Persia & Greece East versus West

Some Questions to Ponder… 1. How did geography, environment and contact with other peoples shape the institutions and values of Persians and Greeks?

2. What brought the Greek city-states and the Persian Empire into conflict, and which factors dictated the outcome of their rivalry?

3. In what ways were the lands and peoples of the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Asia influenced – culturally, economically and politically by the domination of the Persian Empire and the Greek Kingdoms that succeeded it?

Ancient Iran Land of the Aryans Mediating Position 6th Century BC * Largest Empire to that Date Heirs to legacy of Mesopotamia * Sumer

Ancient Iran Introduced Distinct Iranian Elements Developed New Forms of Political and Economic Organization in W. Asia

Ancient Iran Little Written Material Survives Greek Perspective

Ancient Iran * Geography Mountains: Zagros * Caucasus*Afghanistan* Caspian Sea * Baluchistan Plateau * Persian Gulf * Northeast Less Protected – Nomadic Invasions

Fundamental Topography High Mountains at Edges Salt Deserts *Interior Mountain Streams Crossing Sloping Plateau Drain Into Seas, Salt Lakes or Marshes

Water & Resources Exploiting Water Resources Iran Never Had a Dense Population Best-Watered * Most Populous in North & West

Interior Plateaus * Oases Great Salt Desert Baluchistan Persian Gulf Cut Off from Interior Plateau by Mountain Barriers

Reponses 1st Millenium BC Irrigation * People Move Down from Mountain Valleys Open Plains to Agriculture

Underground Irrigation Channels Strong Central Authority Organized Workers Royal Authority * Prosperity

Iran’s Mineral Resources Copper, Tin, Gold, Silver Mountains Heavily Wooded Carpets & Textiles

Medes (Mada) Medes settled in NW & Urartu Major Role in Destruction of Assyrian Empire Extended Control into Anatolia

Medes & Achaemenids Cyrus (Kurush) * Son of Persian Chieftain & Median Princess * United Persian Tribes Overthrew Median Monarch Less a Conquest than An Alteration -

Social Status * 3 Classes * WARRIORS ** Dominant Element Landowning Aristocracy Hunting * Fighting * Gardening KING

Priests * Magi Ritual Specialists Who Supervised the Proper Performance of Sacrifices

Peasants & Shepherds Common People Primarily Village Based

Cyrus (r. 550 * 530 BC) Redrew Map of Asia Camel Cavalry (546 BC) P-ew!

More on Cyrus… Skilled Propagandist Gained Control of Babylon without a Struggle Showed Respect for Babylonian Customs

Cambyses (r.530-522 BC) Egyptian Campaign Greek Sources Egyptian Sources

Darius I (r. 522 – 486 BC) Medes Eclipsed Extends East to Indus Valley * West to Danube

Empire stretches from Eastern Europe to Pakistan Empire stretches from Eastern Europe to Pakistan * Southern Russia to Sudan He Pulled it Off by…

Darius’ Political Genius Divided Empire into 20 Provinces Under Supervision of Satrap (Governor) * Royal Family Collect Tribute & Send to King

Darius set amount Sent to Treasury Much was Hoarded Economic Decline by 4th Century BC

Royal Roads * Susa * Capital 3 Months to Make Journey to Susa (Greeks) Persepolis (Fars)