Rustam

Rostam (رستم rosˈtæm) is a legendary hero in Persian mythology, the son of Zāl and Rudaba, whose life and work is described in the epic poem Shahnameh. In Shahnameh, Rostam and his predecessors are Marzbans of Sistan (present-day Iran and Afghanistan). Rostam is best known for his tragic fight with Esfandiar, the other legendary Iranian hero; for his expedition to Mazandaran (not to be confused with the modern Mazandaran province); and for tragically fighting and killing his son, Sohrab, without knowing who his opponent was. Rostam was eventually killed by Shaghad, his half-brother. Rostam was always represented as the mightiest of Iranian paladins (holy warriors), and the atmosphere of the episodes in which he features is strongly reminiscent of the Parthian period. He was immortalized by the 10th-century Persian poet Ferdowsi in the Shahnameh, or Epic of Kings, which contains pre-Islamic Iranian folklore and history. He rode the legendary stallion Rakhsh and wore a special suit named Babr-e Bayan in battles.