An Examination of the Name of Iran in Medieval Literature, Historical Documents, Geographical Records, and Numismatic Evidence

Abstract This study examines the use and evolution of the name Iran in literary, historical, and geographical sources from the rise of Islam in the seventh century AD to the Mongol period in the thirteenth century AD. During the Sāsāniān era, the concept of Īrānshahr was firmly established as a distinct political, geographical, and cultural entity. In Sassanid inscriptions, Īrānshahr referred to the mythical homeland of the Aryans, a notion redefined within the framework of Sasanian statehood. Following the collapse of the Sassanid Empire (651 AD), Īrānshahr lost its political autonomy and distinct identity, and the terms Īrānshahr and Iran declined in usage. The research finds that the name Iran reappears most prominently in literary sources and divāns of poetry as a significant term following the rise of Islam, and it also appears in select geographical texts. However, pre-Mongol historical sources generally do not refer to Iran as a contemporary political entity. When Iran is mentioned in historical narratives, it typically refers to the pre-Islamic past. It is only with the establishment of Mongol rule in the thirteenth century AD that historical texts begin to reference Iran as a contemporary polity, marking a notable shift in its conceptual and political usage.