Persian Empire

Large and In Charge

Part 1 watch from

5:45

https://www.youtube.c

om/watch?v=8aukC8

GBEsU

Part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSm68TxRBRo

Part 3

https://www.youtube.com/watc

h?v=N5mwOovpetA

Engineering an Empire:

The Persians

The Persian empire stretched from Asia minor to the hindu kush mountains---about 2000 miles! Also called the Achaemenid Empire (550-330 BCE)

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 Great522 b.c-428 b.c.

Darius the GreatExpanded 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 Royal Road

Helped Darius unite his empire

Increased trade

Royal Road

Imperial BureaucracyIn 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

SatrapsSatraps: 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

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ZoroastrianismPersian 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