Ancient Persia

Ancient Persia
Origins of an Empire
Approximately 1000 BC, Indo-European tribes

from Central Asia migrate to Iranian Plateau
Iran translates as “land of Aryans”
Two Subgroups:
• Medes – Zargos Mountain Region
• Persians – Central Plain Farsi Region
Achaemenid Dynasty
Persian Ruling family – Achaemenid - intermarries with Medes to

establish power and legitimate bloodline for rule
Cyrus the Great (child of the Persian/Mede union)
550 BC captures king (his father-in-law) and unites

Persians and Medes
Cyrus the Great
Principles Established by Cyrus the Great

• Rule through persuasion and compromise rather than force and
humiliation
• Treated conquered people with kindness – allowed deported people to
return to their homelands
• Permitted defeated people to retain their own religion and cultural
practices, and offered partnership in Persian empire
• Standardized taxes and measurements
• Fostered commercial and cultural networks in empire (Royal Road)
• The Cyrus the Great Cylinder

• Use this hyperlink to access information on the Cyrus Cylinder
Empire of
Darius
• Waited a brief period before expanding kingdom
• First conquests in East into India
• Pressed into Northern Europe – Danube River by 512 BC
• Chose Strong Central Rule – emphasized Authority
• Divided empire into twenty provinces (satrapy)
• Governor – Satrap (note the importance of the Satrap)
• Established system of royal judges to ensure local laws
enforced
• Authorized compilation and codification of Persian laws
Iran's Persepolis - Video Link Rick Steve's Classroom

“Good thoughts, good words, and good deeds”
(humata, hukhta, huvarshta)
Zoroastrianism Ahura Mazda – chief diety (“Wise Lord”)

Angra Mainyo (or Ahriman) – Antanogist of Ahura Mazda (evil)
as Religion Religion is dualistic – a constant struggle between the two dieties for mankind and
the world (good vs. evil)
Saoshyant – Savior Figure at the End of Time that will reign

Final Judgement of Fire, Ahura Mazda controls this judgement.
Features of Zoroastrianism
(1) Ethics – morality as a ideal and achievement

(2) Eschatology – expectation of a world to come
(3) Personification of Evil (protagaonist/antagonist)
(4) Fire as a central part of worship (symbol of divine presence)
Standard Prayer for Zoroastrian ceremonies is a prayer for health, long life and good
fortune – called the Tan Dorosti (Healthy Body)
Zoroastrianism - More Information
Zarathushtra – prophet from the region of Northeastern Iran (date unknown) and author of Gathas (forerunner to Avesta)
Scholarship has no evidence for Zarathushtra’s existence, only the work of the Gathas that is attributed to this mysterious individual. His
followers, called Zoroastrians, for the Greek interpretation of the Persian word, speak of many different legends surrounding the founder of
their faith.
In the Early Acheamenian period, there is evidence of the worship of Ahura Mazda and the polytheistic cult of Indo-European dieties.
However, there is no direct evidence “that the Achaemenians spoke of Zoroaster. The kings do NOT name him in their inscriptions, nor
during their reign do the Greek writers who give detailed descriptions of Persian custom based on traveller’s accounts and military
campaigns … One has to wait to the beginning of the Common Era [0-1AD – nearly 500+ years] (which is also when Matthew mentions magi
as visitors to the infant Jesus) for mention of Zoroaster to appear in Greek or Latin writers.” (World Religions, Oxtoby, 170)
Zoroastrianism is NOT monotheistic. It has characteristics of monotheism, but recognizes many lesser gods. There is also NO evidence that
it predates the Hebrew written texts. Therefore, any conclusions about its influence on Judaism, Christianity and Islam are speculation at
best.
Persian Confrontation
with Greece
Cyrus
• 546 BC conquers Lydia and
Western Anatolia
• Greeks are forced to submit,
but resentment builds over
differences in culture and
government
• 499 BC Ionian Revolt (City-states
revolt against Persian Rule)
Darius and the Ionian Revolt
• 494 BC Darius sends ambassadors to Greek mainland to suppress rebellions and force
dominance of Aegean Commerce
• Athens and Sparta kill his messengers and offend Persia
• 492 BC Battle of Marathon (at Marathon Bay)
Battle of Marathon - History Channel - YouTube
After the Persians are defeated at Marathon, Darius is positive he must forcefully
conquer Greece
Medo-Persian Empire
Conquest and
Decline of
Persia
Why did the Persian Empire
Fall? Video Link
Alexander the Great invades
Persia
How Alexander the Great Co
nquered Persia - History Link
Empires After Alexander the Great
Rashidun Caliphate
Selucid (312 BC – 63 Parthian (247 BC – Sasanian (224 AD –
(632 AD – 661 AD)
BC) (Greek) 224 AD) (Iranian) 651 AD)
(Islamic)
Umayyad Caliphate
Safavid Caliphate Abbasid Caliphate Dabuyid Dynasty
(661 AD – 750 AD)
(861 AD – 901 AD) (750 AD – 1258 AD) (Iranian holdout)
(Islamic)
Please watch the

Buyid Ghaznavid Empire Seljuk Empire (1037
videos provided in
Dynasty/Samanid (977 AD – 1186 AD) AD – 1194 AD) –
the “Videos to
Empire (Turkic origin) Overlap Turkic Rule
Watch” Folder.
Coming of Islam
The Persian Empire was displaced by the arrival of Islam in the 600s and
700s C.E. The rapid expansion of Islam eventually led to the creation of
vast Muslim empire, or caliphates, that covered all of the former Persian
Empire and many more lands besides. The briefly lived Umayyad Caliphate
(661-750 CE) and the much more prosperous Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258
CE) ruled over what is today Iran, the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, and
even parts of Southwestern Europe.
These caliphates played prominent roles in forging modern Iranian cultural
identity. Not only did they establish Islam as the dominant religion, but an
early succession struggle within the Umayyad Caliphate led to the creation
of the Shia branch of Islam – a minority sect of Islam that is dominant in
Iran today.
The last great empire to rule over Iran was the Muslim Safavid Dynasty
(1501-1736 CE). Although its territory was much less extensive than the
caliphates of the past, the Safavid Dynasty was a powerful state in its own
right and dominated the commerce and politics of much of the Persian Gulf
and Middle East.
Source: Iran’s History: Culture & the Middle East

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Approximately 1000 BC, Indo-European tribes

Iran translates as “land of Aryans”

Persian Ruling family – Achaemenid - intermarries with Medes to

Cyrus the Great (child of the Persian/Mede union)

550 BC captures king (his father-in-law) and unites

Principles Established by Cyrus the Great

• The Cyrus the Great Cylinder

Iran's Persepolis - Video Link Rick Steve's Classroom

Zoroastrianism Ahura Mazda – chief diety (“Wise Lord”)

Saoshyant – Savior Figure at the End of Time that will reign

(1) Ethics – morality as a ideal and achievement

Battle of Marathon - History Channel - YouTube

Please watch the

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