Iranian Influence on Moslem Literature, Part I | Page 4

constant in
the history of the Moslem nations' spread over centuries. Whenever the
circumstances have been favourable it has been clearly manifest; when
the conditions have been hostile it is not noticeable at the first glance
but in reality has been of great consequence. The causes of this are very
complicated. And it is necessary on account of its universal value to
examine a wide concatenation of facts. But from a general point of
view there is no doubt that it has its roots principally in the continuity
of the historical and cultural traditions. Particular significance attaches
to the circumstance that just in the epoch preceding the Arab conquest
Persia had experienced a period of national revival after the horrors that
its sovereignty had undergone, at the hands, for instance, of Alexander
the Great.[1] Therefore for the study of Iranian tradition in Islam the
period of the Sasanian dynasty preceding the Arab conquest has a
special significance.
[Footnote 1: This is explained by the hatred given expression to in the
Parsi tradition regarding Alexander. Comp. J. Darmesteter La Legende
de Alexandre chez les Parses. Essais Orientaux, Paris 1883, pp.
227-251.]
The Sasanian dynasty issuing from a small principality in the south of
Persia--a principality which, properly speaking bears the title of the
"kernel of the Persian nation"--occupies a considerable position in
Persian history. Wide imperial aims were united with a plenitude of
solid organisation of government so perfect that it passed into a proverb
among the Arabs. In this last connection the Sasanian tradition survived
for a long time a number of Moslem dynasties. The powerful influence
which Iranian tradition exercised was felt by the Abbaside Khahlifs and
after them by the Turkish Seljuks. But not only the science of
government, a good deal of other matters of cultural and historical
importance in the latter times have their explanation in the Sasanian
epoch. Placed on the confines of the Greco-Roman world on the one
hand, and China and India on the other, Sasanian Persia served during

the course of a long time as a central mart of exchange of a mental as
well as of a material nature. As against the Achaemenides, emulating
the high Semitic culture of the West and the Hellenistic endeavours
preceding the Parthian dynasty, the Sasanians pre-eminently were the
promulgators of the Iranian principles. Alongside of this, however,
although in a subordinate position, the development of the Hellenistic
movement and the ancient Irano-Semitic syncretism continued to
proceed. Simultaneously an ethical amalgamation proceeded especially
in Western Persia where Semiticism was powerful for a lengthened
period, Nevertheless, the Sasanians continued the unification of the
Iranian inhabitants of central and western Persia. The political system
of the Sasanian emperors[1] was based on this fusion. Before it pales
the importance of the other facts regarding the political organisation of
the Sasanians,--centralisation of government in a manner so that the
elements of feudal constitution made themselves felt throughout the
existence of the empire and even after the Arab conquest, when it left
traces in circles representing Iranian traditions.
[Footnote 1: On the constitution of the Sasanian government, see A.
Christensen, L'empire des Sasanides, le peuple, l'etat, la cour, 1907.]
The Iranophile tendencies which dominated the Sasanian epoch
developed in intimate cooperation with the State religion (Mazdaism)
and the Parsi priesthood. Among the latter continued the production of
literary works. Besides, the redaction of the sacred books was
completed in these times. Among them were conserved and propagated
Persian ethical ideals, which found expression in literary forms, in
ethico-didactic tracts, like those which we notice just in the same
circles in later times. To the same end were preserved national
traditions and ritual, some of which had nothing to do with Mazdaism.
The ethical ideals of the church found strong support in the feudalistic
circles comprising the larger and the smaller landholders, the dehkans
who, with particular zeal, preserved ancient heroic traditions.
Alongside of these national currents in the Sasanian empire there
operated in full force those factors of cultural exchange of which we
spoke above. Of those factors the most important that deserve our

attention are questions regarding education and instruction. In this
connection, Sasanian Persia found itself under powerful influences
from the West. There are sufficient reminiscences of neo-Platonic
exiles from Greece at the Sasanian Court and of the school of medicine
in which the leading part belonged to Hellenic physicians. At the same
time in the same field we have to examine other influences. For
Sasanian Persia did not remain stranger to the sciences of India. We
have information regarding the renascence of the activity of the
translators of scientific works into the Persian language and the
tradition of this activity survived down to the Moslem times. In
connection with this theoretical scientific activity stood high perfection
in exterior culture issuing