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The Empires of Persia. 600 BCE – 600 CE. Early History & Geography. Persians – Indo European Migrants Iranian Plateau Achaemenid clan Cyrus large areas of West Asia under his control within a 20 year period son, Cambyses brought Egypt under Persian control in 525BCE - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Early History & Geography
• Persians – Indo European Migrants• Iranian Plateau• AchaemenidAchaemenid clan
– Cyrus large areas of West Asia under his control within a 20 year period
– son, Cambyses brought Egypt under Persian control in 525BCE
– Later Darius extended empire east and west – in total nearly 2,000 miles east to west and 1000 miles north to south – with a total of 35 million people!
Achaemenid Rule• Toleration of Numerous ethnic groups
and languages• Bureacuracy at Persepolis
– 23 Administrative and taxation districts called satrapies, with a satrap for each
– Checks to satraps power – military officers, tax collectors & imperial spies
• Infrastructure– Persian Royal Road 1,600 miles long– Courier Service, 11 postal stations– Standardized Coinage of Money
Religion in Practice•Darius claimed divine sanctiondivine sanction,
yet tolerant of other religions
•Zoroastrianism’s impact on other faiths– No missionary component– Missionary impact of other faiths:
•Buddhism•Christianity•Manichaeism (blend of Zoroastrianism,
Christianity & Buddhism)
Religion: ZoroastrianismReligion: ZoroastrianismFounder: ZarathustraHoly Book: AvestaPriestly class: MagiPrinciple deity: Ahura Mazda – (six
lesser gods)Doctrine: •Final judgment•Good vs evil (heaven & hell)•Enjoy pleasures of this life
Economic Economic FoundationsFoundations
AgricultureAgricultureFoundation of economy
Barley, wheatQanat: underground canals
surpluses
TradeTradeVast commercial zone
Long distanceSuccess?:
roads, coins, political stabilityDiffusion during Hellenistic Age
Cities - banks
Social ClassesSocial Classes
Imperial BureaucratsImperial BureaucratsEducated
TranslatorsAdministrators
Record keepers
Free ClassesFree ClassesArtisans
Low ranking civil servantsMerchants
PriestsLanded & landless rural peasants
SlavesSlavesDebtors
Captives of warOwned by individual, state or temple
Restrictions: movement, marriage
Decline of Achaemenid Rule
• Xerxes (486BCE – 465BCE) retreated from previous policy of toleration of various ethnic and religious identities
• Rebellions - Persian Wars (500BCE – 479BCE)
• 150 yrs. Sporadic rebellions, lack of growth
End of Achaemenid Rule
Alexander the Great invades (334 BCE)– Outnumbered by Persians– More sophisticated military tactics– Heavier arms
Later “Persian” Empires
• The Seleucid – former commander of Alexander the Great’s Army. Viewed as foreigners
• The Parthian – originated in Eastern Iran – restorers of Persian rule
• The Sassanid – claimed direct decent from Achaemenid – conquered by Arabs
What is the Persian Legacy?
• MESOPOTAMIA: Applied military and administrative techniques on a much larger scale
• MASSIVE IMPERIAL STATE: First to build and maintain (Achaemenid 558BCE – 330 BCE)
• RELIGIOUS BELIEFS: shaped moral and religious thought that influence later development of Judaism, Christianity and Islam
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