Post on 19-Jan-2016
PERSIAN EMPIRE
ORIGINS Persians were an Indo-European speaking
people Location: Southwestern Iran Characteristics
Mostly nomadic Organized into tribes (until united by the
Achaemenid Family)
ACHAEMENID EMPIRE (559-330 BCE)
Cyrus Establishes a
centralized Persian Empire by conquering Mesopotamia (Babylonian Empire)
Permitted Jews to return to Jerusalem after having been exiled by the Babylonians.
Considered merciful and accepted by all conquered peoples as their ruler
THE EMPIRE
DARIUS
Imperial Organization Divided the Empire
into 20 provinces called satrapies
Each satrapy was led by a satrap, who was a governor Satraps “Protectors
of the Kingdom” Collected taxes,
handed down justice, recruited members of the military
DARIUS
Achievements Uniform system of coinage Aramaic is declared official language of western
half of the empire Introduced a postal system
Heredotus: “Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor darkness of night prevents these couriers from completing their designated stages with utmost speed.“ (Sound familiar?)
Expanded empire into India Ahead of his time?
Evidence suggests that Darius considered building a canal from the Nile to the Red Sea (Suez Canal anyone?) How would this have changed the world had Darius
plan come to fruition?
TH
E R
OYA
L R
OA
D
•Ancient highway whose potential was maximized by Darius to better communication
•111 posting stations kept messengers and their horses fresh
•Allowed messengers to travel 1,677 miles in a mere 7 days (undertaking the journey on your own would have taken 3 months)
MILITARY ORGANIZATION
The Immortals Immortals Elite group of 10,000 soldiers. Also
acted as royal bodyguards A fighting group of soldiers was never allowed to
dip under 10,000 Soldiers were constantly replaced on the battlefield
THE DECLINE
Causes Greed
Kings after Darius became consumed with building luxurious places
Increased taxes to support their luxurious surrounding
In Fighting Sons killed fathers for the throne, as did
half-brothers Xerxes II only rules for 45 days Six out of nine rulers were killed after Darius
Alexander the Great Seeing the instability within the Persian
Empire, Alexander attacks and conquers the vast majority of the empire.
Persepolis
ASSESSMENT
Create an acrostic using the word