Writing history in the post-apocalypse

This paper examines a Persian poem produced by the Indian Zoroastrian community in the 17th century. This poem is an uninspiring piece describing an incident that took place in the Sasanian empire of the late 5th and early 6th century and represents an entirely predictable fusion of sacred history, historical epic and reports from the Perso-Arabic historical tradition. It is also, however, a text with a great deal to say about how the Early Modern Zoroastrian community saw its past. In its description of the temporary dominance of a heretical prophet over “orthodox” Sasanian kingship, its emphasis on the role of priests in correcting this and the marked mismatch between the glorious past described by the poem and the reduced circumstances of the community that composed it, it shows distinct parallels to apocalyptic literature. As such, the poem can be taken as evidence for the social function of apocalyptic texts (as opposed to apocalyptic movements). It supports an interpretation of such works as products of scribal and priestly cultures, highlighting their emphasis on the restoration of correct authority and maintenance of communal tradition.