Eurasian Empires, 500 B.C.E.- 500 C.E. The Persians and the Greeks

Second Wave Civilizations: Continuities First Wave: Second Wave: What stayed the same? Monarchs continued to rule most of the new civilization; men continued to dominate women; a sharp divide between the elite and everyone else persisted almost everywhere, as did the practice of slavery. No technological or economic breakthrough

Second Wave Civilizations: Changes Population growth- Grew more rapidly than ever before during this period. Growing size of states: Roman, Persian, Indian, and Chinese Empires. Arab, Mongol, and Inca. Religions and belief systems. Technology: piston bellows, draw-loom, silk-handling machinery, wheelbarrow, crossbow, iron casting, iron-chain suspension bridge, gunpowder, firearms, magnetic compass, paper, printing, and porcelain. Crystallization of sugar and techniques for the manufacture of cotton textiles. Roads, bridges, aqueducts, and fortifications; glassblowing. Further communication and trade routes; spread of disease.

Empires Political systems that exercise coercive power. Usually are aggressive states that conquer, rule, and extract resources from other states and people. Encompasses a considerable variety of peoples and cultures within a single political system. Political and cultural oppression.

The Persian Empire Iranian plateau Monarch/Kingship: Cyrus, 557-530 B.C.E.; Darius, 522-486 B.C.E. 35 million people- dozens of people, states, languages, and cultural traditions. Religion: Monotheistic; God- Ahura Mazda (Zoroastrianism) Imperial spies, Governors called satraps, Standardize coinage, predictable taxes, canals, royal road (1,700 miles). Imperial centers, palaces, audience halls, quarters for the harem, monuments, and carvings.

Persepolis Palace

The Greeks City-states, popular participation in political life. About 500- 5,000 male citizens per city. Emerged around 750 B.C.E. and flourished for about 400 years in a peninsula divided by steep mountains and valleys. Athens, Sparta, Thebes, Corinth. 2-3 million people Spoke same language and worshiped same gods. Olympic games Expansive people Greek golden age.

Greek Empire under Alexander the Great The Macedonian takeover of Greece, led by Philip II, finally accomplished by 338 B.C.E. the unification of Greece. Alexander the Great reigned from 333-323 B.C.E. Known as King of Asia after defeating the Persian Empire. Greek Empire from Egypt to Anatolia in the west to Afghanistan and India to the east. After Alexander’s death, Empire split into three kingdoms ruled by Macedonian generals. Decimation of Greek culture.

Alexandria’s Library

Funeral Oration Pages 170-172 Questions on Page 171