Ferdowsi School of Persian Literature

Classical Persian through Historical Texts: Reading Juwaynī's Tārīx-i Jahāngušāy

APPLY

September 24 - November 12
2025 (weekly)

Instructor: Ruben S. Nikoghosyan
Languages: English, Persian
Duration: 8 weeks (16 hours of instruction)
Frequency: 1 class per week (Wednesdays)
Duration of a Session: 2 hours
Deadline for Applications: September 17

Classes Start:  September 24 (6pm Yerevan Time)

Location: Online (Zoom)
Required level of Persian: Intermediate

Text Edition: ʿAlā-od-Dīn ʿAṭā-Malek Joveyni, Tārīx-e Jahāngošāy, ed. Moḥammad b. ʿAbd-al-Vahhāb Qazvīnī. E. J. W. Gibb Memorial Series 16/1-3, 3 vols., London, 1912-37.

Participation Fee: 260 USD 

Registration: To apply, please click the “Apply” button above. Complete all required fields and submit. Accepted applicants will receive further instructions on participation.

Note: All materials will be provided by the instructor

The image of the historian ʿAṭāmalik Juwaynī in the earliest surviving copy of Tārīx-i Jahāngušāy, Suppl. Pers. 205, Bibiliothèque Nationale de France

‘Alā-ud-dīn ʿAṭāmalik Juwaynī’s three-volume Tārīx-i Jahāngušāy (The History of the World Conqueror) is one of the most important historical works written in classical Persian in the 13th century. It covers a period crucial not only for the history of Iran, but also for that of Asia and Europe as a whole, making it an essential text for historians. Juwaynī, an official in Mongol service with access to a wide range of sources, produced one of the key accounts of the Mongol Empire in the first century of its existence.

The work’s three volumes address a variety of topics: from the origins of the Mongols and other nomadic empires to their expansion and conquests across Central Asia and the Near East, with attention to their far-reaching consequences. The second and third volumes are also of particular significance, treating the history of the Khwārazmshāhs and the Ismāʿīlī movement, alongside a number of related subjects. Together, these elements make the Tārīx-i Jahāngušāy indispensable for the study of the medieval Middle East and Central Asia.

Course Overview

This 8-week course is designed as an introduction to the classical Persian text of Juvaynī’s Tārīx-i Jahāngušāy. Classes will meet once a week on Wednesdays (6pm Yerevan time), where we will read and analyze selected passages, first from the printed text and later also from the earliest manuscript of the work (Suppl. Pers. 205, BnF). The sessions are structured to ensure the active participation of all attendees and will consist of close readings, discussions of Classical Persian grammar, vocabulary, and stylistics, as well as consideration of the historical significance of Juvaynī’s narrative in a broader context.

The course is intended as a general introduction to the use of Classical Persian in historical writing. Its main objective is to provide participants with the linguistic and philological tools necessary to approach other classical Persian historical works independently.

Mohammad Qazvīnī's edition of the Tārīx-i Jahāngušāy. Volume I, p. 179

A manuscript page from Tārīx-i Jahāngušāy (1290). Folio 50v, Suppl. Pers. 205, Bibiliothèque Nationale de France.

After this course, you will be able to:

  • Read and translate average historical Classical Persian texts  independently;
  • Understand how the Classical Persian grammar works;
  • Navigate the complex style of rhymed prose;
  • Recognize and analyze hundreds of words and phrases;
  • Gain insights as to how to work with manuscripts.

Course Structure

The classes will take place once a week over an 8-week period. Each session will last 2 hours (with a 15 minute breaK), totaling 16 hours of intensive instruction. Each session will revolve around readings and discussions of selected chapters and passages from Juwaynī’s Tārīx-i Jahāngušāy. Below is a breakdown of the main activities during each class:

  • Overviewing the homework passages and answering questions (15 minutes)
  • Reading the text (45 minutes)
  • Break (15 minutes)
  • Reading the text (40 minutes)
  • Discussion (5-10 minutes)

During the course students will be encouraged to ask questions and discuss topics related to the content, history or any related topics to the text. All questions (the more challenging the better) are highly encouraged, as they foster academic dialogue and help create a fertile environment for exploring the hidden dimensions of the text. Each participant is encouraged to actively contribute, making the discussions dynamic and enriching for everyone.

