The Empires of Persia600BCE – 600CE

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

Lost City of Persepolis

Video