1. What is the reason most historians cite as the cause of the Agricultural Revolution?

2. Persians:
Empire; a state formed through conquest and maintained through the extraction of resources from conquered states and peoples.
All classical empires were powerful states capable of coercing resources from subjects.
The Assyrians are known at the brutal bullies of Mesopotamia.
They gave us an early example of probably the most important and durable forms of political organization in world history, the Empire.

3. Political: Founded (539 B.C.E.) by Cyrus the Great.
Allowed Jews to return home (Babylonian exile).
Conquered lands from the Aegean Sea (west of Turkey) to the borders of India.
Succeeded by son Cambyses, who conquered Egypt and parts of southeast Europe.
Political:
Beginning in 559 B.C.E., under the leadership of Cyrus the Great (r B.C.E.) the Persians conquered most of the lands from the Aegean Sea (west of Turkey) to the borders of India.
After 30 years of rule Cyrus was succeeded by his son Cambyses, who conquered Egypt and parts of southeast Europe.

4. Known as the Achaemenid Empire. The size of the United States.
Included more than 70 distinct ethnic groups.
Their empire became known as the Achaemenid Empire.
It united three of the earliest centers of civilization; Mesopotamia, Egypt, and India, into one powerful empire, covering a territory the size of the United States. It is the largest, most diverse empire the world had yet seen, including more than 70 distinct ethnic groups.

5. Empire was also divided into twenty provinces.
Persian allowed local government to be run by lower-level officials drawn from local authorities.
Empire was also divided into twenty provinces.
Created a new position, satrap, a ruler of a province who was responsible to the emperor, not to local leaders.
Under Darius I (r B.C.E.), Persia divided lands it conquered into provinces so that the king’s policies announced in the capital of Persepolis could be administered throughout the empire.
Then, rather than simply demand the loyalty of rulers who were selected locally, Darius created a new position, satrap, a ruler of a province who was responsible to the emperor, not to local leaders.

6. Inspectors, called “The Eyes and Ears of the King,” traveled to each province and reported to the king on the behavior of the satraps.
Finally, inspectors, called “The Eyes and Ears of the King,” traveled to each province and reported to the king on the behavior of the satraps.
This created an efficient administrative bureaucracy.

7. Darius instituted regular tax payments.
Economics:
Darius instituted regular tax payments.
Persepolis featured an impressive royal palace.
To pay for this bureaucracy, Darius instituted regular tax payments.
The flow of tax dollars into the government enabled the Persians to fund several magnificent projects under Darius.
The capital city, Persepolis featured an impressive royal palace.

8. The Royal Road, famous network of roads built to encourage trade.
A courier service with postal stations along this road.
The Royal Road, which spanned some 1,500 miles across the empire, was the most famous network of roads built to encourage trade.
Darius added an efficient courier service with postal stations along this road.

9. Caravanserai, combination inns and markets for people traveling the Royal Road by camel caravan.
Darius also instituted the construction of caravanserai, which were combination inns and markets for people traveling the Royal Road by camel caravan.

10. Underground canals (Qanat) for water distribution and irrigation.
Interaction:
Underground canals (Qanat) for water distribution and irrigation.
Qanat (a water management system used for irrigation) originated in pre-Achaemenid Persia. The oldest and largest known qanat is in the Iranian city of Gonabad which, after 2,700 years, still provides drinking and agricultural water to nearly 40,000 people.

11. Did not try to enforce religious and cultural uniformity.
Culture:
Did not try to enforce religious and cultural uniformity.
Respect and tolerate for non-Persian traditions.
While Persians centralized political power, they did not try to enforce religious and cultural uniformity in their empire.
They allowed ethnic groups to retain their cultural identity and tolerated religious diversity as long as people paid their taxes and contributed soldiers to the military force to maintain the empire.

12. Xerxes (519-465 B.C.E.), built a “Gate of All Nations.”
Entrance to Persepolis showing honor to all subjects.
Tolerance policy made the Persians unlike other empires of the time.
Darius’ successor, Xerxes ( B.C.E.), built a “Gate of All Nations” at an entrance to Persepolis to show that he honored all his subjects.
Persian toleration of diversity was an unusual policy, one that made the Persian Empire unlike other empires of the time.

13. Persian prophet Zarathustra (c. 660-583 B. C. E
Persian prophet Zarathustra (c B.C.E.) began new faith, Zoroastrianism.
Based on belief in only one god, Ahura Mazda, or the “wise lord” who is in a cosmic struggle with a god of darkness, Angra Mainyu.
One of the most important legacies of the Persians was the spread of monotheism, the belief in only one god.
The Persian prophet Zarathustra (c B.C.E.) began teaching a new faith, Zoroastrianism.
This faith was based on belief in only one god, Ahura Mazda, or the “wise lord.”
The religion also believed in a god of darkness and other lesser gods, none of which were to be worshipped.

14. Concept of heaven and hell. “Magi” = Priest. “Avestas,” sacred text.
Teachings may have shaped development of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, reflected in its concepts of heaven and hell.
Zoroastrianism also taught the concept of heaven and hell.
After death, good people would be rewarded in heaven, while the evil ones would be punished in hell.
Priest called “magi” passed teachings from generation to generation, until a collection of written text were recorded, the “Avestas.”
Zoroastrianism’s monotheistic principle and other teachings may have shaped the development of Judaism and Christianity.