Methodology

One of the key tactics in my teaching is to analyze every single detail – every particle, every word, and every grammatical expression in a text. Nothing should remain unexplained, and if something is challenging to explain, we treat it as a problematic passage. In my approach, I don’t simply say, “This is how it is,” but rather explain why it is so, whether due to specific grammatical, lexical, or phraseological rules.

Additionally, another key strategy I use is to place the text within a broader historical and linguistic context. This involves exploring the evolution of the Persian language and comparing Classical Persian grammar to its Middle and Modern counterparts, thus clarifying all the intricacies for my students.

Testimonials

Thanks to his vast and deep familiarity with several religious, historical and literary texts written in Middle and Classical Persian, Ruben’s well-structured courses have always been intellectually stimulating and inspiring. In addition to his knowledge of secondary literature in Russian, French, German, Armenian, Persian and English, Ruben often draws on riches of the Persian literary canon to explain linguistic features. As an experienced language teacher and researcher in Iranian studies, his teaching style is an amalgam of historical linguistics and detailed philological analysis. Thanks to his helpfulness, modesty, flexibility and characteristic humor, his lessons are always engaging and entertaining. Over the years, we’ve worked together on several texts, and his intellectual impact on my own research has been truly transformative.
Kristof Szitar
PhD candidate, Université de Lausanne
I have taken both Shahnameh and Classical Persian Prose reading courses with Ruben, and all I can say is that he is the best language teacher I have had the pleasure of learning with. He has an extraordinary ability of introducing a wide range of topics like philology, history, and geography into his language teaching, and his encylopaedic knowledge of the Iranian world (and its languages) creates a learning experience that I can confidently say is unique to him and his school.
Rohan Kaya
Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Oxford
This was the second course that I have taken with Ruben and I cannot recommend studying with him highly enough! He is an incredibly engaging teacher who really makes the course material come to life. I have studied Persian for many years but my courses with Ruben have been on a whole other level. I love his method of using classical texts to teach Persian. It is so rewarding to complete a course feeling both the satisfaction of having learned to better understand the language and also the pleasure of having read another major classic of Persian literature. Not only did I learn a lot during these two courses, I also had a lot of fun! Ruben was always available to clarify questions about grammar and vocabulary and was very responsive to questions that I sent him between classes. I especially appreciated how he used his deep knowledge of Middle Persian to explain questions that came up about the numerous peculiarities of early classical Persian. After taking these two courses with Ruben, I've noticed a significant improvement in my ability to grasp the subtleties of classical Persian texts, nuances that previously eluded me. I sincerely appreciate his exceptional courses; they have renewed my love for classical Persian literature.
Ali Hassan
Ali Hassan
Department of South and Southeast Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley, USA
I had the pleasure of attending two online Persian language courses taught by Ruben, one on the Tarix-e Beyhaqi and the other on the Shahnameh. What impressed me most was his meticulous attention to detail and his deep expertise in both historical linguistics and the literary content of the texts. His approach allowed us to explore their rich cultural and historical significance in a meaningful way, while also absorbing key notions of grammar and vocabulary. I highly recommend Ruben's classes to anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of Persian literature and language, guided by a knowledgeable, passionate, and patient teacher.
Alberto Bernard
PhD, École Pratique des Hautes Études, PSL, France
If you are struggling with reading Classical Persian or Persian paleography, Ferdowsi School is the go-to place! Ruben is very knowledgeable, patient, and encouraging. While the texts were daunting initially, Ruben always encouraged us to think by connecting what we had learned from the previous sessions, so we both refreshed our memories and also applied what I have learned to the new text. In the “Classical Persian through Historical Texts” class, we worked on major Persian historiographical texts by not only translating but also discussing historical background and scholarly discussions on the texts. Ruben also discussed with us the grammatical, phonetical, and etymological aspects of the texts and the conventional use of certain words and expressions particularly in Classical Persian which differs from modern Persian. In “Classical Persian through Living Books,” we worked on deciphering handwritten Classical Persian texts in Naskh and Nastaliq scripts. By the end of the class, I felt much more confident in dealing with the sources I use for my dissertation research.
Di Wang
PhD Student, Department of History, The Ohio State University

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CONTACT
Ruben S. Nikoghosyan (Yerevan, Armenia)

Email: nikoghosyanruben@gmail.com