The Persian Empire: the Rise *

Name:

The Persian Empire: The Rise *

1 Nomadic tribes settled on the arid plain between the Caspian Sea and Arabian Gulf around 3,000 BCE. These people called themselves Irani, and their new land Irania. Over time, these groups spread out and some traveled to present-day India. Some groups that remained, the Persians, slowly grew and became part of a larger kingdom. The larger tribes, the Medes, molded this kingdom into one of power around 700 BCE. Under the rule of the first Median kings, the borders stretched to the city of Nineveh in 612 BCE. This marked the end of the Assyrian Empire.

2 Within the larger Median empire was a smaller kingdom, the Persian realm. The Persians were vassals, or they served the dominant Median kings. In 559 BCE, the Persians crowned a new king of their lands, Cyrus II. The Persians taught their children to ride horses and use bow and arrows at an early age. These warrior skills were highly prized and served Cyrus well when his strategy for rebellion took hold. This ambitious king united the Persian tribes and attacked the Medes. Cyrus met King Astyages on the battlefield, but at the last moment, Median generals turned against their king. The Medes handed Astyages over to Cyrus the Great who then took control over the entire Median realm in 550 BCE. Instead of purging the Median elite, he gave them powerful posts and treated the people justly. This was a highly effective pattern used by later Persian kings that encouraged loyalty and acceptance. Cyrus named his new realm the Achaemenid Empire, after his grandfather.

3 The Kingdom of Lydia in present-day Turkey launched an attack into these new Persian lands. The Lydian king planned to expand his borders and plunder the riches of the area. His forces crossed the Halys River but were halted and driven back by Cyrus and his warriors. Outside the Lydian capital of Sardis, the Persians smashed into the enemy. They drove the Lydian survivors back into the protection of the walled city. After two weeks of bloody siege, the Persians overcame the walls and captured the city in 545BCE. Cyrus butchered their king and incorporated these new lands into his empire. His warriors pushed to the coast and also captured the Greek settlements.

4 Cyrus the Great was hardly finished conquering new lands and turned his now colossal army east. He planned to crush the ancient Babylonian Empire in today’s Iraq. The city of Babylon was suffering from a severe famine and desperate for change. When the Persians arrived in 539 BCE, Cyrus acquired the city without a fight. All of Babylon’s lands now became part of the Achaemenid, or Persian, Empire. Cyrus rebuilt parts of the city, treated the people kindly, and allowed his subjects to retain their religions. The Jews of the region had been persecuted, but Cyrus ceased this, allowed them to return home to Palestine, and rebuilt their temples. These actions ensured their loyalty, and his reputation soared to new heights. Cyrus spent the last years of his life defending his empire when he was slain in battle in 530 BCE.

5 Upon the death of Cyrus, his son, Cambyses II, took power. His armies marched into the deserts of Egypt and conquered the land at the Battle of Pelusium in 525. Following in the footsteps of his father, Cambyses treated his new subjects kindly. Cambyses decreed that Egyptians should be allowed to practice their own religion. In addition, he also repaired their places of worship. Soon after, a revolt erupted back in Persia led by his brother Bardiya. Cambyses gathered his warriors and began home but died en route in 522 BCE. The Persian Empire fell into a bloody civil war. Darius I, a distant cousin to the former king, returned to Persia from Egypt. He routed Bardiya in 520 BCE and right away set about controlling his empire.

6 Darius improved the structure of the provinces, or satrapies, and had each ruled by a governor in his name. Each province also had a general who maintained order throughout the empire. Each also had a new legal system of two courts, one of which ruled on local matters, and the other enforced the laws of the empire. The satrapies were obligated to pay tax to Persia determined by their harvests. The revenue flowing into the capital of Persepolis was great, and Persians grew wealthy. To assist business, Darius standardized money through silver and gold coins. He also ensured that weights and measurements were uniform across the empire. Aramaic was made the official language to be spoken in the kingdom. To preserve his power, Darius formed a secret group of informers who spread across the empire. They fed information back to the capital. The future of the Persian Empire looked optimistic.

Directions: Read each question and circle the best answer.

1. Which describes how the Persian kings treated their conquered subjects?

A. they treated them as B. they largely ignore them C. they treated them D. they treated them justly * slaves harshly

2. How did Darius I become king of the Persian Empire?

A. he defeated Cambyses B. he crushed the Bardiya C. he took over after the D. he came to an agreement revolt * death of Cyrus the Great with Cambyses

3. How did Cyrus destroy the Lydian kingdom?

A. he captured Sardis and B. he lay siege to Sardis C. he captured Sardis and D. he lay siege to Sardis, enslaved the people but only took surrounding killed the king * burned the city, and killed lands the king

4. True or False. The early Persian Empire was also known as the Achaemenid Empire.

A. True * B. False

5. The nomads who settled the Caspian Sea plain near 3000 BCE called themselves—

A. Irani * B. Persians C. Medes D. Assyrians

6. Which Persian king overthrew the Medes tribes?

A. Cyrus the Great * B. Darius I C. Cambyses D. Astyages

7. Provinces were also known as—

A. regions B. satrapies * C. zones D. kingdoms

8. Which Persian king established a new legal system?

A. Bardiya B. Cyrus the Great C. Cambyses D. Darius I *

9. What does the word vassals mean in paragraph 2?

A. enemies B. subordinates * C. leaders D. competitors

10. Which word best completes the analogy?

Cyrus is to Lydia as Cambyses is to

A. Egypt * B. Assyria C. Babylon D. Median

11. What would be a synonym for the word retain in paragraph 4?

A. shed B. preserve * C. destroy D. smother

12. Read the table below. Cause Effect Cyrus meets Astyages on the battlefield ?

Which statement belongs in the empty box?

A. the Medes hand their B. the Persians expand C. Cyrus is crowned king D. Astyages is defeated king over to the Persians * their kingdom of the Persians

13. Which paragraph mentions Darius I in battle?

A. paragraph 5 B. paragraph 6 * C. paragraph 4 D. paragraph 3