Die spätssassanidischen und schiitischen Mahdi-Erwartungen

The various apocalyptic writings of the late Sasanian and early Islamic periods trace Persian history up to the end of the sixth century as a vaticinatio ex eventu. These include the apocalyptic texts Zand i Vahman Yasn (commonly known as Bahman Yasht), the Zāmāsp nāmak, the expanded version of the latter, the Ayātkār i Zāmāspīk, and the corresponding sections of the Bundahišn. Additionally, they include some later literary works of the Parsis, such as the Zaratušt nāma, the Ulamā-i Islām, and the Persian Rivāyats.

The historical references in these writings are generally quite clear, as the individual predicted events can usually be identified without much difficulty. The fact that these references are presented in the veiled style typical of apocalypses does not change this. The task of identifying the individual prophecies with corresponding historical events is no more difficult than in the case of Daniel chapter 11, where the narrative also deals with known facts.

Regarding the various moments of these prophecies, which strictly adhere to chronological order and align closely with the Persian historical tradition of the Middle Persian Xvatāy nāmaks as well as with Byzantine sources,