ANCIENT PERSIA: A CONCISE HISTORY OF THE , 550-330 BCE PDF, EPUB, EBOOK

Matt Waters | 274 pages | 20 Jan 2014 | CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS | 9780521253697 | English | Cambridge, United Kingdom Ancient Persia: A Concise History of the Achaemenid Empire, 550-330 BCE PDF Book

The Achaemenid Empire takes its name from , the eponymous founder of the dynasty. The history of ancient stretches back millennia. A clear and enjoyable primer on the Persian empire. The Murashu archive helps us understand how military obligations were fulfilled. Jewish exiles from returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt the temple that had been sacked by the Babylonian king NebuchadnezzarII in Apr 16, Michael Cayley rated it liked it Shelves: history. Parsa, more specifically equivalent with modern Fars, is dominated by the southern part of the Zagros Mountains — a chain running northwest to southeast across western Iran — save for the coastal region along the and the low- lying plains of Khuzistan, wherein is found the ancient city of . Xerxes, the expander of the realm 8. Get A Copy. The former could be granted as long as it did not contravene the latter. Moving eastward beyond the Zagros one encounters the Iranian Plateau and the forbidding salt deserts of central Iran. Some scholars have ingeniously reconciled joint Athenian and Persian claims on much of western by assuming that the city-states in question paid tribute not only to Athens — which is attested to varying degrees through the latter half of the fifth century — but also to the Persian . This is not only filial piety but such works were expected of any king. These documents typically reveal more about socioeconomic history than political history, yet thoughtful analysis offers insight into the political as well. There were obviously other and, on the face of it, equally qualified Achaemenid claimants: sons of Artaxerxes by women other than his primary wife, Damaspia. Of course, the Persians were well versed in Greek affairs — in this case the enmity between Athens and Sparta — and this mission reveals an attempt to create a strategic distraction: a Spartan invasion of Athens might have compelled the Athenian forces in to withdraw. An acknowledgement of Persian control of western Anatolia was paramount. Jay Fisher rated it really liked it May 07, Continued Spartan ambivalence about their negotiating partner led them to consider cooperating with another satrap, Pharnabazus, in Dascylium. Timeline Appendix B. The work itself is set up in a chronological manner, We learn of the emergence of the Empire with 's rise to power. In general, it is safe to assume that the King never relinquished his claim on his Ionian holdings, and that the were given freedom — indeed, probably were expected — to contest Athenian inroads there at every opportunity. This type of text situates the Achaemenid kings within a long continuum of Near Eastern history. Much of the most recent material consists of specialist papers in edited conference volumes, which while valuable can be difficult for beginners to penetrate and for teachers to use as class set texts. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Jan 17, Steven Peterson rated it really liked it. Did this actually happen as Herodotus tells it? Pradeep rated it did not like it Mar 17, For instance, it is only at the end that one learns about Babylonian and Biblical traditions of the as a major power. Forerunners of the Achaemenids: the first half of the first millennium BCE 3. According to both Diodorus The choice of these three languages, and their linguistic variety, testifies to important aspects of royal ideology and tradition. One of the key problems in knowing the nature of this Empire is the dependence on such sources as the Greeks and scripture. Primarily, its value was symbolic. Persia seems particularly interesting for how you can run a state of numerous ethnicities. Not enough of these are extant, however, to enable writing a narrative account. The endnotes contain a wealth of valuable references, but they are few in number and can feel arbitrary e. Excavation techniques have advanced since the nineteenth century, from what may generously be termed as mining operations for luxury goods, monuments, and inscriptions: the types of finds that would garner attention in museums. The so-called Alexander historians, those who traveled with Alexander the Great during his conquest of the Persian Empire in the s and s BCE, are also noteworthy. It adds little to our understanding of the history of the period but continues to be mined for social and cultural insights about the Persians. That and the endless use of the toothbrush in all seasons. A very nicely done work. As is often noted, but bears repeating, ancient historians cannot choose their sources. From these he deftly weaves the story of this first Persian Empire, from their origins in the early Iron Age groups of Iran through to the take over of their vast territory by Alexander the Great, integrating into it the character of the sources. Guess why things went right for the Greeks? Some of the estates that the Murashu managed especially larger ones that were gifts of the King were state controlled, granted to various individuals for their use, and in some cases profit, in return for services to the King. They at times provide details about members of the extended royal family and other elites who oversaw a complex and centralized bureaucracy. Ancient Persia: A Concise History of the Achaemenid Empire, 550-330 BCE Writer

