ye Ardashir-e Babakan, Book of the Deeds of Ardashir, Son of Pābag, History of Ardashir Papakan, Karnamag-i Ardashir-i Pabagan
A Middle Persian prose narrative recounting Ardashir I’s divinely favored rise from obscurity to founder of the Sasanian Empire, his defeat of the last Arsacid king Ardawān, his monster-slaying exploits, and the securing of his dynasty.
Description
The Kārnāmag-ī Ardashīr-ī Pābagān is a compact Middle Persian tale of kingship, charisma, and divine mandate. It follows Ardashir, fostered at the Parthian court, who perceives omens of royal glory (xwarrah) and escapes the suspicion of King Ardawān. Pursued across plains and sea, Ardashir is guided by a ram that embodies the farr, signifying legitimate rule. He musters allies in Pārs, defeats Ardawān at Hormozdgān, and consolidates power through campaigns and foundations, including the city later known as Ardashir-Khwarrah (Gōr/Fīrūzābād). The narrative blends legendary motifs with historical kernels—such as the struggle with Haftvād and his worm—culminating in dynastic security under Shapur. Its didactic arc legitimizes Sasanian sovereignty through divine favor, just rulership, and the restoration of order after Parthian decline.
Historiography
Surviving in Pahlavi manuscripts, the work reflects late Sasanian ideology and court traditions, with transmission into the early Islamic period. It informed later Persian historiography and epic, notably the Khwadāy-Nāmag tradition and episodes incorporated into Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh. Editorial history and authorship remain uncertain; redaction likely involved courtly or priestly circles. Modern scholarship treats it as a legendary historical romance preserving ideological claims about farr, lineage, and rightful kingship.
Date Notes
Narrative about Ardashir I (r. 224–242 CE) likely circulated orally before a Middle Persian redaction in the late Sasanian or very early Islamic period; precise date and editor unknown.
Symbols
Major Characters
- Ardashir I
- Pabag
- Sasan
- Artabanus IV
- Tansar
- Shapur I
Myths
- Prophecies of Ardashir’s Rise
- Defeat of Ardavān and the Last Arsacids
- Winning the Royal Glory
- Foundation of the Sasanian Empire
Facts
- Written in Middle Persian (Pahlavi) and transmitted in late Sasanian/early Islamic manuscripts.
- Centers on Ardashir I’s ascent and the ideological claim of farr (royal glory) as legitimation.
- Includes legendary episodes such as the slaying of Haftvād’s worm alongside historical kernels.
- Depicts the decisive defeat of the Arsacid king Ardawān at Hormozdgān (traditionally dated 224 CE).
- Associates Ardashir’s right to rule with a ram symbolizing the xwarrah that guides and protects him.
- Provides etiologies for foundations like Ardashir-Khwarrah (Gōr/Fīrūzābād) in Pārs.
- Influenced later Persian epic and historiography, especially the Khwadāy-Nāmag tradition and the Shahnameh.
- Portrays priestly counsel (e.g., Tansar) as integral to royal order and Zoroastrian orthopraxy.
- Serves as a key narrative source for Sasanian self-representation of restored cosmic and civic order.
- Authorship is anonymous; the redaction likely reflects courtly or priestly circles rather than a single named author.