Persian Empire

Politics:• Cyrus the Great defeats the Menes king to establish Persia

• India to the Mediterranean Sea• Darius I extends empire to its height including Egypt and

Macedonia• Conquered peoples retained customs/cultures- WHY?

Persepolis• Administrative center of Persia• Satrapies with Satraps• Local officials below those Satraps – WHY?• Rulers/tax collectors as checks on satraps

preventing revolts• Standardized taxes to pay for bureaucrats • Standardized coins fostered trade • Uniform law codes in the entire empire

Royal Road• 1600 miles of Road• Courier services with postal stations horses and food for messenger• Other roads facilitated trade united various regions into one economy“Neither snow, nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” –Herodotus on Persian messengers

Zoroastrianism• Persians, especially under Sassanid Empire• Around 2000 BCE • Dualistic faith two gods representing good v. evil• Monotheistic people had to choose the “good” god Ahura Mazda • Romans feared it in their realm• Influenced Christianity = prior contact with Rome in the realm of religion!!!

Darius’ Inscription

WEST v. EAST• Marathon, Thermopylae, and Plataea

Maintenance of large empires depended upon elaborate networks of transportation, communication

and administration. What were the most important elements enabling the

Persians to hold their empire together? Consider especially important the roles of the imperial

capital, the satrapies, bureaucracy, and the eyes and ears of the King, as well as Royal

Roads.