Classical Persia

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Classical Persia
Artistic portrait of Cyrus the Great
Cyrus (580-529 BC) was the first Achaemenid
Emperor. He founded Persia by uniting the two
original Iranian Tribes- the Medes and the
Persians. Although he was known to be a great
conqueror, who at one point controlled one of the
greatest Empires ever seen, he is best remembered
for his unprecedented tolerance and magnanimous
attitude towards those he defeated.
http//www.iranchamber.com/history/cyrus/cyrus.php
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Persian Empires in the Classical Era
Achemenids --558-330 (BCE)fought in Persian
Wars with Greececrumbled by Alexander Selucidspa
rt of Alexanders empire when divided into 3
(323-83 BCE) Overtaken by Parthians who ruled
from 247 BCE to 224 CEput under pressure by
expanding Rome, internal rebellion brings down in
early 3rd century CE Then a new empire, the
Sasanids reigned from 224 to 651 CE when Arab
warriors conquered it and put into an expanding
Islamic empire.
Persian Empire at the Time of the Persian Wars
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Political
The first Persians (Iranians) were Indo-European
nomads arrived in Iran around 1,000 BCE Power
came from mounted cavalry
Persian nobleman with Persian soldiers .
Indo-European languages
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Political
First Persian Empire Achemenids founded by Cyrus
the Great (r. 580-529 BC) created largest known
empire He besieged and captured Babylon in 539
and released the Jews who had been held captive
there, thus earning his immortalization in the
Book of Isaiah. When he died in 529, Cyrus's
kingdom extended as far east as the Hindu Kush in
present-day Afghanistan
Cyrus the Great (559-529 BC) "I am Cyrus, who
founded the empire of the Persians.Grudge me not
therefore, this little earth that covers my
body."
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Political
Peoples of Darius Empire
Had to figure out how to rule over a far flung
empire, with many peoples
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Political
Selucid (light brown) was part of Alexs empire-
Hellenistic Era blending of Greek/ Middle
Eastern culture after the death of Alexander
cultural arts greatly influenced/ sup-ported by
the wealth accumulated in previous years of
conquest.
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Political Use of Satrapies and eyes and ears
A satrapy was an administrative unit, usually
organized on a geographical basis. A satrap
(governor) administered the region, a general
supervised military recruitment and ensured
order, and a state secretary kept official
records. The general and the state secretary
reported directly to the central government. The
twenty satrapies were linked by a 2,500-kilometer
highway, the most impressive stretch being the
royal road from Susa to Sardis, built by command
of Darius. Relays of mounted couriers could reach
the most remote areas in fifteen days. Despite
the relative local independence afforded by the
satrapy system however, royal inspectors, the
"eyes and ears of the king," toured the empire
and reported on local conditions, and the king
maintained a personal bodyguard of 10,000 men,
called the Immortals
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Political Persepolis
Persepolis the ceremonial capital of the
Achaemenian empire. It was built during the reign
Darius the Great (522-485 BC), and developed
further by successive kings. The various temples
and monuments are located upon a vast platform,
some 450 metres by 300 metres and 20 metres in
height. At the head of the ceremonial staircase
leading to the terrace is the 'Gateway of All
Nations' built by Xerxes I and guarded by two
colossal bull-like figures.
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Political and Economic
How is this Political and Economic?????
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Economic

Gold coins of Darius.
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Economic
Agriculture was the foundation of the
economymost people work in agriculture Most
peasants are free, some own their own land, some
work for others
Underground canals for irrigating known as qanat
A view inside a qanat
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Economic
Trade location, location, location Middle Man
in silk road routes
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Religion Zoroastrianism

• f. by Zarathustra (ca. 7th-6th c. BCE)
• Supreme God Ahura Mazda, but not monotheistic
• Priests magi
• Emphasis on morality believe in a cosmic
  conflict between good evil and good will
  ultimately prevail
• Believe in good words, good thoughts, good
  deeds
• Emphasis on free will
• Salvation individuals will be judged/ future
  rewards punishments
• Most popular in Iran no missionaries but spread
  thru out SW Asia Mid East
• Declined with spread of Islam
• Influenced Christianity, Judaism, later Islam

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• Mani was born in a Persian village during the
  Sasinid reign (200s CE)
• Manichaeism thrived between the third and seventh
  centuries Manichaean churches and scriptures
  existed as far east as China and as far west as
  the Roman empire.
• Mani banned from Persia (after first favor) b/c
  growing opposition of Zoroastrian priests
  returned to Persia after years in exile spreading
  faith, Zoroastrian priests had him flayed
  alive, and the body then decapitated.
• Religion is based on the concept of an eternal
  dualism between the Good and the Evil that
  brought the world into being. Parts of the divine
  substance Light were stolen by the Demons and
  used by the Prince of Darkness to build the
  earth. Man was thus made part of the Devil's
  realm. But to Adam and to his procreation came
  the divine message to free the imprisoned Light
  within themselves, thus helping in the general
  process of freeing the substance imprisoned in
  the visible cosmos and of restoring it to the
  realm of Light

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Religion a crossroads for faiths

• Missionary Buddhism, Christianity, Manichaeism
  in classical era.

Cyrus the Great offered religious toleration for
Jews allowed to do pilgrimage to Jerusalem
Buddhist statue just across Afghanistan border
Christian cathedral in Iran ca. 50 C.E.
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Social

• VERY cosmopolitan heterogeneous lots of
  different ethnicities
• Originally nomadic society importance of family
  clan relationships
• Imperial Bureaucrats educated shared power
  influence with warriors clan leaders
• Most people free individuals artisans,
  craftsmen, merchant, low-ranking civil servants
• Free peasants too some owned land others
  landless tenant farmers
• Royal women (especially kings mother) yielded
  power within family (independent wealth,
  traveled, marriage alliances)
• Families were patriarchal. Polygamy concubines
  common.
• Slavery cities rural areas POWs debtors
  domestic service public works projects

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Intellectual

• Persepolis intellectual center too
• Satraps government administration
• Qanats underground canals
• Aramaic became lingua franca
• Early education focused on developing soldiering
  skills (horsemanship) and ethical guidance
  (honesty)
• Advanced education for bureaucrats

Bowl from Xerxes the Great with trilingual
inscription such a heterogeneous empire!
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Art
Bracelet

• Made of silver, gold, lapis
• Sculpture, jewelry, vessels
• Animal motifs, mythological animals
• Reverence to king

Lion Mug
Drinking horn
Mastiff statue
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Architecture

• Best Example --Persepolis
• Highly organized, proportional planning
• Ornamental
• Decorative reliefs
• Free standing sculptures (sphinxes)
• Celebrated king monarchy

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