Transcript Chapter 4 Greece and Iran

Conrad-Demarest Model of Empires
How do the Persians fit into the model?
AP World History
Unit 1
Empire Models

Questions to consider:
 What
is the Conrad-Demarest Model of
Empire?
 What are the limits of using models to
understand history?
Pre-Conditions for Empire
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
State level government.
High agricultural potential.
Environmental diversity.
Several small states with no dominate
power.
Mutual hostility between small states.
Adequate military resources.
Persian Imperial Example





4 empires ruled 558 BCE to 651CE.
Mesopotamian states ripe for conquest.
Environmental mosaic: mountains, valley plateaus,
jungles, deserts, arable lands, bordered many seas.
Equestrian skills and horses.
Alfalfa fed to horses made them stronger.
Persian Imperial Government
Capital at Persepolis.
 23 regional satrapies appointed by emperor.
 Locals appointed to serve as satraps.
 Audits by roving bands of government spies.


Military officers to keep regions honest.
Regulated taxes and standardized laws.
 Built good roads for communication and control.



Courier service with horses, could travel one week
from one end of the empire to the other.
Policy of toleration of local beliefs.
State Ideology

Supports:
 Personal identification with the state.
 Belief in the empire.
 Military conquest to expand empire.
 Militarism:



Glorification of the ideals of a professional military class.
Predominance of the armed forces in the administration or
policy of the state.
A policy in which military preparedness is of primary
importance to a state.
Persian Imperial Example

Continual expansion by conquest:
 Egypt,
Anatolia, Thrace, Macedonia, Indus
River Valley.
Zoroastizism and Darius.
 Warrior class most important.

Characteristics of an Empire
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Building roads and transportation
networks.
Trade increases.
Cosmopolitan cities, art, and education.
Bureaucracy, taxes, coinage, and imperial
laws enforced.
Official language.
Law and justice.
Standards over conquered people.
Persian Imperial Example
Royal road and canals.
 Largest empire of its time period, expanded
from East Asia to Europe to Northern Africa.
 Persepolis.
 Persian language was the official language.
 Equal treatment of the people they
conquered.

 Freeing
the Jews.
 Hated Greeks, but respected their knowledge.
Results of Empires
1.
2.
3.
Economic rewards.
Stability and prosperity.
Population increase.
Persian Imperial Example
Governed 35 million subjects.
 Royal roads, peace, standardized coins
fostered increased trade.
 Regular taxes from satraps replaced
intermittent tributes.

Reasons for Downfall
1.
2.
3.
4.
Failure of leadership.
Overextension.
Failure to continue expansion undermines
government support.
Rebellions.
Persian Imperial Example
Parthians rebelled against Seleucids.
 Persian Wars vs. Greek city-states.
 Alexander the Great.

 Macedonia.
Rome in 280 CE.
 Rise of Islam in 651 CE.
