Time Line of Persia600 B.C.

Cyrus the Great of Parsa rebels against the Medes and founds the Persian empire (559 B.C.)

Persia conquers the Medes (550 B.C.) Persia conquers Lydia (547 - 546 B.C.)

Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Babylonia absorbing Babylon into the Persian empire (539 B.C.)

Cyrus the Great of Persia frees the captive Jews from Babylonia (539 B.C.)

Cyrus the Great absorbs Phoenicia into the Persian Empire (539 B.C.)

Egypt conquered by the Persians (525 B.C.) Darius I quells a rebellion in Persia and becomes king (522 B.C.)

500 B.C.Persian Wars with Greece (490 B.C. - 449 B.C.)

Darius I of Persia defeated by the Greeks at Marathon (490 B.C.) Persia, led by Xerxes, invades Greece (480 B.C.)

Persians suffer defeat by the Greeks at Plataea and Mycale; Persian expansion halted (479 B.C.)

Egypt overthrows Persian rule (405 B.C.)

400 B.C.Revolt of Jews against Artaxerxes III

in Persia (350 B.C.) Alexander the Great defeats Darius

III of Persia at Issus (333 B.C.) Remants of the Persian Empire fall to Alexander the Great (332 B.C.)

Persian capital of Persepolis burned by Alexander the Great (331 B.C.)

Timeline of Persia Cont.

Geographic location (Climate)• The core land areas of ancient Persia lay between the Caspian Sea and the

Persian Gulf.• Borders: Area that is currently Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, Azarbaijan,

Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.• Basic land regions:

•The mountains - cover almost one-fourth  •The desert

 •The Caspian Sea coast - forests-heavy rainfall •The Khuzestan plain

Few inner valleys

Government (Rulers)

• Darius divided the empire into provinces which were governed by satraps.

• Satraps• Created tax system• Two Capitals• Single code of laws• They wanted a unified empire that

communicated with each other so they made roads that made it easier to travel and visit all the provinces of the empire

Notable Rulers (Leaders)

• Cyrus II the Great (Cyrus Cylinder) Freed Jews from Babylonian (free rights) Conquered Babylonia, Assyria, Media and India

• Darius I– Divided the empire into provinces Xertes (son

of Darius) Became king after his father died in 485 Fought in Persian War but lost at the Battle of Salamis

Military/Conquering (War)• No navy: Once Persia took over an area they took their

military and sources to use for themselves. • Tactics: Ambushes and Archery• Large Armies were separated into five groups: Two outer

wings, a line in a front, supported line, and a reserve• Equipment: “ox-headed” maces, bows, swords, and body

armor• Persian Victories: * The battle of the Bridge (al-Qarqus) * Persians conquer Lydia (546 BC) * Cyrus conquers Asia Minor (546) * Persians conquer Egypt (525 BC) * Persians conquer Babylonia (538 BC)

Major Contributions

• Weights and measures for trade• Barter economy• First accounting tools• Postal system• Tax System• Federal government• “Secret Service”• Coins were developed• Trade: Glass made from sand Purple dye “Tyrian purple” made from sea sails

Religion (Gods/Goddess)• Zoroaster created Zoroastrianism: - People worshiped the main god, Ahura Mazda, who

was the creator or all things– Prayer was done in front of a light source, usually fire– People were encouraged to marry those who had the

same religion– Ahriman- was the opposite of Ahura Mazda and full of

evil– Judgment Day- everyone is judged on their actions to

determine their future. If they perform well, they will live in paradise. If someone resembles evil, they will suffer.

• Avesta is the book they studied

Religion (Gods/Goddess) Cont.

• The people believed that once someone died, their soul would leave the body four days after their burial

*Christianity and Islam were other later religions as well