Persia and Greece

Greece and Persia

• It is a big mistake in many studies of this subject to look at Greece and NOT look at Persia.

• When Greece began to form itself as a collective of great city states, Persia was already the largest empire in the world by far.

Four Major Powers• Traditionally, the Ancient

World was divided into four powers by about 600 BCE.

• The Egyptian, and Chaldean (Neo-Babylonian) we have discussed.

• Lydian Empire was the inheritor of the Hittite Empire.

• Perisa, or modern Iran, was at this time Median.

Persian History

• Neolithic and early Bronze Age had many different city states and communities – rivaling Mesopotamia.

• The Medes, a loose tribal group in Western Iran were united by the attacks of the Assyrians – eventually pushed them out / developed own land (612 BCE)

• Medes credited with first Iranian state.

Persian Culture

• Rank seen openly: same rank gave kiss on lips, different ranks on the cheeks.

• Adopted customs of other cultures quickly.• Kings cupbearer an important position in

government.• Laws of the land different than edicts of the

kings.• King can not execute for a single crime.

Persian Culture

• Telling a lie a major fault• Unlawful to talk about illegal actions• Falling into debt was a major fault• Persian fathers wanted sons, but could not see

them till the age of 5.• Had polygamous marriages.

Cyrus the Great• Originally part of the Achemenid people, a group

in Eastern Iran, known as the Persis.• Achemenid a minor king in the area, it is his

descenent Cyrus II, who is going to create a unified Persian state.

• He conquers and negotiates settlements with most of the major powers in area – including Babylonians, Assyrian, Medes, and Lydian empires.

• His state would be run on principles of tolerance and semi-autonomous statehood for the pieces of his kingdom.

Why did Cyrus create the largest empire in the history of the world to that point?

• Local control – created local “satraps” who would be given basic control of an area in exchange for loyalty to Cyrus.

• Development of a huge army• Well trained and well fed army• Open trading within empire – minimal

restriction on taxation and travel.• Made Pasagard open capital.

Cyrus the Great

• His ability to be humanist led him to become the great leader to many others.

• Even conquered people saw him as great.• Did not enslave conquered people.• 539 – conquered Babylon but “liberated”

people. Specifically the Jews.

Darius

• Persepolis• Royal Roads• Attacked Greeks• View Clip• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQcEmiG

CaCo

Religion – Two varieties

• No major temples or pictures to Gods. Originally a polytheistic society.

• Had “Magi”, basically a group of priests.– Led killing of animals for sacrifice– Interpreted dreams– Caste in society

Zoroastrianism

• Founded before the 6th Century BC (Avestan key book)

• Single universal God Ahura Mazda.• Based upon the teachings of Zoroaster or Zarathustra• You have a soul as a human• Basically a religion focused on Order v. Chaos. Ahura

Mazda was order and brought chaos into control.• Water and fire considered purifying entities.• Believe in humanity having a role in this struggle.

Good Deeds• Good deeds help to keep Chaos at bay.• Humans have free will and can choose to not do

good works.• Ahura Mazda will eventually win out against the evil

Ahriman (Chaos) and the world will go through cosmic reorganization and time will end.

• Just before this period a Sayoshyant, or redeemer to bring the dead back to Ahura Mazda to live with him forever.

• So…..there is NOTHING like this in Christianity right? • Scholars believe that Z. influenced Manichaeism – a

Gnostic belief.