* Astronomy

The Shahnameh or Shah-nama ("The Book of Kings") is a long epic poem written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi between c. 977 and 1010 AD and is the national epic of the Iranian cultural continent.
Ferdowsi started writing the Shahnameh in 977 A.D and completed it on 8 March 1010. 
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Shahnameh of Ferdowsi 13 Dec 12

Duration: 43 mins

Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the epic poem the Shahnameh of Ferdowsi, the 'Book of Kings', which has been at the heart of Persian culture for the past 1000 years. It recounts a legendary history of Iran from the dawn of time to the fall of the Persian Empire in the 7th century, depicting battles, romances, family rifts and the struggle between good and evil. The poem has been referred to as the identity card of the Persian people. Melvyn Bragg is joined by Narguess Farzad, Senior Fellow in Persian at SOAS, University of London; Charles Melville, Professor of Persian History at Pembroke College, University of Cambridge and Vesta Sarkhosh Curtis, Curator of Middle Eastern Coins at the British Museum.

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