Achaemenid Empire

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ACHAEMENID EMPIRE (539-330 B.C.)

description

One of the empires in Asia

Transcript of Achaemenid Empire

ACHAEMENID EMPIRE

(539-330 B.C.)

ACHAEMENID EMPIRE

Cyrus the Great built the Persian Empire at around 539 B.C. in Southwestern Iran

The end came with Alexander the Great's overthrow of Darius III (the last Achaemenid ruler)

People of Persia

Medes and Persians for a time, they lived under Assyrian and Babylonian rule

spoke Indo-European languages

had considerable military power

When the Assyrian and Babylonian empire weakened, the Medes and Persians launched their military campaign

Shift of Power

• The collapse of the Neo-Babylon Empire, disappearance of Nabonidus (its last ruler), and the entry of Cyrus into Babylon

• There occurred a dramatic shift of power away from “The Land of the Two Rivers” northeastward into the Zagros Mountains, which separate Mesopotamia from the Iranian plateau

Mobilization of Resources

Tribal Confederacy− Each of these tribes inhabited a certain part of

Persia, and their territories were well defined

− oligarchic system

− social classes:

a. ruling class

b. clergy

c. artisans

d. herdsmen Opportunities were offered by the Assyrian and Babylonian

empire's decline Expanding economic activity meant increased prosperity

and also additional resources and revenues for the state

Military Pacification

Cyrus promptly enlarged his military manpower by winning over the recently defeated Medes

The subjugation of Mesopotamia added a vast population of skilled and disciplined cultivators and artisans whose labor provided a regular revenue base

Rulers of the Achaemenid Empire

Cyrus the Great

Darius the Great

Xerxes I

Alexander the Great

Cyrus the Great (r.ca. 550-530 BC)

• laid the foundations of the Achaemenid empire

• he was a tolerant ruler• he allowed different cultures within his

empire to keep their own institutions

• the Jews called him, "The Anointed of the Lord"

• He set free the Jewish captives that had been moved to Babylon since the time of Nebuchadnezzar, and gave back the stolen ornaments of the Temple of Jerusalem and money to rebuild that Temple

Cyrus the Great

• Established a vast empire stretching from India to Mediterranean

• Cyrus died in the battle with the Sakas in 530 BC, drawn into the steppes beyond the Syr Darya by a cunning ruse

• At the time of his death, the empire already embraced much of West Asia

Tomb of Cyrus the Great

Cambyses (r. 529-522 B.C.)

• son of Cyrus the Great• conquered Egypt• the Achaemenid frontier advanced down

the Nile as far as the First Cataract

Darius the Great (r. 521-486 B.C.)

• Best organizer among Persian kings

• Extended the Persian empire to the Indus river Northern India

• Built the largest empire in world history: conquered Indus Valley

• Ruled more than 70 ethnic groups

Darius the Great

• Built new capital at Persepolis, 520 B.C.E.

Darius the Great

Maybe not a great army general, but certainly the greatest of politicians

Darius recognised the first need for the rule of his empire, and that were roads. Wide and long roads connected all of the Persian empire together, and along with the first postal system in the world (Barid), helped facilitate the communication.

Darius the GreatHe created a major road

system for Iran, coined money(Darik), and finished Cyrus’ incomplete job of invasion.

Established a tax-collecting system

Built a canal in Egypt connecting the nile and the red sea Qanat- system of underground

canals

Darius passed away in Persepolis,December of 485 BC

Tomb of Darius I

Xerxes I (r. 486-465 B.C.)

Unfortunately, Xerxes did not continue Cyrus and Darius' tolerance for other traditions

His policies led to rebellions which culminated in the Persian Wars with Greece

successor: Artaxerxes III (his death led to the rapid fall of the regime)

The Wars with Greece

1. The Persian Wars (500-479 B.C.E.) – Ionian Greeks rebelled

– Greek free city states sent aid to rebels

– Persian rulers put down rebellion

2. Darius invaded Greece to punish Greeks– Won battle of Thermopylae

– Did not live long enough to finish job

3. Xerxes (reigned 486-465 B.C.E.) – Retreated from the policy of cultural

toleration

– Caused ill will and rebellions among subject peoples

– Lost both land and sea battles to Greeks

• Battles of Marathon

• Battle of Salamis

Alexander the Great I (331-330 B.C.)

In 334 BC, Alexander invaded Persia with an experienced army of 48, 000 Macedonians

Alexander confiscated the wealth in the treasury at Persepolis, proclaimed himself heir to the Achaemenid rulers and burned the city

After Alexander’s death:– His chief generals divided the empire

into three large realms which they divided among themselves:

• Seleucids• Parthians• Sasanids

Persian Religion

Zoroastrinism – emerged from teachings of

Zarathustra/Zoroaster– earliest Persian religion resembled

that of the Aryans

• Zoroastrian teachings – Ahura Mazda as a supreme deity,

with six lesser deities – Heavenly paradise and hellish realm

as reward and punishment – Moral formula: good words, good

thoughts, good deeds

• Popularity of Zoroastrianism – Attracted Persian aristocrats and ruling elites – Darius regarded Ahura Mazda as supreme God – The faith was most popular in Iran – Sizable followings in Mesopotamia, Anatolia,

Egypt, and other regions

Persian Religion

Religions of Salvation

• Zoroastrian community suffered during Alexander's invasion

• The Zoroastrians' difficulties – Extreme rivalries with Christianity (Orthodox, Monophysites)– Some Zoroastrians fled to India – Remaining Zoroastrians converted to Islam

• Few faithful Zoroastrians still exist in modern day Iran

• Influence of Zoroastrians – Influence on Jewish religion: belief in future reward and

punishment – Influence on Christianity: concepts of heaven and hell – Later influenced Islam; one of Muhammad’s protected faiths