D1VO1- |D5 272 I.B4 11891 ^/e/uz&wett/// //. THE LIBRARIES THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA IW.MULLAN&SOiH BOOKSELLERS! , BELFAST. %torg of t&e PERSIA THE STORY OF THE NATIONS. MAPS, INDEX, AND ILLUSTRATIONS. Large Crjwn Svo., fancy cloth, geld lettered, 5$. Ditto, cloth extra, burnished tops, $s. 6d. ROME. ARTHUR OILMAN, M.A. THE JEWS. Prof.J. K. HOSMRK. 3- GERMANY. Rev. S. BAKiNG-GouLD. 4- CARTHAGE. Prof. A. J. C HURCH. ALEXANDER©S EMPIRE. Prof.J. P. MAHAFFY. 6. THE MOORS IN SPAIN. STANLEY LANE-POOLE. ANCIENT EGYPT. Prof. GEORGE RAWLINSON. 8. HUNGARY. Prof. A. VAMBERY. 9- THE SARACENS. A. OILMAN, M.A. 10. IRELAND. Hon. EMILY LAWLESS. 11. CHALDEA. Z. A. RAGOZIN. 12. THE GOTHS. HENRY BRADLEY. 13- ASSYRIA. Z. A . KAGOZIN. 14. TURKEY. STANLEY LANE-POOLE. IS- HOLLAND. Prof. J . E. T. ROGERS. 16. MEDI.ffiVAL FRANCE. G uSTAVE MASSON. 17- PERSIA. S. G. W. BENJAMIN. 18. PHOENICIA. Prof. GEO. RAWLINSON. «9- MEDIA. Z. A. RAGOZIN. 20. THE HANSA TOWNS. HELEN ZIMMERN. 21. EARLY BRITAIN. Prof. ALFRED J. CHURCH. 22. BARBARY CORSAIRS. S. LANE-POOLE. 23- RUSSIA. W. R. MORFILL. 24. THE JEWS UNDER ROMAN RULE. W. D. MORRISON. 25. SCOTLAND. J. MACKINTOSH, LL.D. 26. SWITZERLAND. Mrs. LINA HUG & R. STEAD. 27. MEXICO. SUSAN HALE. London: T. FISHER TINWIN, Paternoster Square, E.C. PERSIA S/GfW/BENJAMIN o LATELY UNITED STATES MINISTER TO PERSIA a £ THIRD EDITION TLon&on T. FISHER UNWIN PATERNOSTER SQUARE ••a NEW YORK: G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS I 1891 PREFACE. THE author wishes to call attention to the fact that the scope of this work is entirely different from that of the volume recently published by him, entitled " Persia and the Persians." The latter work is intended to give a description of Persia as it is; while the present volume is a history of Persia, as it has been, offering a narrative of the most note Kntered at Stationers' Ha'l. worthy characters and events of that ancient empire By T. FISHER UNWIN from its foundation in prehistoric times. This work differs from other histories of Persia in COPYRIGHT BY G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS, 1887 giving more proportionate attention to the legendary (For the United States of America) period of her history than is usual with those who have dealt with this subject, as well as to the great career of the House of Sassan, which, in the opinion of the author, has never received full justice from those Christian historians who have undertaken a connected history of Persia. On the other hand, the long period between the Saracen invasion and the rise of the Sefaveans has been presented so fully elsewhere, and offers so few really salient points that are distinctly connected with the development of Persia as an independent monarchy, that it hardly seemed best to give more than a mere outline of that period in a volume whose limits arc circum scribed. VI PREFACE. It seems to be the established rule for historians to refer to the authorities they have consulted. The author may therefore state that he has, in the preparation of this volume, made use of the various well-known authorities on the subject; but it is scarcely worth while to present a list of them here. Those writers who are dead will not be disturbed by CONTENTS. any departure from their opinions or any new pres entation of the facts they recorded; while living I. authorities can see for themselves whether the author FERIDOON ....... 