ANCIENT PERSIA A CONCISE HISTORY OF THE ACHAEMENID EMPIRE, 550-330 BC 1ST EDITION PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Matthew Waters | 9780521253697 | | | | | Ancient Persia A Concise History of the Achaemenid Empire, 550-330 BC 1st edition PDF Book Far and away the richest sources — in quantity, if not quality — for Persian history come from Greek and Roman writers. Its impact is compared that of the Rosetta Stone , the tablet that enabled scholars to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics. 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. 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. Subsequent rulers sought to restore the Persian Empire to its Achaemenian boundaries, though the empire never quite regained the enormous size it had achieved under Cyrus the Great. In Egypt, however, the Nile flooded and receded in harmony with the growing season. A few typos aside, the copy is clean and well-illustrated with images and good maps. If this reconstruction is accurate, it remains to be reconciled with accounts of the Medes as a major power through the first half of the sixth century, an impression given not only by Greek sources but one alluded to in Babylonian and biblical traditions such as Jeremiah —26 and —28 as well. Its equal was not seen again until the height of the Roman Empire under Augustus and his successors in the first and second centuries CE. In this book, Matt Waters gives a detailed historical overview of the Achaemenid period while considering the manifold interpretive probl The Achaemenid Persian Empire, at its greatest territorial extent under Darius I r. It grew into one of the largest cities of the ancient world under the rule of A variety of administrative documents also exists. The first Persian Empire was shaped by a different religion: Zoroastrianism. Major Assyrian campaigns against Elam occurred with increasing frequency as the seventh century progressed from every few years to almost annually. If this interlude is not simply a literary device, which is the most likely explanation, it seems that Herodotus or his sources conflated the history and chronology of this part of the narrative. The work itself is set up in a chronological manner, We learn of the emergence of the Empire with Cyrus the Great's rise to power. The Median city-lords of these now Assyrian-held territories were bound to the Assyrian king by loyalty oaths. It would be like historians studying the United States two thousand years from now, only having Soviet sources. Recent approaches have postulated that the Medes were the leaders of a large coalition of mostly Iranian peoples from across northern Iran, a coalition unified by a forceful personality such as Cyaxeres and only for the purpose of defeating Assyria. There was just enough information about each subject to cover each topic and the result is a great deal of easy to understand information in just over pages. Ancient Persia A Concise History of the Achaemenid Empire, 550-330 BC 1st edition Writer Related Articles. The history of ancient Iran stretches back millennia. For that matter, what of the Persians themselves during this period, only a generation or two before Cyrus the Great? Sometimes an inscription may have been written in other languages e. The Behistun Inscription, a multilingual relief carved into Mount Behistun in Western Iran, extolls his virtues and was a critical key to deciphering cuneiform script. The Medes, whose empire the Persians subjugated according to Herodotus, get their own sub-section. Oct 13, Milele rated it liked it. Exceptional, concise introduction. If this interlude is not simply a literary device, which is the most likely explanation, it seems that Herodotus or his sources conflated the history and chronology of this part of the narrative. Once he had accepted the job, Deioces insisted on a bodyguard of spear-bearers and a fortified capital: Ecbatana, constructed with multiple walls, two of which purportedly had battlements plated in silver and gold 1. A rapid succession of kings reflected the resulting instability in Elam in the late s and early s. Pradeep rated it did not like it Mar 17, It is easy in our day to attribute too much cynicism to Assyrian or Achaemenid Persian claims of divine sanction for military activity and the horrific punishments meted out to defeated enemies. The empire remained largely intact under Darius II r. Beneath the political and economic rivalries e. Well illustrated. It is easy to underestimate, or even ignore, how oral tradition has shaped the historical record, but where its imprint may be discerned and contextualized it is instructive. In addition to the land routes, a number of well-traveled sea lanes from India to the Iranian coast and Mesopotamia were also used by the Persians. It is difficult to assess the accuracy of this type of description. Then, Cambyses. Various sites in this area provide evidence of irrigation farming and monumental architecture, markers traditionally associated with early urbanization. The Athenian Xenophon, who lived at the turn of the fourth century, is known from a number of historical and philosophical works. Coincidently, I was reading this while at the same time listening to a A brief, layman history of Achaemenid Persian period. This period of time is sometimes called the Pax Persica, or Persian Peace. The diversity of local traditions — oral and written — provides multiple perspectives, as well as frustrations, for study of the Persian Empire. The fiercely independent Scythians, another Iranian group, dwelled along the northern and northeastern edges of the Empire, on the Eurasian steppes. Alarmed by these actions, fellow Arab powers such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt called on the United States and other Western nations to intervene. Concise indeed, but I don't see how you can possibly do better. Their public relations were simply more compelling. The kingdom of Elamwas dominant during that time in western Iran, and we have little firm information on the Persians until several centuries later. There are many specialist books and articles that continue to grapple with the details of Persian history, some of which are cited in the footnotes and recommended readings. However, in B. Kucak rated it it was ok Jan 03, However, the Greeks won a victory against the Persian navy in the straits of Salamis in B. This was a watershed moment in Greek and western history, and Greek intellectuals of that period and thereafter could not help but react to it and its impact. Recent excavations in the Mamasani district Fars , in Georgia east of the Black Sea in the Caucasus Mountains , and other places have provided additional insights into Achaemenid-period settlement as well as the influence and impact of the Empire on local populations. The Elamites are a constant reference here, themselves largely unknown. The most common were royal inscriptions and administrative records. Five stars because you rarely see an entry-level history of this quality. Figure 1. Deioces consolidated his position and then removed himself from sight, thereby making himself exceptional and emphasizing the august status of the king. His reputation for justice brought more and more Medes to him to settle their disputes. There is some external corroboration for the Lydian royal house. The Lydian army withdrew for the winter but the Persians advanced to the Lydian capital at Sardis , which fell after a two-week siege. The most likely reason for the gap in the archaeological record is that semisedentary pastoralism became the dominant way of life during this period. Even a superficial accounting of these various groups offers a glimpse into the size and complexity of the Empire, but we possess limited evidence for how most people lived their daily lives. An example from Herodotus may prove useful in this regard. Ancient Persia A Concise History of the Achaemenid Empire, 550-330 BC 1st edition Reviews Herodotus set the stage for this conflict with his tale of Scythian guests at the Median court of Cyaxeres. Assyrian royal inscriptions and correspondence of the eighth and seventh centuries, until circa , provide a wealth of detail about the Medes and their interactions with Assyria. The structure allows the author to introduce themes then picked up in subsequent chapters in a way that conveys diachronic development. Despite this frequent and varied contact, we cannot rely on Greek writers to present an unbiased view of Persian government, strategy, or culture. Deconstructing History: Empire State Building. Many subjects are discussed that illuminate--even with incomplete information--the Empire: the bureaucracy and governance structure of the Empire, religion and ideology, succession crises as these occurred, the Persian economy and so on. The Epic of Gilgamesh, the Epic of Creation Enuma elish , and a variety of other famous myths and legends were uncovered there. In Fars, the Persian capitals of Pasargadae and Persepolis, the two most prominent Achaemenid sites, have received the most attention. The Persians were the first people to establish regular routes of communication between three continents—Africa, Asia and Europe. Ultimately, then, the line between historical fact and hyperbole often seems blurred. It would be like historians studying the United States two thousand years from now, only having Soviet sources. As with any source, the audience and aim of each must be considered. The Achaemenian palaces of Persepolis were built upon massive terraces. However, in B. 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 Persian Gulf and the low-lying plains of Khuzistan, wherein is found the ancient city of Susa.