Transcript Chapter 2 - The First Civilizations

Chapter 2 Section 4:
The Persian Empire
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?
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.
A. Persia under the Medes
Persians and Medes: Indo-European tribes
that settled in present-day Iran
A. Persia under the Medes
c. 600 BC - Media conquered Persians;
Persians allowed to keep leaders if they did
not rebel
B. Cyrus the Great
The Standard of Cyrus the Great. Called the Derafsh-e
Shahbaz-e-Talayi or the 'Golden Falcon'.
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
B. Cyrus the Great
Conquered Lydian's and Chaldeans, freed
Jews in Babylon, gained respect of conquered
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
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
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)
D. Persia in Decline
Darius’s son Xerxes failed to conquer the
Greeks; empire declined, conquered by
Alexander the Great in 331 B.C.
II. Zoroastrianism
During reign of Cyrus, Zoroastrian religion
emerged; based on teachings of Zoroaster
Zoroaster, aka Zarathushtra (c.630-550 BC??)
A. Teachings
Zoroaster taught dualism – world controlled by
struggle between good, the god Ahura Mazda,
and evil, the spirit Ahriman
Ahura Mazda from the Hall of One
Hundred Columns
A Persian king fighting
with Ahriman
A. Teachings
Teachings are recorded in the Avesta; people
have free will to choose between good and
evil; good will triumph in the end
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
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
III. Persian Achievements
III. Persian Achievements
Many diverse peoples blended into a single
Persian culture; cultural unity led to peace
A. Communication
Messengers relayed news on a network of
roads; 1500 mile-long Royal Road was world’s
first long highway
“Nothing mortal travels so fast as these Persian
messengers… Along the whole line of road there are men
stationed with horses…and 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
B. Art and Architecture
Animals were a common subject; greatest
example of architecture was Persepolis
Staircase in Persepolis- a lion
bringing down a horse