7-3

The Persians

1. Aryans

-Cattle herders from central Asia-Small group called Persians separated from Aryans

2. Persians

-settled between Persian Gulf and Caspian Sea

-present day Iran (Land of the Aryans)

-early occupation was cattle herding

3. Army and Empire-600 BC conquered by Medes-King Cyrus overthrows Medes & re-establishesEmpire-organized large army

-10,000 soldiers-Persians-conquered people-Immortals

-Empire from Egypt to India-Mild rulers

-allowed conquered people to keep language, laws, & religion-people had to pay taxes & produce items for trade

-King Darius-strong king-built a grand palace-fortress-treasury in capital of Persepolis

4. Government Officials

-helped king govern-spoke Aramaic-king chose

-governor-secretary-general

-officials collected taxes, sent taxes to treasury,settled disputes, protected people against bandits

-each official reported separately to king

-honesty

-inspectors “eyes and ears of king”-checked on possible rebellions-decided if people could pay taxes

-judges-made sure laws were carried out

5. Family Life-Father is head of household-rich lived in large homes w/rooms for men & Separate rooms for women & children-poor lived in one room houses-poor children stayed w/parents-rich children stayed w/mother until age 5-rich women traveled on litters

6. Religion-polytheistic-570BC Zoroaster (religious leader) introduced 2gods

-Ahura Mazda-created all things good-eternal happiness

-Ahriman-created all things evil-eternal punishment

7. Trade-Persians did not like trade-encouraged trade among conquered people-improved and expanded Assyrian road system

-Royal Road-1600 miles

-opened caravan route to China-silk

-spread Lydian's coined money-merchants began to sell things

cheaper-people began to live better