1-23 has agreed or disagreed with their conclusions. Founders of Persia, I—Shah Djemsheed, 2-5—Royal In several instances, as in regard to the character standard of Persia, 8—Imprisonment of Zohak, 10— and career of Chosrocs Parveez, or the quality of 1 Daughters of Yemen, 12—Treachery of Serv, 15—Feri- Persian military talents and courage, the author has doon's test, 17—Murder of Iredj, 21—Feridoon's ven found it impossible to arrive at exactly the same geance, 23. II. conclusions as many writers on Persia. A long ZAL ........ 24-33 residence in various parts of the East, including Minoutchehr ascends the throne, 24—Sahm's white-haired several years in Persia, has led the author to form son. 25—Zal, governor of Seistan, 26—Roodabeh's love, a higher and, he thinks, a more just estimate of the 27—Wedding festivities, 33. character of Orientals than many European writers III. are willing to concede to them. For the rest, the RUSTEM .....,-. 34-42 author commits this little work to the reader with Capture of Sipend, 35—Death of Minoutchehr, 36— the hope that he may find " The Story of Persia " Turkish invasion, 37—Kel Kaoos, 38—Soudabeh's adven not unworthy a place by the side of the histories of tures, 39—Afrasiab defeats the Syrians, 40—Embarkation Greece and of Rome. of Rustem, 41—Rustem's victory, 42. S. G. W. BENJAMIN. IV. SOHRAB ....... 43-SO Loss of Kaksch, 43—Marriage of Rustem and Tehmimeh, 44—Birth of Sohrab, 44—Sohrab seeks his father, 45— Siege of White Castle, 46—Gurdaferid, 47—Treachery, 48 —Royal missive, 49—Reconciliation of Rustem and Kel Kaoos, 50. I, CONTENTS. IX Vlll STORY OF PERSIA. X. V. PAGE F PERSIA UNTIL THE INVASION OF ALEXANDER . 126-140 SOHRAB AND RUSTEM ..... S 1 of Megabyzus, 127 Death of Zendeh Rezm, 52—Conflict between the Persians Artaxerxes Longimanus, 126—Rebellion of Persian monarchy under and Touranians, 56—Meeting of Rustem and Sohrab, 57— —Xerxes II., 128—Degeneracy 130— Death of Sohrab, 64—Tehmimeh dies of grief, 65. Darius Nothus, 129—Treachery of Tissaphemes, Cyrus the Younger purchases services of Greek mercenaries, VI. 132—Battle of Cunaxa, 133—Retreat of the Ten Thousand, 135—Ochus, 136—Siege of Sidon, 138—Murder of Arta SlAWUSCH 66-81 xerxes III., 139—Darius Codomanus, 140. Finding of a queen, 66—Birth of Siawusch, 67—Trial by fire, 69—Siege of Balkh, 70—Hospitality of Afrasiab, 71— XI. Marriage of Siawusch, 73—Accusations, 74—Death, 75— Ke'i Khosroo, 76—Piran-Wisa's deceit, 77—Rustem kills DARIUS CODOMANUS AND ALEXANDER 141-157 Soudabeh, 78—Victory of Kei Khosroo, 81. Rout at the river Granicus, 141—Reduction of Phoenicia, 142—Defeat of Persians on the plains of Arbela, 143— VII. Alexander enters Persepolis, 144—Alexander's feast, 145— KEI KHOSROO, OR CYRUS .... 