1. Persian Empires

2. Persian Empires Contemporary Iran Four major dynasties
Achaemenids ( B.C.E.)
Seleucids ( B.C.E.)
General of Alexander of Macedon
Parthians (247 B.C.E.-224 C.E.)
Sasanids ( C.E.)

3. Achaemenid Empire (558-330 B.C.E.)
Migration of Medes and Persians from central Asia, before 1000 B.C.E.
Indo-Europeans
Capitalized on weakening
Assyrian and Babylonian
empires

5. Achaemenid Empire (558-330 B.C.E.)
Cyrus (r B.C.E.) founder of dynasty
“Cyrus the Shepherd”
Peak under Darius (r B.C.E.)
Ruled Indus to the Aegean
Capital Persepolis
The empires of Persia are the first of the “classical empires”

6. Achaemenid Administration
How did the Achaemenid kings rule over such a huge empire?
1. Well developed bureaucratic system
• didn’t over control assimilated lands
2. Loyal military and a spy system
3. Standardized money and tax system
4. Royal Road system
5. Paid public works system

7. Achaemenid Administration Details
The Satrapies
Twenty-three administrative divisions
Satraps Persian, but staff principally local
System of spies, surprise audits
Minimized possibilities of local rebellion
Standardized currency for taxation purposes
Massive road building, courier services

8. Technologies
Qanat: A massive public works project of underground canals
Avoided excessive loss to evaporation
Facilitated huge agricultural output

9. Technologies Extensive road-building Persian Royal Road
1600 miles, some of it paved
Courier service

10. Decline of the Achaemenid Empire
Policy of toleration under Cyrus, Darius
Rebuilding of temple in Jerusalem
Xerxes ( B.C.E.) harshly represses rebellions in Mesopotamia and Egypt
Increasing public discontent
Alexander the Great conquers the Achaemenid empire ( B.C.E.)
Generals divide empire, best part goes to Seleucus (r B.C.E.)

11. 247 B.C.E. – 651 C.E.

12. Read pages 142 – 146 in your textbook by tomorrow
Assignment:
Read pages 142 – 146 in your textbook by tomorrow

13. Persian Society Early steppe traditions
Warriors, priests, peasants
Family/clan kinship very important
Creation of bureaucrat class with empire
Tax collectors
Record keepers

14. Slave Class Prisoners of war, conquered populations Debtors
Children, spouses also sold into slavery
Principally domestic servitude
Some agricultural labor, public works

15. Persian Economy Several areas exceptionally fertile
Long-distance trade benefits from Persian road-building
Goods from India especially valued

16. Assignment
Be sure you have read pages 131 – 138 by tomorrow.

17. Zoroastrianism
Zarathustra (late seventh to early sixth century B.C.E.)
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