The Persian language, also known as Farsi, has a rich history that dates back to the ancient Persian Empire. The language is in the Indo-Iranian family and evolved from Old Persian, the language of the Achaemenid Empire (550–330 BCE), which was primarily used in inscriptions and royal decrees. Old Persian was eventually replaced by Middle Persian (also called Pahlavi), which flourished during the Sassanian Empire (224–651 CE). Middle Persian was the dominant language of administration, literature, and religious texts during this time, and it greatly influenced the development of modern Persian. The spread of Islam and the Arab conquest in the 7th century brought significant changes to the Persian language, including the adoption of Arabic script and the integration of numerous Arabic words, especially in areas of science, philosophy, and religion.

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The transition from Middle Persian to Modern Persian began around the 9th century, with the language gradually simplifying in grammar and structure. By the 12th century, Classical Persian literature emerged, with poets like Ferdowsi, Hafez, and Rumi shaping its identity as a language of high culture and literary sophistication. Over the centuries, Persian spread beyond Iran, influencing neighboring regions, including Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and parts of the Ottoman Empire. Today, Persian is spoken by around 130 million people and continues to serve as a prominent cultural and literary language in the region.

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