15. social stratification.
But had a larger class of educated, well-paid government workers
Social
King &
Royal Family
Priest
Aristocracy
Military
High honor; provided with special benefits
Traders
Businesspersons who trade in commodities throughout the empire.
Priests – had the authority to interfere or question the decisions of the king. Their order was a holy divinely order since they had contact with the deity.
Aristocracy – council members used to be advisors of the king and helped run the kingdom.
Military People – High honor to be part of the military. They and family were provided with special benefits.
Traders – businesspersons who trade in commodities throughout the empire.
Craftsmen – people who were skilled manual workers who specialized in making clothing, furniture, sculpture, household items, tools, machines and jewelry.
Peasants – traditional class of farmers, either laborers or owners of small farms.
Craftsmen
Manuel workers with specialized skills.
Peasants
Farmers, either laborers or owners of small farms.
Peasants

16. Free to choose their spouse. Represent husband in court.
Patriarchal society
Rights of Women:
Free to choose their spouse.
Represent husband in court.
Owned property.
Could work and earned wages.
Persian society was patriarchal; but women were allowed rights.
Persian women were free to choose their spouse
women could manage their property, represent their husbands at court, chair courtrooms and perform religious ceremonies.
both noble and common women enjoyed economic independence in Persia.
They owned property, were involved in managing their assets, had employment opportunities and earned wages.

17. Not much slavery. Forbidden by Zoroastrianism.

18. Persians and Greeks were both expansive civilizations, leading to the Persian Wars.
Battle of Marathon, outnumbered Athenian army defeated the Persian (490 B.C.E.).
Greco-Persian Wars:
As the Greek city-states expanded east and the vast Persian Empire expanded west, the two clashed in campaigns known as the Persian Wars.
The conflict began in Asia Minor (Turkey).
Persians occupied several Greek colonies.
Around 499 B.C.E., some of these conquered Greek colonies rebelled.
Athens and Sparta helped the rebel colonies.
In 490 B.C.E., at Marathon, on mainland Greece, an outnumbered Athenian army defeated the Persian forces of Darius, who then withdrew from Greece.

19. Persians defeat 300 Spartans at Battle of Thermopylae (486 B.C.E.).
Persians captured and burned Athens.
Xerxes also invaded Greece, and defeated 300 Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae.
After their victory, the Persians captured and burned Athens.

20. Greek alliance won naval victory at Battle of Salamis.
A consequence of the Greco-Persian Wars was the development of the notion of an East/West divide.
When the Persians later met the Greek alliance at sea, the Athenian navy won the Battle of Salamis, forcing the Persians to retreat to their homeland.

21. Formed the Delian League.
Athens’ leadership during the Greco-Persian Wars launched her on a path to dominance over other city-states.
Formed the Delian League.
In fear, Sparta formed the Peloponnesian League.
Peloponnesian War ( B.C.E.), Sparta defeated Athens.
The alliance among Greek city-states did not last.
Athens formed the Delian League with other cities to guard against another Persian invasion.
Fearing Athens power, Sparta formed the Peloponnesian League and lead a war against Athens, known as the Peloponnesian War ( B.C.E.).
Sparta defeated Athens and became the dominant power in Greece.

22. Peloponnesian War left Greece weakened.
Macedonia (a region on the northern edge of the Greek world) led by Phillip II conquered and unite the Greek city-states.
The Peloponnesian War left Greece weakened, allowing a new power to rise in Macedonia, a region on the northern edge of the Greek world.
Phillip II resolved to conquer and unite the Greek city-states and then conquer the Persian Empire.
After conquering Greece, he was assassinated in 336 B.C.E..

23. His son, Alexander, began the conquest of Persia earning him the title “Alexander The Great.”
Succeeded by his son Alexander, who immediately began the conquest of Persia earning him the title “Alexander The Great.”
It took Alexander 13 years to conquer the known world.

24. Picking native residents to help rule.
Married several Persian women and urging his leading generals to do the same.
He governed his empire by picking native residents to help rule.
He would cement his relationship with leaders in the area by marrying several Persian women and urging his leading generals to do the same.

25. Ptolemy Dynasty built;
Founded the city of Alexandria (Egypt), which became a center of Hellenistic culture and a major seaport.
Ptolemy Dynasty built;
Library of Alexandria, the largest library of the ancient world
Alexandria museum, a place where scholars did research.
In Egypt, he founded the great city of Alexandria, which would become a center of Hellenistic culture and a major seaport.
The Ptolemy Dynasty eventually built a library at Alexandria, the largest library of the ancient world, as well as the Alexandria museum, a place where scholars did research.

26. Alexander's conquest led to a Hellenistic era, where Greek culture throughout most of the ancient world.
Cities, founded by Alexander, became the main avenue for the spread of Greek culture in his empire.
As a result of Alexander’s conquest, Greek language, architecture, mythology, and philosophy became widespread, known as the Hellenistic Period.
Small colonies of Greeks were established all over the ancient world.

27. Greek influence can be seen in Buddhist art in South Asia.
Artists began to portray the Buddha in human in Greek clothing.
An example of this spread can be seen in the Greco-Buddhist art from the areas in South Asia.
Temples show influence in Greek columns and some statues show the Buddha in Greek clothing.
Greek Indian

28. Alexander’s death led to chaos (323 B.C.E.).
Instead of one powerful empire, the Greek-influenced lands became divided into several kingdoms.
Alexander’s death in 323 B.C.E. at the age of 23 ushered in a time of chaos.
The central administration of the empire collapsed.
Alexander failed to designate an heir, so his generals battled with one another to establish their own kingdoms.
Instead of one powerful empire, the Greek-influenced lands became divided into several.
Chief among the general/rulers were the Seleucids in Asia and the Ptolemies in Egypt.

29. That concludes The Persian Empire.
Any questions before the quiz on the next slide?