Illustrations from the Shahnama showing Persian soldiers

Rest the mouse cursor over a thumb-nail to see the title (including date if known). Click to see the full image.
The figures wear contemporary dress or dress of no latter than the date of the illustration.
Illustrations are in date order in each category.
The category titles are linked to Shahnama Project pages.
In one illustration one army is represented by Ottomans including Janissaries with firearms.
The actions portray the Sassanid/Sassanian period.


Bahram Chubina's night attack on the camp of Khusrau Parviz
Khusrau Parviz and Bahram Chubina fight a second time

The war between the generals of Khusrau Parviz and Bahram Chubina
A full scale battle between the armies of Iran and Turan
Ferdowsi started writing the Shahnameh in 977 A.D and completed it on 8 March 1010. The Shahnameh is a monument of poetry and historiography, being mainly the poetical recast of what Ferdowsi, his contemporaries, and his predecessors regarded as the account of Iran's ancient history.

The Shahnameh provides a poetic account of the prehistory and history of Iran, beginning with the creation of the world and the introduction of the arts of civilization (fire, cooking, metallurgy, law), and ending with the Islamic Conquest of Persia.
Shahnama Page 2

Illustrations from other Shahnamas:
Illustrations from the First Small Shahnama, Baghdad, c.1300, showing Ilkhanid Mongols
Illustrations from the Second Small Shahnama, c.1300, showing Ilkhanid Mongols
Illustrations from the Freer Small Shahnama, after 1300, Baghdad, showing Ilkhanid Mongols
Ilkhanid Illustrations in the Great Mongol (Demotte) Shāh-Nāmeh, Tabriz, Iran, c.1335.
Persian vassals of Ilkhanid Mongols in the 1341 Inju Shahnama
Jalayrid Mongols from a late 14th Century Shahnama. Topkapi Sarai, Hazine 2153.
Baysunghur's Shahnama, Timurid, 1430
Muhammad Juki's Shahnamah, Timurid, early 1440s.
Turkmen Soldiers from the Shahnama by Firdawsi, "Big Head Shahnama", Gilan, Iran, 1494
Shahnama of Shah Tahmasp,Safavid, 1522-40
Shahnama at Bayerische Staatsbibliothek - Ms Pers 10, 3rd quarter of the 16th century

Persian Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers
Index of Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers