The Persian Empire

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The Ancient Middle East
Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua,
NY Edited Mr. Stonehill - THHS
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Classical Western Eurasia 1000 BCE-600 CE

• Assyrians/Babylonians (mid 700s- mid 500s BCE)
• Persian Empire (mid 500s mid 300s BCE)
  largest empire until that point in history
• Greek City States Athens Golden Age (400s
  300s BCE) Western Culture begins
• Hellenistic Empires Alexander the Great and
  spread of Greek culture (300 BCE-100 CE) Greece
  conquers Persia
• Roman Republic (500s 43 BCE) Rome develops
  as regional power
• Roman Empire (43 BCE 476 CE) Roman
  Dominates Western Eurasian world

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The Persian Empire
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The Persian Empire
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Questions - Map

• Name the different areas within the Persian
  Empire?
• In which part of Empire has the most territory?
• Which part of the Persian Empire has the most
  cities?

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Cyrus the Great

• A tolerant ruler ? he allowed different
  cultures within his empire to keep their own
  institutions.
• Creator of Persian Empire and conquers
  Babylonia
• The Greeks called him a Law-Giver.
  created a law code giving equality for all
  different groups in his empire
• The Jews called him the anointed of the
  Lord. (In 537 BCE, he allowed over 40,000
  to return to Palestine).

580 529 B. C. E.
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Questions

• Why was Cyrus the Great truly a Great ruler?
• What makes Babylonia an ideal capital for the
  Persian Empire?
• Why was being tolerant a smart way for Cyrus to
  rule the Persian Empire?

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Darius the Great (526 485 B. C. E.)

• Built Persepolis.
• He extended the Persian Empire to the
  Indus River in northern India. (2 mil. s.q.
  mi.)
• Built a canal in Egypt connecting Mediterranean
  to Red Sea

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Darius the Great (526 485 B. C. E.)
How to rule an Empire that is too large

• Established a tax-collecting system.
• Divided the empire into districts called
  SATRAPIES.
• Built the great Royal Road system.
• Established a complex postal system.
• Created a network of spies called the Kings
  eyes and ears.

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Persian Culture and Inventions

• Conquest of Babylonia turns Persia into cultural
  capital of Ancient World
• As empire expands Persia will have 4 capitals
  eventually Susa, Babylonia, Ecbatana, and
  Persepolis
• Hanging gardens of Persepolis were considered one
  of the seven Ancient Wonders of the World
• Gardens become an art form

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Questions

• How did Darius successfully rule over such a
  large Empire?
• How does creating Persepolis help Darius?
• How does Darius canal help the Empire?
• How does a bureaucracy help Darius rule?

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Ancient Persepolis architectural wonder
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Persepolis
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The People of Persepolis
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Persian Royal Road how to connect a large
empire
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Persian Archers Soldiers
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Zarathustra Zoroaster, 6c BCEGood Thoughts,
Good Deed, Good Words
Tree of Life
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Extent of Zoroastrianism notice focus to the
East
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Dualistic Battle of Good vs. Evil
Ahura MazdaHoly Spirit
AhrimanDestructive Spirit
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Zend-Avesta(The Book of Law)
The Sacred Fire ? the force to fight
evil.
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Questions

• Is Zoroastrianism a monotheistic religion?
  Why/Why not
• Define Gnostic.