1. Persian Military History

2. Persian Revolt (552 BCE - 550 BCE)
Formed from Ancient Persis
Previously subjugated by the Assyrians and Medes
declared its independence and commenced its revolution
This spread to other provinces
The Medes had early success but were conquered by Cyrus the Great by 549 BC.

3. Persians Cyrus did not possess a professional army
A standing army was formed from Persians, Medes, and closely related peoples
An imperial army formed of all subject nations.
Closer nations paid less tribute but contributed more soldiers.

4. Units This consisted of
infantry
cavalry
charioteers (only the noblest warriors used the then obsolete but symbolic chariot)
the Persians incorporated subject or mercenary Greeks in their army

5. Persian Infantry, Early 5th Century

6. Cavalry, Early 5th Century

7. Organization based on a decimal system
Ten men composed a company
ten companies made up a battalion
ten battalions formed a division
ten divisions comprised a corps
The whole army was led by a supreme commander
commanders participated in fighting and died (five of the eleven sons of Darius the Great fell on the front

8. Training The training of the Persian nobility was arduous.
(As youth Persians were trained in)
running, swimming, horse grooming, tilling the land, tending the cattle, making various handicrafts, and getting accustomed to standing at watch; he would be trained in the arts of the chase (both afoot and on horseback), archery, throwing the spear and javelin, and of sustaining forced marches in unfriendly climate
At twenty he started his military profession which lasted till the age of fifty as a foot soldier or a rider.
The elites were trained for both tasks.

9. Equipment The foot soldier carried
a short sword
a spear
a quiver full of arrows
a bow
wicker shield (small and crescent-shaped or large and rectangular that could be planted in the ground allowing the archer shoot from behind it)
Battle-axe were also used, especially by North Iranians
Some wore metal helmets, Egyptians and the Mesopotamian contingents wore armor

10. Equipment
The Calvary
equipped like the foot soldier;
but he carried two javelins,
one for throwing and one for hand to hand
Some wore metal helmets and metal scale armor
One document puts requirements of a horseman as follows:
a horse and girdle and bridle
a helmet
cuirass of iron
a bronze shield
120 arrows
a mace of iron
two iron spears
“The armored Persian horsemen and their death dealing chariots were invincible. No man dared face them”

11. Apple-bearers
One division comprised “one thousand spearmen, the noblest and bravest of the Persians”
Formed a special royal guard; their spears had golden apples as butts
All members of this guard fell at Plataea defending their position

12. “Immortal Guard” Ten thousand elite Iranian foot soldiers,
whose “number was at no time either greater or less than 10,000”

13. Additional Troops Additional troops recruited when needed
It sometimes took years, to muster a grand army.
Garrisons were important but these could not be depleted because the danger of revolt
Fortified gates for custom checks and stopping enemies

14. Deployment
Before the battle, a council of war was held and plans of action discussed.
Usually drawn up as follows:
the foot archers were stationed in the front
flanked by cavalry and supported by light-armed and heavier-armed infantry.
The commander occupied the center
Started with ranged troops releasing volleys, effective range of about 120 yards
heavier infantry then moved in, supported by cavalry attacking the flanks.

15. Weaknesses
These tactics failed against heavy-armed Greek infantry (hoplites) and Macedonian phalanxes
Projectiles simply stopped by Greek armor and shields
Persians lacked armor and had inferior offensive weapons
“for in boldness and warlike spirit the Persians were not a whit inferior to the Greeks; but they were without shields, untrained, and far below the enemy in respect of skill in arms.”
With an able general, Persians were brave but the fled as soon as the commander was killed

16. Major Battles and Conquests

17. Conquests Conquest of Lydia 547 BC Conquest of Babylon 539 BC
Conquest of Egypt 525 BC
Conquest of Indus Valley

18. Persian Revolt

19. Battle of Hyrba Took place after the Persian Revolt
Cyrus was a captive of Median King but was allowed to return home
The King regretted this and sent troops to capture him
He used trickery to evade them and joined with him fathers force and destroyed them
Resulted in Median King invading Persia with a large host

20. Battle of the Persian Border (551 BCE)
Second battle of the Persian revolt
Median General defected to Cyrus’s cause
Heavy casualties inflicted on Medians and Cyrus escapes intact
Cyrus’s father dies

21. Lydian Conquest
Croesus asked the Oracle of Delphi for advice. The Oracle suggested vaguely that, "if King Croesus crosses the Halys River, a great empire will be destroyed."
Turns out it was his

22. Battle of Thymbra (547 BCE)
Cyrus's wanted to catch the Lydian king unprepared
Croesus had more than twice as many men as Cyrus.
200,000 vs. 420,000

23. Battle
Cyrus deployed his troops with flanks withdrawn in a square formation.
The flanks were chariots, cavalry, and his best infantry and a newly organized camel corps.
the wings of the Lydian army wheeled inward to envelop this novel formation
gaps appeared effective overhead fire of the Persian archers and mobile towers caused disorder
Cyrus then gave the order to attack.
Lydians are destroyed and some retreat to the capital
a decisive victory for the Persians.

25. Neo-Babylonian

26. Battle of Opis (593 BCE)
Very little is known about the events of the battle
Outcome of the battle was clearly a Babylonian defeat
Massacre and plunder is thought to have followed

27. Battle of Pelusium (525 BC)
Egyptians best advisor joined Persia
Tried to get Greeks to join but they joined Persia
It was a rout with 50,000 Egyptians died and 7,000 Persians died
Egypt became part of the Persian Empire

28. Indus Valley conquered
Conquered around 516 BCE
Considered eastern boundary but very prosperous
Little is known about the invasion