Persian Empire
Large and In Charge Engineering an Empire: The Persians
Part 1 watch from 5:45 Part 3 https://www.youtube.c https://www.youtube.com/watc om/watch?v=8aukC8 h?v=N5mwOovpetA GBEsU
Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSm68TxRBRo Also called the Achaemenid Empire (550-330 BCE) The Persian empire stretched from Asia minor to the hindu kush mountains---about 2000 miles! Essential Question How did Persia govern its empire? The Persian empire ruled with tolerance and a wise government Cyrus the Great Cyrus the Great
Persia’s first king
Started his empire by conquering the Medes and the Babylonians.
Cyrus presented himself as a liberator to those he conquered.
Soldiers were not allowed to loot conquered towns or enslave people
Honored local customs and religions Cyrus the Great wrote the Cyrus Cylinder: an ancient declaration of human rights - Clay - Symbol of Peace Cyrus’ Empire Darius the Great 522 b.c-428 b.c. Darius the Great
Expanded the empire to its largest size
Developed an Imperial Bureaucracy to govern his massive empire
Started the use of standard money and the Royal Road Importance of the Helped Darius unite his empire Royal Road Increased trade Royal Road Imperial Bureaucracy In order to make ruling easier, Darius divided up the empire into 20 provinces
Each province had a satrap (governor), army leader, and tax collector
Each position was appointed by Darius
Although the provinces were a part of the Persian empire, they were able to practice their own religion and speak their own language
Satraps Satraps: governors of Persian provinces
Were checked on by the “King’s eyes and ears” (inspectors)
Governor McAuliffe: Virginia’s “satrap”
Major difference: Appointed by the people, and not the president (king) The most important thing they have in common: Practiced tolerance Zoroastrianism https://www.youtube.c om/watch?v=a4ezRTvD rqw Zoroastrianism
Persian Prophet Zoroaster founded Zoroastrianism
Belief in 2 Spiritual armies led by:
Ahura Mazda, the god of truth and light
Ahriman, the god of evil and darkness
Both armies are fighting for control of a person’s soul
Followers controlled their fate by either choosing the side of goodness or the side evilness
Had similar concepts to Judaism, Islam, Christianity
Spreads to India which now has the largest group of practicing Zoroastrians