Persian

The Persian-speaking world stretches across three culturally rich and historically significant countries: Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. Iran, formerly known as Persia, has been a center of civilization for millennia and is renowned for its poetry, art, architecture, and philosophical traditions. Afghanistan, though often known for its complex modern history, has deep cultural roots, being a historical crossroads of Persian, Indian, and Central Asian influences. Herat, in western Afghanistan, was once a leading cultural capital of the Persian world. Tajikistan, located in Central Asia, shares linguistic and historical ties with Persia through its Persian-speaking population and cultural heritage dating back to the Samanid Empire. All three countries were once part of the greater Persianate world, and together they continue to maintain and evolve shared literary and artistic traditions. Persian literature, including the works of Ferdowsi, Hafez, and Rumi, is treasured in all three nations. Despite geopolitical differences, their cultural landscapes remain deeply interconnected. This shared heritage creates a unique context for the translation and reception of works like Asterix.

The Persian language

The Persian language (also known as Farsi, Dari or Tajiki) belongs to the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family. It is an ancient language, with roots in Old Persian (the language of the Achaemenid Empire) and Middle Persian (spoken during the Sassanian Empire), evolving into Modern Persian around the 9th century CE. Persian grammar is relatively straightforward, with no grammatical gender and a simple verb conjugation system, making it accessible to learners. The language has a rich vocabulary influenced by Arabic, Turkic, and European languages, while still retaining its Indo-European core. Today, Persian is written in different scripts depending on the region: Perso-Arabic in Iran and Afghanistan, and Cyrillic in Tajikistan (introduced during the Soviet era). Despite script differences, the spoken forms remain largely mutually intelligible. Persian continues to be a key literary and cultural language in the Islamic world and beyond.

Asterix in Persian

The adventures of Asterix the Gaul have been translated into Persian and published primarily in Iran and Afghanistan, using the Perso-Arabic script. While there are no known editions in Cyrillic (used in Tajikistan), several Persian editions exist thanks to local publishers. in 1977 and 1978, just before the revolution in Iran, two albums were released: Asterix and Cleopatra and Asterix and the Cauldron. The Cleopatra-album is uncensored and she can be seen with short sleeves.

Later more Persian-language Asterix books appeared in Iran in the early 2000s. First a few albums were published by LakLak later followed by Partov Vaghee. The latter one released a broader range of albums, and new albums get released regularly.

Some editions may still be found through Persian-language bookstores or online platforms such as Nashr-e Fatemi’s website, Ketab.ir, or even second-hand bookshops in Tehran. For collectors and enthusiasts, these Persian editions offer a fascinating glimpse into how Asterix is enjoyed in one of the world’s oldest literary cultures.