Firdowsi's poem "Shahnameh" is a heroic epic of the Iranian peoples, a classic work and national pride of literature: Persian - modern Iran and Tajik - Soviet Tajikistan, as well as a significant part of the Iranian-speaking peoples of modern Afghanistan. Deeply national in content and form, Ferdowsi's poem was a symbol of the unity of the Iranian peoples in the difficult centuries of feudal fragmentation and foreign oppression, a banner of the struggle for independence, for national language and culture, for the liberation of peoples from tyranny. The humanism and nationality of Ferdowsi’s poem, uniquely combined with feudal-aristocratic tendencies natural for monuments of the early Middle Ages, its its high artistic merits made it one of the most significant and widely known classical works of world literature. “Shahname”, translated into many languages of the world, became the property of a wide circle of readers. In Russia, Ferdowsi’s poem was first introduced to V.A. Zhukovsky’s free adaptation of the episode “Rustem and Zorab.” At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. translations of fragments of the Shahnameh appeared. A significant number of poetry anthologies were published in Soviet times, in 1934-1936, in connection with the celebration of the millennium of the birth of Ferdowsi. Several episodes in poetic treatment have been published in recent years. However, there has not yet been a complete translation of the poem into Russian. This publication fills this gap and provides a translation of the entire poem, made directly from the original and combining, as far as possible, scientific accuracy with artistry. The first volume contains: a poetic translation of the Shahnameh from the beginning poems to the legend of Rostem and Sohrab, made by Ts.B. Banu, edited by A. Lahuti; historical and literary essay “Firdousi and his poem “Shahnameh”, written by A.A. Starikov; The essay introduces the main problems of studying the life and work of the poet, the content and literary history of the Shahnameh; commentary on the verses of the translation, compiled by A.A. Starikov; bibliography of the main works of the Shahnameh, a short afterword by the translator, as well as name, geographical and subject indexes. CONTENTS: From the editor (5). Introduction (7). Keyumare (23). Khusheng (28). Tahmures (31). Jemshid ( 35).Zohak (49).Feridun (82).Menuchehr (153).Novzer (276).Zov, son of Tehmasp (314).Gershasp (318).Key-Kobad (335).Key-Kavus (350). APPENDICES Ferdowsi and his poem “Shahnameh” (A.A. Starikov) (459). From the translator (593). Comments (A. A. Starikov) (599). Bibliography (645). Name index (653). Geographical index ( 662).Index (666).