In the name of God
IRANIAN AMAZING COLLECTION
Pack 2 (DVD no. 1)
www.irane7000saale.com
Classical Persia
Artistic portrait of Cyrus the Great
Cyrus (580-529 BC) was the first Achaemenid Emperor. He founded Persia by uniting the two original Iranian Tribes- the
Medes and the Persians. Although he was known to be a great conqueror, who at one point controlled one of the greatest
Empires ever seen, he is best remembered for his unprecedented tolerance and magnanimous attitude towards those he
defeated. http://www.iranchamber.com/history/cyrus/cyrus.php
Persian Empires in the Classical Era
Achemenids: --558-330 (BCE)—fought in Persian Wars with Greece—crumbled by
Alexander
Selucids—part of Alexander’s empire when divided into 3 (323-83 BCE)
Overtaken by Parthians who ruled from 247 BCE to 224 CE—put under pressure by
expanding Rome, internal rebellion brings down in early 3rd century CE
Then a new empire, the Sasanids reigned from 224 to 651 CE when Arab warriors
conquered it and put into an expanding Islamic empire.
Persian Empire at the Time of the Persian Wars
Political
The first Persians (Iranians) were Indo-
European nomads: arrived in Iran around
1,000 BCE; Power came from mounted
cavalry
Persian nobleman with
Persian soldiers
.
Indo-European languages
Political
First Persian Empire Achemenids–
founded by Cyrus the Great (r.
558-530 BCE) created largest
known empire
He besieged and captured Babylon in
539 and released the Jews who had
been held captive there, thus earning
his immortalization in the Book of
Isaiah. When he died in 529, Cyrus's
kingdom extended as far east as the
Hindu Kush in present-day Afghanistan
Cyrus the Great (559-
529 BC)
"I am Cyrus, who
founded the empire of
the Persians.
Grudge me not
therefore, this little
earth that covers my
body."
Pasargad, Tomb of Cyrus the Great
Political
“Peoples of
Darius’ Empire”
Darius: kin of Cyrius: r 521-486 BCE: extended empire east and west: by far
largest empire ever
Most imp as an ___________, not a ______: Had to figure out how to rule over a
far flung empire, with many peoples (70 distinct ethnic groups)—how to
communicate, how to administer and tax territories?
Political
Use of Satrapies and “eyes and ears”
A satrapy was an administrative unit, usually organized on a geographical basis.
A satrap (governor) administered the region, a general supervised military
recruitment and ensured order, and a state secretary kept official records. The
general and the state secretary reported directly to the central government. The
twenty satrapies were linked by a 2,500-kilometer highway, the most impressive
stretch being the royal road from Susa to Sardis, built by command of Darius.
Relays of mounted couriers could reach the most remote areas in fifteen days.
Despite the relative local independence afforded by the satrapy system however,
royal inspectors, the "eyes and ears of the king," toured the empire and reported
on local conditions, and the king maintained a personal bodyguard of 10,000
men, called the Immortals
How else to govern an empire?
• Standardize coins and laws
• roads and communications
– Built the Persian ________ _______
– -Created _______ stations as part of an
organized courier service: as the Greeks said”
This rural sleigh dates to approximately 1920. The
sleigh is made of tin to keep it light. The rail is
detachable and has a set of wheels for the summer.
The familiar quote "Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat,
nor gloom of night stays this courier" was painted on
the sleigh. It is not really the post office's motto but
has been long been associated with it
Political: Persepolis
Persepolis the ceremonial capital of the
Achaemenian empire. It was built during the
reign Darius the Great (522-485 BC), and
developed further by successive kings. The
various temples and monuments are
located upon a vast platform, some 450
metres by 300 metres and 20 metres in
height. At the head of the ceremonial
staircase leading to the terrace is the
'Gateway of All Nations' built by Xerxes I
and guarded by two colossal bull-like
figures.
Political and Economic
Map of the Royal Road
How is this Political and Economic?????
Fall of Achaemenid
• Cyruys and Daris were __________ in
administering a multicurutal regions:
Xerxes was a pig
• Persian Wars and standoff ofr 150 years
• Then Alex
Political
Selucid (light brown) was part of Alex’s
empire-
Hellenistic Era: blending of
Greek/ Middle Eastern
culture after the death of
Alexander; cultural arts
greatly influenced/ sup-ported
by the wealth accumulated in
previous years of conquest.