Most scholars take this to mean the Mosaic law code, even if they differ on the extent of its implementation. Enlarge cover. As noted above, the mainland Greeks lived in the shadow of the great Empire. Phaselis was a coastal city in in southwestern Anatolia, and Cyaneae or Kyaneai at the northern end of the Bosporus, where it enters the Black Sea. Many are referenced either in the further reading or endnotes. The Treasury and Persepolis Fortification tablets pp. Main Menu. Mar 21, Jameel Haque rated it it was ok Shelves: books-in Type and content vary, from state archival material to records of private businessmen who contracted with the crown and private individuals. Sort order. Beginning in BCE, much of the Aegean world was involved in the war between Athens and Sparta and their respective allies. Many of these groups dwelled in what are now the countries of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. Then it shall become known to you that the Persian man has given battle far away from Persia. Terse chronicles record significant military or building activities of the kings. Many of these traditions and the languages in which they were transmitted are poorly-understood, some are simply lost. This mostly-lost work was extremely influential in antiquity, but what remains is in many ways disappointing. The only real deficiency, though, is the limited secondary references. An inscription on a silver drinking bowl lists the standard titles: great king, , and king of lands. One example of Persian diplomacy demonstrates their ingenuity. That such records do not provide us with narrative history is unfortunate, but these are the very kinds of records least likely to do so. To the Greeks we are indebted for western notions of history-writing and historiography. Proper excavation is both meticulous and laborious, and publication of results may take many years. The Odeion was modeled on the tent used by Xerxes during the invasion of Greece. I also enjoyed the As another review said, this is a very good primer. As with many ancient peoples, records of the past were kept alive through oral tradition. A great deal more effort and resources were therefore devoted in Mesopotamia to controlling the flooding of these rivers via irrigation. Before the advent of Islam in the seventh century CE, it included the histories of not only the Achaemenids but also their predecessors the Elamites and their successors the Seleucids, Parthians, and Sassanians. The emphasis is very much on the Persians' dealings with the Greeks. A very nicely done work. Any long-term Athenian designs on the island seem unlikely, because Athens did not have the resources for sustained imperial pursuits. Limited space means some skimming here too: one would like a bit more detail on the remains of some of the capitals Susa, for instance. He wrote his history, and notably read excerpts of it aloud to live audiences at Athens and elsewhere, in the late s and s BCE, a bitter and bloody period of Greek history in the initial stages of the Peloponnesian War. In the fourth century BC, what seem like constant rebellions attested in Greek sources are not necessarily an indication of an empire in decline, but a more or less continuous feature of such a large empire. This tour-de-force is a must- have for scholars and the interested public alike. Unparalleled in its clear and concise discussion, Ancient Persia draws on rich textual, visual, and archaeological sources to convey a cogent overview of the systems, places, and people who made up the Persian Empire. Erdal rated it really liked it Apr 25, For while many Spartan ambassadors had come, they never said the same thing. The Achaemenid Empire a name derived to establish legitimacy of the dynasty was the major power on the planet at that time--only to be overthrown by Alexander the Great and his Macedonian led forces. Notes 1. The practice was not unique to Babylonia. Ancient Persia: A Concise History of the Achaemenid Empire, 550-330 BCE Reviews

Thucydides refers to a momentous defeat in which most of the Athenian forces were destroyed. Xerxes, the expander of the realm 8. Any long- term Athenian designs on the island seem unlikely, because Athens did not have the resources for sustained imperial pursuits. In this book, Matt Waters gives a detailed historical overview of the Achaemenid period while considering the manifold interpretive problems historians face in constructing and understanding its history. We thus have no sense of its length or magnitude. Timeline Appendix B. Allen, L. Nevertheless, Waters c The past is like an old sock. A further example is found in a small archive dating from — BCE, from , which catalogues the work of one Belshunu. The city of Susa in Khuzistan was important for centuries as an Elamite center; it became one of the Achaemenid capitals, the one most frequently referenced in the Greek sources. Modern excavations employ scientific, systematic approaches that are far more expensive and time- consuming, and involve analysis and consideration of every find in situ i. Particularly valuable for understanding the central bureaucracy is the important trove of Elamite documents found at Persepolis and dating to the late sixth and early fifth centuries. Comparisons between the famous Parthenon of Athens and the Apadana at Persepolis yield interesting parallels. Matt Waters concise survey, which covers the history of the Achaemenid empire from the reign of to its conquest by Alexander the Great in in a little more than pages, offers little that is substantially different fr Considering the limited amount of materials available to study it there are a considerable number of surveys of ancient Persia for readers to choose from, ranging from A. Several books in the Hebrew Bible contain important information about Persian administration and its concerns in the . Religion, for instance, is considered further in the royal inscriptions of a number of rulers, where new gods are introduced. Both these threats were quelled, and both Arsites and Artyphios were thrown into burning embers. BMCR Ultimately, then, the line between historical fact and hyperbole often seems blurred. Ancient Near Eastern civilizations had been connected by trade for centuries. We steer away from the Hellascentrism of Marathon, Salamis and the Macedonian conquest. These tenants turned over the management of the estates to managers like the Murashu. Other parts of the Empire, notably Egypt, also relied on irrigation. Erdal rated it really liked it Apr 25, As with any source, the audience and aim of each must be considered. Especially from Athens there is abundant evidence that Persian influence left its mark on the literature, architecture, and culture of Classical Greece. Persia seems particularly interesting for how you can run a state of numerous ethnicities. As such, 'Ancient Persia' is of interest to the general reader in Classical or Hellenistic Greek history. The Greeks, for instance, would apparently relate historical instances in a political manner. Matt Waters. The filiation here may be a manufactured one, similar to the various challengers during the crisis of , who assumed names and filiations from illustrious predecessors to increase their legitimacy. It is difficult, if not impossible, to trace where or from whom Herodotus gained his information. For a less scholarly text, try Persian Fire by Tom Holland. I wanted to just say, okay, fine, I got it, it is unreliable, now just get on with it. According to both Diodorus Matt Waters , Ancient Persia. The author did his best to be impartial in his reporting and analysis. There is, of course, no question that Persia had diplomatic relations with Athens and other frontier states. The Persepolis Treasury and Persepolis Fortification tablets pp.

