‘Do Now’ What was Alexander the Great’s longest lasting and most important legacy?

¿Qué le hizo Alejandro Magno al Imperio Persa? 331 B.C! Persian Empire! 530- 331 B.C (Destroyed by Alexander the Great) Before Alexander’s Conquests! THE MIGHTY PERSIAN EMPIRE!

• Founder Cyrus 559-530 BCE) • Darius (521-486 BCE) • Xerxes Powerful Kings! (486-465BCE) Persian Rule

In general, Persian kings pursued a policy of tolerance, or acceptance, of the people they conquered. The Persians respected the customs of the diverse groups in their empire! All Powerful Persian Kings! (Xeres Pictured Here 486 - 465 B.C)

5 • Begun by Darius • Cosmopolitan city • Mix of Mesopotamian, Egyptian, & Greek (Acculturation)

Persepolis 6 • Large powerful army • Meritocracy (Promotion based on skill) • 10,000 Immortals (elite 1) How do we know what we do about the standing Immortals of the Persian army? army & 2) Why were they named ‘immortals?’ 3) What is the problem we have in terms of knowing royal guard) things about these ‘Immortals?’ Persian Immortals (Start at 2:00)

8 • Taxes & Tribute • Royal road (1700 miles) • Trade • Over 70 ethnic groups • 23 Satrapies (provinces) Centralized 9 • Zoroaster 6th century reformer & prophet • Monotheistic – One God Ahura Mazda

Religion: Zoroastrianism 10 • Darius invades (Battle of Thermopylae), carried on by Xerxes

• Losses at Marathon & Salamis

• Conquered by Alexander 331 BCE

Wars with Greece 11 • Achaemenid Empire (550 - 331BCE) • Ancient Persia (Cyrus, Darius, Xerces)

• Seleucid Empire (312-63 BCE) • Hellenistic rule post Alexander, keep most of organization from Ach.

• Parthian Empire (247BCE – 224CE) • Led by rebelling satrapy Parthia • Keep some Hellenistic but reinvigorates Iranian too • Conflicts w/ Romans & Civil Wars

• Sassanid Empire (224-651) • Interacted/competed w/ Rome & Byzantium 12 • Large influential empire • Military • Centralization techniques (satrapies, tolerance, Royal Road) • Competing with other major empires • Greece, Alexander, Maurya, Ptolemaic (Egypt) Rome, Byzantium • Trade routes

Persia Legacy 13 YOUR EMPIRE! If you were to be an emperor(ess) of a large empire, how would you do it if you were trying to be as successful as possible? In your response be sure to answer at least the following questions…

ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING WHEN EXPLAINING YOUR EMPIRE… 1) Economy - How would it work? 2) Religion 3) Government 4) Treatment of those you conquered! 5) Social Stratification Remember you’re trying to create a successful empire! This means one that will last. Think about the people you rule over and how they would react to what you were doing! 14 Also include a name for your empire (Clarkian Empire!), A drawing of the land you control, and a picture of yourself with your crown!!!