Then
• The Parthinians' fed their horses in the
winter and “restored Persia”
• They face pressure from Rome which
weakened it then internal rebellion brings it
down
• And we get . . .
• The Sassanids—who will be overrun by
Arabs in the next unit
Economic
Darius revolutionized the economy by placing it on a silver and gold coinage
system. Trade was extensive, and under the Achaemenids there was an efficient
infrastructure that facilitated the exchange of commodities among the far reaches
of the empire. As a result of this commercial activity, Persian words for typical items
of trade became prevalent throughout the Middle East and eventually entered the
English language; examples are, bazaar, shawl, sash, turquoise, tiara, orange,
lemon, melon, peach, spinach, and asparagus. Trade was one of the empire's main
sources of revenue, along with agriculture and tribute
Gold coins of Darius.
Economic
Agriculture was the foundation of the economy—most people work in agriculture;
Most peasants are free, some own their own land, some work for others
Underground canals for
irrigating known as qanat
Most slaves works as domestic servants of skilled laborers in household of wealthy,
some worked in fields, state-owned slaves build pubic works, some slaves in
Mesopotamia work for temple communities A view inside a qanat
Economic
Trade: location, location, location
“Middle Man” in silk road routes
What makes trade possible: political
s_______, prosperity of area
location, standardized laws and
_____, good routes by land and sea
Religion: Zoroastrianism
• f. by Zarathustra (ca. 7th-6th c. BCE)
• Supreme God: Ahura Mazda, but not
monotheistic
• Priests= magi
• Emphasis on morality: believe in a
cosmic conflict between good & evil
…and good will ultimately prevail
• Believe in “good words, good thoughts,
good deeds”
• Emphasis on free will
• Salvation: individuals will be judged/
future rewards & punishments
• Most popular in Iran; no missionaries but
spread thru out SW Asia & Mid East
• Declined with spread of Islam
• Influenced Christianity, Judaism, & later
Islam
•Mani was born in a Persian village during the Sasinid reign (200s CE)
•Manichaeism thrived between the third and seventh centuries: Manichaean churches
and scriptures existed as far east as China and as far west as the Roman empire.
•Mani banned from Persia (after first favor) b/c growing opposition of Zoroastrian priests;
returned to Persia after years in exile spreading faith, Zoroastrian priests had him
flayed alive, and the body then decapitated.
•Religion is based on the concept of an eternal dualism between the Good and the Evil
that brought the world into being. Parts of the divine substance Light were stolen by the
Demons and used by the Prince of Darkness to build the earth. Man was thus made
part of the Devil's realm. But to Adam and to his procreation came the divine message to
free the imprisoned Light within themselves, thus helping in the general process of
freeing the substance imprisoned in the visible cosmos and of restoring it to the realm of
Light
Religion: a crossroads for faiths
Missionary Buddhism, Christianity, & Manichaeism
in classical era.
Buddhist Cyrus the Great
statue just offered religious
across toleration for Jews &
Afghanistan allowed to do
border pilgrimage to
Jerusalem
Christian cathedral in Iran ca. 50 C.E.
Social
• VERY cosmopolitan & heterogeneous: lots of
different ethnicities
• Originally nomadic society; importance of
family & clan relationships
• Imperial Bureaucrats: educated; shared power
& influence with warriors & clan leaders
• Most people free individuals: artisans,
craftsmen, merchant, low-ranking civil servants
• Free peasants too: some owned land; others
landless tenant farmers
• Royal women (especially king’s mother)
yielded power within family (independent
wealth, traveled, marriage alliances)
• Families were patriarchal. Polygamy &
concubines common.
• Slavery: cities & rural areas; POW’s & debtors;
domestic service & public works projects
Intellectual
• Persepolis: intellectual center
too
• Satraps: government
administration
• Qanats: underground canals
Bowl from Xerxes the Great
• Aramaic became lingua franca with trilingual inscription:
• Early education focused on such a heterogeneous
empire!
developing soldiering skills
(horsemanship) and ethical
guidance (honesty)
• Advanced education for
bureaucrats
Art Bracelet
• Made of silver, gold, & lapis
• Sculpture, jewelry, vessels
• Animal motifs, mythological
animals
• Reverence to king
Lion Mug
Drinking horn
Mastiff statue
Architecture
Best Example --Persepolis
– Highly organized, proportional planning
– Ornamental
– Decorative reliefs
– Free standing sculptures (sphinxes)
– Celebrated king & monarchy
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Special Thanks to dear creator
Iranian Amazing Collection