1. The
Persian
Empire

2. Jewish History Bellwork
What does the term Diaspora mean?
Which group destroyed the Second Temple, leading to 2,000 years of Jewish Diaspora?

3. Jewish History Bellwork
What does the term Diaspora mean?
Dispersion of any people from their original homeland, specifically of Jewish peoples
Which group destroyed the Second Temple, leading to 2,000 years of Jewish Diaspora?
The Romans

4. Objective
WWBT: Introduce the major leaders and accomplishments of the Persian Empire

5. The Persian Empire

6. Interactive Notebook 9/28/2016 Persian General Info
This will be one page

7. Persian Empire Background
Cyrus the Great
Darius the Great
The Persians

8. Persian Empire Background
Also known as the Achaemenid Empire
Would occupy the arid area between Mesopotamia and the nomadic tribes of central Asia.
Indo-European ethnic groups organized into clans who became loosely connected to Mesopotamian overloads.
Medes and Persians began to appear in the region east of Mesopotamia about 1300 B.C.E., bringing with them the use of iron.

9. Persian Empire Background
Capitalized on weakening Assyrian and Babylonian empires
Cyrus (r BCE) founder of dynasty
“Cyrus the Shepherd”
Peak under Darius (r BCE)
Ruled Indus to the Aegean
Capital Persepolis

10. Persian Empire Background
Four major dynasties
Achaemenids ( BCE)
Seleucids ( BCE)
Parthians (247 BCE-224 CE)
Sasanids ( CE)

11. Cyrus the Great 580 – 529 B. C. E. A tolerant ruler
Empire stretched from Northern Mesopotamia, Syria, Canaan, Phoenician cities, Lydia, Greek city-states in Asia Minor
A tolerant ruler
He allowed different cultures within his empire to keep their own institutions.
The Greeks called him a “Law-Giver.”
The Jews called him “the anointed of the Lord.” (In 537, he allowed over 40,000 Jews to return to Palestine from Babylon).
580 – 529 B. C. E.

12. Iranian artists rendition of Cyrus the Great
Tomb of Cyrus the Great
Iranian artists rendition of Cyrus the Great

13. The Cyrus Cylinder, sometimes described as the "first charter of human rights"

14. Cyrus the Great
Even though he broke the balance when he defeated the Medes, Babylonians, and Lydians of western Asia, he was seen as a liberator of Babylon
He allowed local rulers to continue work under Persian direction
Upon his questionable death, his son, Cambyses II, expanded Cyrus’ conquest by capturing Memphis and taking control of Egypt
The empire would eventually stretch from North Africa to the Indus River.

15. Persian Empire

16. Darius the Great (526 – 485 B. C. E.)
Best organizer among Persian kings
Built Persepolis.
He extended the Persian Empire to the Indus River in northern India. (empire stretched 3000 mls)
He conquered Egypt & built a canal in Egypt connecting the Nile and the Red Sea.

17. Persepolis

18. Persepolis
Gate of Xerxes at Persepolis

19. Persepolis

20. Persepolis

21. Ancient Persepolis

22. Persepolis

23. The People of Persepolis

24. Darius the Great (526 – 485 B. C. E.)
Established a tax-collecting system.
Divided the empire into 23 provinces called SATRAPIES
Ruled by a governor called satrap
Built the great Royal Road system
Established a complex postal system
Created a network of spies called “the King’s eyes and ears.”
Ruled more than 35 million people

25. Persian “Royal Road”

26. The Persians Persians = very tolerant rulers
Allowed conquered people to keep own languages, religions, and laws
Artisans built city of Persepolis = most magnificent city in the empire

27. The Persians Big network of roads
Allowed for trade between different peoples/cultures in the empire
Allowed for easy movement of soldiers
Royal Road = longest road in the empire  had stations along it so travelers could get food, water, and fresh horses

28. Persian “Royal Road”

29. Persian Archers & Soldiers

30. The Persians
480 BCE = Darius’s son Xerxes tried to conquer Greece to expand the empire
Failed to defeat the Greeks

31. The Fall of the Persians
Differences between Persians and its subject peoples became too difficult to overcome.
Unfortunately, the tolerance for other traditions exhibited by Cyrus and Darius was not continued by Xerxes, the successor of Darius.
His policies led to rebellions which culminated in the Persian Wars with Greece. A long period of warfare with Greek city-states resulted in “defeat” and decline. (Marathon & Thermoplyae)
In 334 B.C.E., Macedonian conqueror Alexander the Great invaded Persia and defeated the Persians three years later. Persia was then divided into three regions ruled by Alexander’s generals until their defeat in 651 C.E.