Chapter 2 Section 4: The Persian Empire

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Chapter 2 Section 4The Persian Empire
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Section 4 The Persian Empire
Main Idea The Persians formed one of the largest
and best governed empires in the ancient world
and made great cultural achievements.

• Objectives
• Who shaped the growth and organization of the
  Persian Empire?
• What were the main teachings of Zoroastrianism?
• What were the most significant Persian
  achievements?

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I. Growth and Organization
At the height of its power, the Persian Empire
encompassed approx. 8 million square kilometers
and spanned the continents of Asia, Africa and
Europe. It included Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan,
parts of India, Saudi Arabia and Central Asia,
Asia Minor, Thrace and Macedonia, Iraq, Jordan,
Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt as
far west as Libya.
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A. Persia under the Medes

• Persians and Medes Indo-European tribes that
  settled in present-day Iran

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A. Persia under the Medes

• c. 600 BC - Media conquered the Persians
  Persians allowed to keep leaders if they did not
  rebel

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B. Cyrus the Great
The Standard of Cyrus the Great. Called the
Derafsh-e Shahbaz-e-Talayi or the 'Golden
Falcon'.
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B. Cyrus the Great
559 BC - Cyrus became king defeated Medes in 549
BC and expanded the Persian Empire
Cyrus the Great - (c. 600 BC-530 BC) King of
Persia, King of Anshan, King of Media, King of
Babylon, King of Sumer and Akkad, King of the
Four Corners of the World
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B. Cyrus the Great
Conquered Lydian's and Chaldeans, freed Jews in
Babylon gained the respect of people he
conquered
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Worlds oldest coin

• The oldest coin available today was discovered in
  Efesos, an ancient Hellenic city and prosperous
  trading center on the coast of Asia Minor. The
  1/6 stater, pictured below, is more than 2,700
  years old, making it one of the very earliest
  coins. Made from electrum, a natural occurring
  alloy of gold and silver, the coin originated in
  the area of Lydia.

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B. Cyrus the Great
530 BC Cyrus died in battle his son Cambyses
a tyrant and madman added Egypt
Tomb of Cyrus II of Persia at Pasargadae
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C. Darius I
522 BC Darius emerged as emperor after death of
Cambyses created standing army and expanded
empire
Persian Immortals, found in Darius' palace in Susa
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C. Darius I
Darius surrounded himself with ceremony and
ritual created satraps to help govern
Persepolis was the ceremonial capital of the
Achaemenid Empire (ca. 550-330 BCE)
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D. Persia in Decline

• His son Xerxes failed to conquer the Greeks and
  the empire declined, conquered by Alexander the
  Great in 331 B.C.

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II. Zoroastrianism

• During reign of Cyrus, Zoroastrian religion
  emerged based on teachings of Zoroaster

Zoroaster, aka Zarathushtra (c.630-550 BC??)
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A. Teachings

• Zoroaster taught dualism world is controlled by
  the struggle between good, the god Ahura Mazda,
  and evil, the spirit Ahriman

A Persian king fighting with Ahriman
Ahura Mazda from the Hall of One Hundred Columns
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A. Teachings
Teachings are recorded in the Avesta people have
free will to choose between good and evil good
will triumph in the end
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Zarathustra warned the people that there would be
a Last Judgment. At the end of times, angels were
to lead all men and women across a narrow bridge,
where they would be judged by Spenta Manyu
(described as a beautiful maiden) the friends of
The Lie would fall into a large chasm of fire
called Worst Existence, but the followers of
Zarathustra were to reach Paradise, which goes by
the name of House of Best Purpose
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B. Spread
The religion spread Darius and others worshipped
Ahura Mazda, discouraged other religions
Ahura Mazda gives a crown to the Persian king
Ardechir I
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III. Persian Achievements
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III. Persian Achievements
Many diverse peoples blended into a single
Persian culture cultural unity led to peace
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A. Communication
Messengers relayed news on a network of roads
the 1500 mile-long Royal Road was the worlds
first long highway
Nothing mortal travels so fast as these Persian
messengers Along the whole line of road there
are men stationed with horsesand these men will
not be hindered from accomplishing at their best
speed the distance which they have to go, either
by snow, or rain, or heat, or by the darkness of
night. Herodotus
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B. Art and Architecture
Animals were a common subject greatest example
of architecture was Persepolis
Staircase in Persepolis- a lion bringing down a
horse
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Persepolis Today
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