Patrons and Cultures: A Socio-political History of Scientific and Philosophical Translation in Iran from Ancient to the Qajar Period

Document Type : Research Article

Author

Abdullah Nowruzy

English Department, Faculty o Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

https://doi.org/10.22067/lts.2026.96862.1407

Abstract

Translation serves as a powerful medium for transmitting knowledge, culture, and ideas from one culture to another. The efficacy of translation hinges on social, cultural, and political contexts. The transmission of scientific and philosophical concepts from ancient Greece to Iran sparked intellectual vitality and broadened perspectives on existence and the cosmos. Historically, translation in Iran has experienced cycles of flourishing and decline: during eras when cultural openness, patronage from rulers, or a collective thirst for knowledge prevailed, translation, and with it, philosophy and science, prospered. Conversely, in more culturally neglectful periods, translation and its influence waned. Exploring various socio-cultural and political conditions across epochs, this study demonstrates that external factors such as governmental support, societal demand, and a predisposition toward knowledge have shaped the translation of scientific and philosophical texts.

Highlights

 

Keywords

Ancient Iran

Dar al-Hikma

History of Translation

Wisdom and Philosophy

Subjects

• Translation Studies

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References