Central Asia earliest written version in 14th/15th century CE; continues to be performed orally Anonymous, Alpamish The epic of Alpamish is the main heroic epic of the Uzbeks, but is also found in the oral tradition of other ethnic groups speaking Turkic...
Ethiopia 14th century CE Kebra Nagast The Kebra Nagast, which means in Ethiopic “the Glory of Kings,” has fascinated scholars since the modern era. It is a Judeo-Christian based text that traces the origin of the Solomonic Dynasty of Ethiopia to the...
Portugal First published: 1572 Luis Vaz de Camões, The Lusiads (Os Lusíadas) Camões’ Os Lusíadas is not technically a New World epic, as it is sometimes called, since most of its action takes place in Africa and India. Yet it clearly exemplifies a...
New Spain / Mexico First published in 1798 Juan Escóiquiz, México Conquistada: Poema Heroyco México conquistada [Mexico Conquered] is a 26-Book epic whose full title and publication information help to account for the celebratory light in which the...
Arabia, Persia, and the Subcontinent Oral tradition dating back to the 7th century Illustrated manuscript commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar, c. 1562Urdu version by Ghalib Lakhnavi, 1855Expanded by Abdullah Bilgirami, 1871 Ghalib Lakhnavi The Adventures of...
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