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Chapter 7

Chapter 7. The Empires of Persia. Persian Empires. Contemporary Iran Four major dynasties Achaemenids (558-330 BCE) Seleucids (323-283 BCE) Parthians (247 BCE-224 CE) Sasanids (224-651 CE). Achaemenid Empire (558-330 BCE).

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Chapter 7

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  1. Chapter 7 The Empires of Persia

  2. Persian Empires • Contemporary Iran • Four major dynasties • Achaemenids (558-330 BCE) • Seleucids (323-283 BCE) • Parthians (247 BCE-224 CE) • Sasanids (224-651 CE)

  3. Achaemenid Empire (558-330 BCE) • Migration of Medes and Persians from central Asia, before 1000 BCE • Indo-Europeans • Capitalized on weakening Assyrian and Babylonian empires • Cyrus (r. 558-530 BCE) founder of dynasty • “Cyrus the Shepherd” Persepolis-capital • Victory over Lydia (Croesus) • Peak under Darius (r. 521-486 BCE) • Ruled Indus to the Aegean • Capital Persepolis

  4. Cyrus the Great • A tolerant ruler  he allowed different cultures within his empire to keep their own institutions. • The Greeks called him a “Law-Giver.” • The Jews called him “the anointed of the Lord.” (In 537, he allowed over 40,000 to return to Palestine). 580 – 529 B. C. E.

  5. Darius the Great(526 – 485 B. C. E.) • Established a tax-collecting system. • Coins • Divided the empire into districts called SATRAPIES.(Governor) • Built the great Royal Road system. • Established a complex postal system. • Created a network of spies called “the King’s eyes and ears.”

  6. Achaemenid Administration: The Satrapies • 23 Administrative divisions (Mesopotamians) • Satraps Persian, but staff principally local • System of spies, surprise audits • Minimized possibilities of local rebellion • Standardized currency for taxation purposes * • Massive road building*, courier services (Her.) • Toleration, laws

  7. Technologies • Qanat: System of underground canals • Avoided excessive loss to evaporation • Extensive road-building • Persian Royal Road • 1,600 miles, some of it paved • Courier service*(H)

  8. Persian “Royal Road”

  9. Ancient Persepolis

  10. Persepolis

  11. The People of Persepolis

  12. Decline of the Achaemenid Empire • Policy of toleration under Cyrus, Darius • Rebuilding of Temple in Jerusalem • Xerxes (486-465 BCE) attempts to impose Persian stamp on satrapies • Increasing public discontent

  13. Persian Wars (500-479 BCE) • Rebellious Greeks in Ionia • Peninsular Greeks join in • Persians defeated at Marathon (490 BCE), retreated • Alexander the Great conquers the Achaemenid Empire (334-331 BCE)

  14. Seleucid Empire* • Alexander the Great dies suddenly • Generals divide empire, best part goes to Seleucus (r. 305-281 BCE) • Attacked by rebellion in India, Roman 83 B.C.E., invasion of Parthians

  15. The Achaemenid and Selucid Empires, 558-83 BCE

  16. Parthian Empire • Seminomadic Parthians drive Seleucus out of Iran • Federated governmental structure • Especially strong cavalry • Weakened by ongoing wars with Romans • Fell to internal rebellion • Ctesiphon-capital of Parthian & Sasanid

  17. Sasanid Empire (224-651 CE) • Claimed descent from Achaemenids • Continual conflicts with Rome, Byzantium in the west, Kush in the east • Overwhelmed by Arab conquest in 651 • Persian administration and culture absorbed into local Islamic culture

  18. The Parthian and Sasanid Empires, 247 BCE-651 CE

  19. Persian Society • Early steppe tradition-Aryans • Warriors, priests, peasants • Family/clan kinship very important • Creation of bureaucrat class with empire • Tax collectors • Record keepers • translators

  20. Slave Class • Prisoners of war, conquered populations • Debtors • Children, spouses also sold into slavery • Principally domestic servitude • Some agricultural labor, public works

  21. Persian Economy • Several areas exceptionally fertile • Long-distance trade benefits from Persian road-building • Goods from India especially valued

  22. Zoroastrianism • Early Aryan influences on Persian religious traditions • Zarathustra (late 7th-early 6th c. BCE) • Prophet of Ahura Mazda, against Angra Mainu • Priests of Zarathustra known as Magi • Oral teachings until Sasanid period composed Gathas

  23. Zarathustra [Zoroaster], 6c BCE:Good Thoughts, Good Deed, Good Words “Tree of Life”

  24. Extent of Zoroastrianism

  25. Dualistic Battle of Good vs. Evil Ahura Mazda“Holy Spirit” Ahriman“Destructive Spirit”

  26. Zend-Avesta(The “Book of Law”) The “Sacred Fire”  the force to fight evil.

  27. Fortunes of Zoroastrianism • Under Alexander: Massacre of Magi, burning Zoroastrian temples • Weak Parthian support • Major revival under Sasanids, persecution of non-Zoroastrians • Discrimination under Islam • Influences

  28. Other Religious Groups in the Persian Empire • Major Mesopotamian communities of Jews • Composition of the Talmud, c. 500 CE • “constitution of Judaism” • Buddhism, Christianity and Manichaeism also survived

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