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The history of Persian art and literature goes back to many thousands
of years and its specimens can be seen as manuscripts of writing carved on
stone in Be-Sotoon near Kerman-shah and in
Takhte-Jamshid near Shiraz
where it still stands.
Due to the extensive number of Iranian poets, philosophers and writers we are obliged to restrict ourselves in naming only a few of them here. The oldest literature available is from the Sassanid period (200 B.C.) by the name of Khodai-Nameh. Is reported that a great collection of Persian script was kept in the Library at Tees-fun which was the second biggest center of art and literature after the Athens. Unfortunately, during Arab invasion it was put into fire and that outstanding collection was destroyed. Now the oldest remaining Persian literature mainly pertains to the last decades of the 8th century of Hejira (1300 A.D.).
Among the writers of note we see the first Iranian historian Dinevari who lived in the 15th century. His works were later continued by Tabari. Another Persian historian of repute is Atto-ul-Mulk Javini who compiled the book History of the World Conquests. Contemporary Iranian writer Ali Akbar Deh-khodah whose everlasting work of compiling a Dictionary of the Persian Language deserves mention here. Other contemporary writers to note are Sadegh Hedayat, Samad Behrangi, Dr. Hashtroudi and Dr. Parviz Natel Khanlari. Among contemporary Persian poets one can name Shariyar, Parvin Ehtesami and poets laureate Bahar. Shariyar, the contemporary Persian poet has also written poems in Turkish language spoken in Azarbaijan and the works of Ehtesami and Bahar are available as complete works. Parvin Ehtesami is a symbol of Persian intellectual women. The art of ritual drama, in the form of "Tazieh" "Parde-khani" and "Kheime-shab Bazi" is mostly unknown to the world. Tazieh and Parde-khani, inspired by historical and religous events, symbolize epic spirit and resistance. The common theme is the hero tales of love and sacrifice, and of resistance against the evil. Tazieh dates before the Islamic era and the tragedy of Saiawush in Shahnameh is one of the best examples. The main theme of Tazieh in the Islamic era is martyrdom of Imam Hosein A.S., the third Imam of Shi'a who was killed with his family and 72 followers in an unjust fight against the Khalifa Yazid. Parde-khani's stage is generally a traditional tea shop, called "ghaveh-khaneh" where in the past men used to gather there after a day of hard work and sip a cup of black tea. In, Parde-khani the stage is covered by a picture of a heroic tale and the Parde-khan or naq'qal (story teller) tells the story of love and passion, nobility and sacrifice...
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Persian poetry has been also translated into other languages, of which
we can name 
