Rise of PersiaRise of PersiaThe Persians based their empire

on tolerance and diplomacy. They relied on a strong military to back up their policies. Ancient Persia is where Iran is today.

The Persian EmpireThe Persian Empire

PersepolisPersepolisStudent video gi

ving overview of Persian Empire (10:00)

Ancient PersepolisAncient Persepolis

The People of Persepolis

The People of Persepolis

Government of PersiaGovernment of Persia

MonarchyAbsolute PowerSeparated into

smaller SaytrapsTolerance of

other cultures and traditions to keep down the number of revolts

Cyrus the GreatCyrus the Great

580 – 529 B. C. E.

580 – 529 B. C. E.

A tolerant ruler he allowed different cultures within his empire to keep their own institutions.

The Greeks called him a “Law-Giver.”

The Jews called him “the anointed of the Lord.” (In 537, he allowed over 40,000 Hebrew slaves to return to Palestine).

Video on Cyrus the Great

CambysesCambysesKing Cambyses II – Conquered

Egypt

Darius the Great (526 – 485 B. C. E.)

Darius the Great (526 – 485 B. C. E.) Built Persepolis.

He extended the

Persian Empire to the Indus River in northern India. (2 mil. s.q. mi.)

Built a canal in Egypt.

Darius the Great (526 – 485 B. C. E.)

Darius the Great (526 – 485 B. C. E.) Established a tax-

collecting system.

Divided the empire into districts called SATRAPIES.

Built the great Royal Road system.

Established a complex postal system.

Created a network of spies called “the King’s eyes and ears.”

How did Cyrus and Darius How did Cyrus and Darius keep control of such a keep control of such a vast empire?vast empire?Broke Empire down into

provincesRoyal Governors = SatrapsRoyal Provinces = SatrapiesThey were loyal to the Emperor

and did his bidding.

Persian “Royal Road”Persian “Royal Road”Royal Road allowed to quick

communication to Persepolis

The Royal RoadThe Royal Road1,677 miles long with 111 relay

stations

Other smaller roads branched off the royal road

Relay stations had rest areas and fresh horses.

The entire royal road could be traveled in a week by a horsemen

Caravans took about a month

How would the royal road enable a How would the royal road enable a ruler to maintain power in the empire?ruler to maintain power in the empire?

How would it effect trade in the How would it effect trade in the empire?empire?

EconomyEconomy~ Ordered construction of better roads

~ Established a system of weights and measures

~ Started using coins throughout their empire as a universal trade value

~ Divided Empire into saytrapys -Wealth of the saytrapy determined yearly taxes

Persian Persian ResourcesResourcesThe Persians had many different

resources such as:Copper, lead, gold, silver, blue

lapis lazuli, and silk

Zoroastrianism Founded by Zoroaster

Good Thoughts, Good Deed, Good Words

Zoroastrianism Founded by Zoroaster

Good Thoughts, Good Deed, Good Words

“Tree of Life”“Tree of Life”

ReligionReligion

Zoroastrianism – still practiced today in parts of northern India

One powerful god called Ahura Mazda which encourages people to live in a positive manner

Trade by nature, encourages greed and people to take advantage of those they sell to – Persians were encouraged not to be merchants.

Persian Archers & Soldiers

Persian Archers & Soldiers

ArmyArmyA large empire needs a large army to

support it. The Persian army has more people in it than any other army on Earth in 400 BCE. They could place 300,000 on one battlefield at it’s height.

The “immortals” were 10,000 of the strongest, most elite, fighters that served as the personal guards to the king.

Persian ArmyPersian ArmyMade up of 200, 000 - 300, 000

men pulled from a kingdom of 5 million people or so.

Vastly outnumbered any other army in the ancient world

Dressed lightly for quick movement and speed – no metal armor

Individual fighters

WeaponryWeaponryLong Distance composite bowsChariots with scythesSpears with weighted ends

Deadliest Warrior Video Clip (start to 2:35, 6:20-8:10, 9:44 to end)

Problems with “300”Problems with “300”

Real XerxesXerxes in 300

More “300” ComparisonsMore “300” ComparisonsPersian

Immortals in “300”

Real Persian Immortals

Also remember that “300” does not claim to follow exactly ancient accounts of the battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C. It is an impressionistic take on a graphic novel by Frank Miller, intended to entertain and shock first, and instruct second.Indeed, at the real battle, there weren’t rhinoceroses or elephants in the Persian army. Their king, Xerxes, was bearded and sat on a throne high above the battle; he wasn’t, as in the movie, bald and sexually ambiguous, and he didn’t prance around the killing field. And neither the traitor Ephialtes nor the Spartan overseers, the Ephors, were grotesquely deformed.When the Greeks were surrounded on the battle’s last day, there were 700 Thespians and another 400 Thebans who fought alongside the 300 Spartans under King Leonidas. But these non-Spartans are scarcely prominent in the movie. Still, the main story line mostly conveys the message of Thermopylae.A small contingent of Greeks at Thermopylae (which translates to “The Hot Gates”) really did block the enormous Persian army for three days before being betrayed. The defenders claimed their fight was for the survival of a free people against subjugation by the Persian Empire.Many of the film’s corniest lines — such as the Spartan dare, “Come and take them,” when ordered by the Persians to hand over their weapons, or the Spartans’ flippant reply, “Then we will fight in the shade,” when warned that Persian arrows will blot out the sun — actually come from ancient accounts by Herodotus and Plutarch.The warriors of “300” look like comic-book heroes because they are based on Frank Miller’s drawings that emphasized bare torsos, futuristic swords and staged fight scenes.

Excerpt from the Washington Post about Excerpt from the Washington Post about “300”“300”

Fall of the Fall of the PersiansPersiansThe Persians will fight two very costly

wars with the Greeks from 492 to 479 BCE. The Persians lose the wars but maintain their Empire. They lose confidence, money, and this causes them to no longer expand their boarders.

End of the End of the EmpireEmpireEventually, in 331BCE,

Alexander the Great will attack the Persians, take control of the government, and assimilate the land into his own empire.

LegacyLegacy

Tolerance for others culturesThe ease of a unified coin systemPaved roads for fast travel and

sending messagesA large, fast moving army can stop

rebellions