Persian, predominant ethnic group of Iran (formerly known as Persia). Although of diverse ancestry, the Persian people are united by their language, Persian (Farsi), which belongs to the Indo-Iranian group of the Indo-European language family. (Dari, a variant of the Persian language, is the lingua franca and an official language of Afghanistan and is also spoken in Pakistan.)
The name Persia derives from Parsa, the name of the Indo-European nomadic people who migrated into southern Iran—to an area then called Persis—about 1000 bce. The first written reference to the Parsa occurs in the annals of Shalmaneser II, an Assyrian king, who reigned in the 9th century bce. As the Parsa expanded their sphere of political influence, particularly under the Achaemenian dynasty (559–330 bce), the entire Iranian plateau became known to outsiders (such as the ancient Greeks) as Persia; its various peoples were designated (collectively) the Persians. Subsequent rulers—including Alexander the Great, who conquered Persia in 330 bce, and the local Sāsānian dynasty (ruled 226–641 ce)—fostered cultural consolidation.
The vast majority of Persians practice Shīʿite Islam. Before the Muslim conquest of Persia in the 7th century ce, most Persians followed Zoroastrianism, based on the teachings of the ancient prophet Zoroaster (Zarathustra), who lived during the first half of the 1st millennium bce. In 21st-century Iran there remain a small number of Zoroastrians; larger numbers of Zoroastrians now live in South Asia. In addition to the Zoroastrians, Persian adherents of the Bahāʾī faith (which originated in Iran) constitute a tiny minority of the population, their religion having been strongly discouraged by the Muslim government.
The Persian population is engaged in a broad array of occupations, in both urban and rural settings. In urban areas Persian society is stratified by profession; real-estate investors and commercial entrepreneurs occupy the highest position, followed by upper-level administrators, merchants, and clergy. The middle class consists largely of civil servants and assorted white-collar workers. The next group generally comprises labourers of various sorts, while the lowest class includes the unskilled and the unemployed. In rural areas, which are largely agrarian, social stratification is much less marked.
The traditional handwoven cloth and carpet industries have remained strong, despite competition from mechanized textile mills. Persian villages often pride themselves on the unique designs and high quality of their carpets, most of which display the typical geometric figures and floral designs prevalent in Muslim visual art. Products of the weaving industry are both used locally and exported. The Persians are known for their intricately inlaid metalwork as well as for their legacy of extraordinary architecture. Finely decorated pre-Islamic structures still stand in several ancient cities, as do spectacular mosques and shrines from the Muslim era. A number of these buildings—including those at Persepolis and Choghā Zanbil—and their surroundings have been designated UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The Persian literary tradition extends back at least to the time of Zoroaster. Although no writing in Persian occurred for a period of nearly five centuries after Alexander the Great captured the region, the tradition resumed during approximately the 3rd century ce and continued into the 21st century. Among the most renowned Persian literary figures are 10th-century court poet, musician, and singer Rūdakī, who composed versified renditions of local lore; mathematician, astronomer, and skeptic Omar Khayyam, to whom is attributed a collection of quatrains advocating a hedonistic approach to an otherwise meaningless life; and Rūmī, a 13th-century mystic of the Sufi branch of Islam, whose compilation of couplets in Mas̄navī-yi Maʿnavī (“Spiritual Couplets”) has influenced religious thought and literature throughout the Muslim world. Poetry continues to be a prominent form of literary expression among Persians of the 21st century, though modern literary forms, as represented by Marjane Satrapi’s graphic novels, have also been embraced.
Among the most important Persian holidays are the Muslim ʿīds (canonical festivals); the birthday of the 12th imam, whose return is expected at the Last Judgment; and the Persian New Year, called Nōrūz. Aside from religious observances, shopping sprees in festively lit buildings mark the birthday celebration of the 12th imam. Nōrūz starts on the last Wednesday of the old year and continues until the 13th day of the new year. Persian holidays are occasions for enjoying local foods. Most meals include rice, meat (usually lamb), and onions and other vegetables, all uniquely seasoned with saffron, turmeric, rose water, mint, and lime in various combinations. Dairy products, especially yogurt, also are characteristic of Persian cuisine.