Background

In Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, Rostam is the champion of champions and is involved in numerous stories, constituting some of the most popular (and arguably some of most masterfully created) parts of the Shahnameh. As a young child, he slays the maddened white elephant of the king Manuchehr with just one blow of the mace owned by his grand father Sam, son of Nariman. He then tames his legendary stallion, Rakhsh.

Haft Khan-e Rostam (Rostam's Seven Labours)

http://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/شاهنامه     Ferdowsi شاهنامه فردوسی هر آنكس كه دارد هش و راى و دين پس از مرگ بر من كند آفرين از آن پس نميرم كه من زنده‌ام كه تخم سخن را پراكنده‌ام پى افكندم از نظم كاخي بلند كه از باد و باران نيابد گزند بناهاى آباد گردد خراب ز باران و از تابش آفتاب

هر آنكس كه دارد هش و راى و دين پس از مرگ بر من كند آفرين	از آن پس نميرم كه من زنده‌ام كه تخم سخن را پراكنده‌ام	پى افكندم از نظم كاخي بلند كه از باد و باران نيابد گزند	بناهاى آباد گردد خراب ز باران و از تابش آفتاب
www.finglish.net	www.farsiabzar.org	www.pinglish.org	http://www.penglish.net/
	www.aariaboom.com/content/view/1088/36/	دریافت فونت نستعلیق یونیکد

He passes through a hero's journey to save his sovereign, Key Kavus who is captured by the demons (Divs) of Mazandaran. This journey is called "Rostam's Seven Labours" (Persian: Haft Khan-e Rostam):

1. Rakhsh slays the Lion of Neyestan, defending Rostam while he is sleeping.
2. Rostam and Rakhsh cross the Desert.
3. Slaying of the Dragon.
4. Rostam foils the plot of the Witch, slaying her.
5. Rostam punishes the Horse Master of Mazani hero, Olad. The Horse Master calls on his Lord, Olad. Olad then combats Rostam to avenge the humiliation of his Horse Master. Rostam captures Olad, sparing his life on the condition of Olad helping hoim to track down the "Div-e Sepid" (White Demon), the chieftain of Divs.
6. Rostam battles Div-e Sepid's castellan, Arjhang-e Div, slaying the demon. He recovers the key to the stronghold of the White Demon.
7. Rostam battles the Div-e Sepid in an epic battle, slays him, and frees Key Kavus. He then installs Olad as the king of Mazandaran.

By far, the most famous and popular story of Rostam in the Shahnameh is the one in which he kills his own son Sohrab, while the two are unaware of the identity of their opponent until after Rostam wounds his son and during their final conversation the two realize they were father and son.

Another of Rostæm's most famous exploits was his struggle against the dēw (modern Persian div "demon") named Akvan, who had initially transmogriphied as a beautiful Onager, ravaging the horse-herds of Persia. When the king was informed of this on-going problem, he realizes that it is not just a zebra and it has to be Ahrimanic disguise to damage Iran-Shahr (Aryan Land). After thinking long about who he wants to assign to this task, the king finally decides that nobody other than Rostam can handle this. So he commissions Rostam to take care of this problem. Various parts of this exploit are the subject of many beautiful illustrations. The story is fully allegorical but at the same time quite entertaining on the face value.

There are some interesting similarities between the legends of Rostam and those pertaining to the great Irish hero, Cúchulainn. They both defeat a forecious beast as a very young man, slay their sons in combat, are virtually invincible in combat, and are murdered by treachery while killing their murderer on their last breath.

Two Iranian heros, Rostam and Esfandyar, share Labours stories with Hercules.

The comic adaptation of the tales of Rostam (in English) was created by Hyperwerks Comics and took 5 years to complete.

• Shahnameh (The Epic of Kings)CAIS
• Shahnameh: The Stronghold of Persian Identity - CAIS
• Iranian Mythology - CAIS
• Hyperwerks' Rostam Series