Rostam and Sohrab

The tragedy of Rostam and Sohrab is one of the most famous tales from the Shahnameh, the 10th-century Persian epic written by the poet Ferdowsi. It tells the heartbreaking story of a father and son who unknowingly meet as enemies on the battlefield.

Rostam, a great hero of Persia, lived in Zabulistan and was a favored warrior of King Kaykavous. One day, while searching for his lost horse Rakhsh, Rostam wandered into the kingdom of Samangan. The local king welcomed him as a guest, and during his stay, Rostam met Princess Tahmina. She had long admired Rostam and knew of his legendary strength. That night, she went to his room and asked him to give her a child, promising to return his stolen horse in exchange. Rostam agreed and left soon after, giving Tahmina two items before his departure: a jewel and a seal. He told her that if she bore a daughter, she should weave the jewel into the girl's hair, and if she bore a son, she should tie the seal to the boy’s arm.

Tahmina gave birth to a son and named him Sohrab. Years passed, and war eventually broke out between Zabulistan and the rival kingdom of Turan. Sohrab had grown into a powerful warrior and was now the most feared fighter in the Turan army. As the two sides prepared for battle, the Turanians refused to face Rostam directly because of his fearsome reputation. Only Sohrab had the courage to face him, not knowing that Rostam was the father he had never met. Rostam, equally unaware, did not know that Sohrab was his son.

Their first duel was long and intense. Sohrab managed to defeat Rostam but did not kill him. Rostam tricked him by saying that in war, a warrior must win two times before claiming a life. Rostam then prayed to the divine power Dargah Yazdan and asked for strength. In their second fight, the battle was even fiercer. After a long struggle, Rostam finally overpowered Sohrab, broke his back, and stabbed him.

As Sohrab lay dying, he told Rostam that his father would avenge him. He then revealed an armband he had worn into battle—the same seal Rostam had once given to Tahmina. In that moment, Rostam realized the terrible truth: he had killed his own son. Overwhelmed by grief, he sent Goudarz to fetch a panacea to save Sohrab, but it arrived too late.

When Tahmina learned that her son was dead, she set fire to Sohrab’s home and gave away all his possessions. The story ends with her own death, as Ferdowsi writes that “the breath departed from out her body, and her spirit went forth after Sohrab her son.”