LYDIA LUKIDIS LYDIA _ SUPER SCIENCE FACTS_ _ SUPER SCIENCE FACTS The First Persian Empire was the largest _ and best-organized civilization of the EMPIRE PERSIAN FIRST THE ancient world. It had a 1,500-mile road connecting its trade routes, as well as the first mail service. The Persians were expert metal workers, and their cities were advanced for their time. The empire lasted more than 200 years. How did it thrive? What made it come to an end? HIGH NOON BOOKS ISBN: 978-1-63402-366-5 Order # 2366-5 The first persian Empire Lydia Lukidis Contents The Hidden City .................. 4 The Persians Rise ................10 The Persian Lifestyle ............18 The Persian Economy ...........26 Highlights of the First Persian Empire ...........34 The Collapse of the First Persian Empire ...........40 500 BCE 0 CE 500 CE 1000 CE 1500 CE 2000 CE I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I First use of modern paper: U.S. independence: 1776 CE 105 CE World War II: 1939–1945 CE First Persian Empire: 559–330 BCE Covid-19 pandemic: 2020 CE 3 CHAPTER 1 the hidden city In the fifth century BCE, a Greek named Herodotus (heh•RAH•duh•tus) sat by the fire one night, writing. He wrote the first history book from the ancient world that we know of. The book told of wars between the Greeks and Persians (PER•zhins). It told of a culture in Persia. This culture was the First Persian Empire. 4 Herodotus is sometimes called “the father of history.” 5 Ernst Herzfeld discovered the ruins of Pasargadae. The book also mentioned the first Persian capital, Pasargadae (puh•SAR•guh•dee). People wondered where this city had been located. For centuries, no one knew. Then, in 1905, Ernst Herzfeld came along. 6 Herzfeld was a German archaeologist (ar•kee•AH•luh•jist). Archaeologists study the remains left from past human life, such as buildings, tools, and pots. That year, Herzfeld visited some ruins in Iran. After much research, he decided the ruins were part of Pasargadae. This huge platform is part of the remains of Pasargadae. 7 Herzfeld then led many excavations (ek•skuh•VAY•shuns) at Pasargadae. To excavate is to dig into the earth. Sometimes, old objects or human remains are buried there. They can help explain the past. These ruins are from a palace at Pasargadae. Persian Fact Other archaeologists besides Ernst Herzfeld discovered things from the First Persian Empire. David Stronach found a palace and garden in the 1960s. Inside the garden, he found the Pasargadae Treasure. It was made up of gold and silver jewelry and valuable gems. 8 In the ruins, Herzfeld found a tomb (TOOM). A tomb is a room or building where the dead are buried. Thanks to ancient Greek writings, he knew this tomb was for Cyrus (SYE•russ) the Great. Cyrus founded the First Persian Empire. The tomb of Cyrus the Great is one of the most famous structures at Pasargadae. 9 CHAPTER 2 The persians rise The First Persian Empire was the largest and best-organized civilization (sih•vih•lih•ZAY•shun) of the ancient world. A civilization is an advanced stage of a culture’s development. There are many ancient ruins left from the First Persian Empire, including royal tombs such as this. 10 This image shows a modern artist’s idea of what Cyrus the Great looked like. Cyrus was the founder of the First Persian Empire. This empire lasted from 559 to 330 BCE. An empire is a large group of nations or people ruled by one person. 11 Tribes and kingdoms conquered by Cyrus’s armies became part of the First Persian Empire. The First Persian Empire began in what is now Iran. It began with several nomadic (noh•MA•dik) tribes. Nomadic tribes are groups of people who move from place to place. 12 Cyrus the Great was the leader of one tribe. Cyrus brought together other tribes under his rule. Then he started conquering (KAHN•ker•ing), or taking over, small kingdoms nearby. This is how he began the empire. 13 Cyrus became the empire’s first king. He ruled from 559 to 529 BCE. He ordered his people to build Pasargadae. That became the first Persian capital. The function of this building at Pasargadae is still unknown today. 14 Persepolis became the capital of the empire for Darius the Great. Darius the Great was a king some years after Cyrus. He built the city of Persepolis (per•SEH•puh•liss). That became the second capital. 15 The empire grew under Darius the Great, who is shown here. Persian Fact The First Persian Empire had many different groups under one government. But the kings let the people keep their own identities and religions. This made the people more willing to accept Persian rule. It is one of the main reasons the empire stayed strong for over 200 years. 16 Darius ruled from 522 to 486 BCE. The empire grew larger at this time. It stretched from present-day Libya in the west all the way to India in the east. The First Persian Empire This map shows the span of the First Persian Empire during the rule of Darius. 17.