82-97 Assassination of Darius, 146—Intermarriage between Ma 148— Territory of Persia, 83—Touranians, 84—Cyaxares and the cedonians and natives, 147—The mystic plane-trees, Medes, 86—Sect of fire-worshippers, 87—Zoroaster, 88— Death of Alexander at Babylon, 149—Pitho, satrap of Subduction of Media, 89—Crcesus, 90—Capture of Baby Media, 150—Seleucia, capital of the Greco-Persian empire, lon, 91—Warning of Belshazzar, 94—Death of Belshazzar, 151—Elements of discord, 151—Revolt of Diodatus, 154— 95—Death of Cyrus, 96—Cyrus' tomb at Passargadse, 96. Shepherds of Parthia, 156—Rhages or Rhei, 157. VIII. XII. 158-170 FROM CYRUS TO DARIUS I. 98-111 THE PARTHIANS . Succession of Cambyses, 98—Subjugation of Egypt, 99— Arsaces I., 158—Mithridates the Great, 161—Murder of Smerdis beheaded, loo—Death of Cambyses, 101—Election Phraortes, 162—Defeat of the Romans, 163—Ctesiphon, of Darius, 102—Inscription at Behistoon, 103—Extension 164—Campaign of Marc Antony, 166—Final check to the of Persian empire, 105—Expedition against Greece, 107— Romans, 167—Vologeses I., 168—Destruction of Seleucia, Battle of Marathon, 109. l6q. I.. XIII. XERXES _ .... 112-125 THE HOUSE or SASSAN 171-178 appearance and temperament, 113—Army, 114— Personal Rise of the Neo-Persian power, 172—Artaxerxes or Ardeshir Canal through Mt. Athos, 115—Thermopylae, 116—Battles declares Persia independent, 173—War with Rome, 174— at Artemisium, 117; at Salamis, 118—Retreat of Xerxes, Faith of Ormuzd, 175—The Zendavesta, 176—Religious 121—Battle of Plattca, 122—Defeat of Persians at Mycale, of the Persian revolution, 177. 124—Xerxes assassinated, 125. character CONTENTS. xi X STORY OF PERSIA. XVIII. XIV. PAGE PACE CHOSROES PARVEEZ ..... 237-266 SAPOR I. ........ 180-189 Insult to General Bahrain Shobeen, 237—Death of Hormazd, Daughter of Manisen, 180 — Recovery of Nisibis, 181 — 238 — Coronation of Chosroes II., 240 — Flight from Imprisonment and death of Valerian, 182— Cultivation of Ctesiphon, 242—Seeks aid from the emperor at Constanti the arts, 183 — Dyke of Shuster, 184— Manichseism, 185 — nople, 243—Defeat of Bahram, 244—Revolt of Vastam, Death of Sapor, 186. 245—Shireen, 246—Friendly relations with Maurice, 247— War in Syria, 248—Siege of Jerusalem, 249—A proud hour XV. for Persia, 250—Dastagerd, 252—Oath of Heraclius, 254 —The star of Persia wanes, 255—Retreat of Chosroes, 256 PERSIA UNTIL THE REIGN OF SAPOR II. 190-206 —Campaigns in Asia Minor, 259—Siege of Tiflis, 260— Death of Manee, 190 — War of Sapor II. with Rome, 192 Battle near Nineveh, 261—Heraclius sacks Dastagerd, 262— — Julian the Apostate masses his forces at Antioch, 194— Conspiracy of nobles, 265—End of the "Great King," 266. Rejects peaceable propositions of Sapor, 195—Massacre of population at Hit, 197 — Race for Ctesiphon, 199 — Julian XIX. burns his fleet, 200 —Death of Julian at Samarah, 202 — THE MOHAMMEDAN CONQUEST OF PERSIA . 267-282 Retreat of the Romans, 203-. Coronation of Siroes, or Kobad II., 267—Murder of all the brothers of Kobad, 268—Pestilence, 270—Insurrection and XVI. death of Shahr Barz, 271—Coronation of Isdigerd III., 272 SAPOR II. TO CHOSROES I. 207-225 —Campaign against the Saracens, 273—Repulse of the Persians, 274—" Day of Concussion," 275—Rustem slain, Death of Sapor I., 207 — Isdigerd I., 208 — Boyhood of 276—Fate of the leathern standard of Kaweh, 278—Fall of Varahran, 209— Peace with, the Romans, 210 — Ephthalites Rhel, 279—Defeat of the Persians near Nehavend, 281.