Ancient Persia: A Concise History of the Achaemenid Empire, 550-330 BCE Read Online

In any event, one result of the return was a significant increase in the number of priests and the development of a citizen-temple community in Jerusalem, one that developed a quasi-independence from both the local provincial authority and the imperial one. Xerxes, the expander of the realm 8. The main emphasis is on descent within the Achaemenid line: Artaxerxes is the son of Xerxes, who was the son of Darius and, of course, an Achaemenid. One of the key problems in knowing the nature of this Empire is the dependence on such sources as the Greeks and scripture. The Murashu archive helps us understand how military obligations were fulfilled. His actions in delaying payment may be considered bad faith a Spartan perspective or good strategy a Persian perspective. Matt Waters. Some scholars have ingeniously reconciled joint Athenian and Persian claims on much of western Anatolia by assuming that the city-states in question paid tribute not only to Athens — which is attested to varying degrees through the latter half of the fifth century — but also to the Persian satrap. Did it apply only in Judah? One wonders how the King and his court officials interpreted the vacillating fortunes and negotiations — of which the King would have been informed — of his two satraps in western Asia Minor. After Cambridge Ancient History , Vol. Names such as Deinon and Ephorus both fourth-century BCE writers will occasionally be referenced herein. Information about these areas is thus more spotty and speculative. Modern excavations employ scientific, systematic approaches that are far more expensive and time-consuming, and involve analysis and consideration of every find in situ i. The inscription is found on the side of a funerary pillar that celebrates the accomplishments of the dynast Kheriga Greek Gergis buried there. It is this line that has preoccupied much of modern scholarship on Herodotus. At the end of Chapter 11 and in a short epilogue Chapter 12 , Waters also makes clear the difficulties Alexander faced in stepping into the role of the King as a peripheral foreigner. The book closes with four appendices: a useful reference timeline; a chronological list of Kings; a genealogical chart of the Kings; and further readings. Epilogue Appendix A. This is more than slightly ironic when one considers that the Achaemenid Persians were the rulers of a world empire, heirs to — and innovators within — Near Eastern political and cultural traditions that dated almost two thousand years before the Greeks developed writing. Author: Matt Waters. The Murashu were a family of businessmen with wide-ranging commercial interests involving the management of landed estates around the Babylonian city of Nippur. and his supporters were soaked in alcohol, then cast into a pit filled with glowing hot embers. The choice of these three languages, and their linguistic variety, testifies to important aspects of royal ideology and tradition. Ryan Sanders rated it it was amazing Jan 22, Many Greeks, especially in the fourth century, served as mercenaries in the Persian army. In the fourth century BC, what seem like constant rebellions attested in Greek sources are not necessarily an indication of an empire in decline, but a more or less continuous feature of such a large empire. As a function of the Greek source bias, our knowledge of the Empire disproportionately emphasizes the western and northwestern parts of it: western Anatolia especially the coast, i. Enlarge cover. This was a surprisingly a smooth read. As with any source, the audience and aim of each must be considered. This book offers a Persian perspective even when relying on Gr Description: The Achaemenid Persian Empire, at its greatest territorial extent under Darius I, held sway over territory stretching from the Indus River Valley to southeastern Europe and from the western Himalayas to northeast Africa. An inscription on a silver drinking bowl lists the standard titles: great king, king of kings, and king of lands. He hailed from Halicarnassus, a city on the western coast of Turkey that was well-established as a nexus of west-east interaction; it was also subject to the Persian Empire. https://files8.webydo.com/9582986/UploadedFiles/5BCD7991-FE3F-D4CE-9EA9-388E97FA07BB.pdf https://files8.webydo.com/9583458/UploadedFiles/3D0B9D69-DA6E-268C-E555-04DC9B793018.pdf https://cdn.starwebserver.se/shops/ronjajohanssonhk/files/option-valuation-a-first-course-in-financial-mathematics-1st-edition-653.pdf https://files8.webydo.com/9584541/UploadedFiles/134DDB2B-53BF-C218-D73D-FF4C6B253122.pdf https://files8.webydo.com/9583119/UploadedFiles/379F80ED-4053-EBEA-F0B5-4FAF24FFD8C6.pdf