Chapter 7: The Empires of Persia

Darius (r. 521-486 BCE)

Cyrus (r. 558-530 BCE)

Alexander the Great (r. 334 – 323 BCE)

Four Major Dynasties:

Achaemenids (558-330 BCE)Seleucids (323-283 BCE)

Parthians (247BCE-224 CE)Sasanids (224-651CE)

The Achaemenid (558-330 BCE) and Seleucid Empires (323-283 BCE)

The Parthian (247BCE-224 CE) and Sasanid Empires (224-651CE)

Geography

Present Day Iran-Iraq Darius = W Anatolia, E Indus River Valley, S Egypt and N Armenia Geography was mixed

Religion/Belief Systems

Achievements

Theme 1

Theme 2

Theme 2

Geography

Present Day Iran-Iraq Darius = W Anatolia, E Indus River Valley, S Egypt and N Armenia Geography was mixed

Religion/Belief Systems

Achievements

Theme 1

Theme 2

Theme 2

Zorastrianism - rituals, good vs. evil, Zarathustra, Ahura Mazda versus Angra Mainyu judgment day where your "good words, good thoughts, good deeds" are assessed. material world = OK(later influenced Christianity, Judaism, Islam): 1. omnipotent beneficent deity 2. good will prevail over evil 3. humans must strive for highest moral standards 4. humans will undergo judgment day

Persepolis 500 BCEPersian Royal Road 1600 miles/ qanatspostal system / standardized coins / standardized laws/ regular taxesspecialized production in different areas of the empireopen lines of communication (to administer 70 different ethnic groups)emphasized family, clan, educationtolerance

PoliticalSystems

Economic Systems

SocialSystems

Theme 3

Theme 4

Theme 5

“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays thesecouriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds”

PoliticalSystems

Economic Systems

SocialSystems

Theme 3

Theme 4

Theme 5

initially clan based/ nomadic/ pastoralistscentralized authority (Cyrus, Darius) but not direct rule of subjectsSATRAPS governed 23 SATRAPIES/ locals helped administer satrapiesimperial spies (“eyes and ears of the king”)Darius = genius = great administratorXeres = ruins tolerant environment = fall of the AchamenidsPersian Wars 500-479 BCESeleucid, Parthian and Sasanid Empires

high agricultural production/ taxes and tributeRoads fostered tradeeconomic specialization

highly organized classes of bureaucrats/ priests/ craftsmen/ merchants/ slaves/ free peasantspopulation 35 million (Darius)conspicuous displays of wealth/ social extremes

“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays thesecouriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds”