Persian Empire
The World’s First Superpower
Objectives
• Students will discover who shaped the growth
and organization of the Persian Empire.
•Students will explore the main teachings of
Zoroastrianism.
•Students will identify the most significant
cultural achievements of the Persians
•Students will discover the connections
between ancient Persia and Modern Iran
Theme 1: Government
Persia under the Medes
Cyrus the Great
• Both Indo-European tribes
• Medes conquered Persians
• Defeated Medes in 559 BC
• Expanded Persian Empire
• Persians allowed to keep their own
leaders as long as they did not rebel
• Freed Jews in Babylon
• Respected by those he conquered
Darius I
• Crushed rebellion after death of
Cyrus’s son
• Strengthened army, empire
• Tried to invade Greece, turned
back at Marathon.
• Ceremony and ritual
• Created satraps to help govern
Persia in Decline
• Rule of Darius high point of Persian
culture
• Son, Xerxes, failed to conquer Greece
• Last strong ruler of Persia
• Following leaders weak and ineffective
Cyrus the Great
Darius I
Xerxes
Cyrus Cylinder has also been claimed to be an
early "human rights charter"
http://robotchicken.wikia.com/
wiki/1776
Persian Military
• Military was the key in
building the worlds first
superpower
• Used Cavalry and Chariots
– Chariots were unique
because the were pulled by
four horses
– Also carried archers who
pelted foes with arrows from
a distance
• Supported by highly trained
troops called the Immortals
Theme 2: Religion
• Zoroastrianism
– Based on the teachings of Zoroaster
• God = Ahura Mazda
– God was the source of everything good, true and pure in the
world.
• Evil spirit = Ahriman
– Spirits were locked in eternal struggle against each other
– Dualism
• First religion to believe that the world is controlled by two
opposing forces, good and evil
• Believed that good would eventually win and rid the world
of evil
– Polytheistic with an emphasis on Ahura Mazda
– Avesta, the sacred text of Zoroastrianism
Theme 3: Writing
• Branch of Indo European Languages
• Old Persian Cuneiform
• Written and spoken language
Theme 4: Math and Science
• The Royal Road, the world’s first long highway.
It stretched more than 1,500 miles and linked
major cities
• Roads built for faster communication and the
moving of military forces
Theme 5: Art
• The Persians were also widely admired for
their art. They crafted delicate drinking vessels
out of gold set with precious gems.
– Many of these golden objects are shaped like
animals, such as lions and bulls. Animals were a
common subject in Persian art.
•
Many archaeologists consider Persepolis
(capital) the greatest example of Persian
architecture.
•
Designed as a ceremonial city by Darius I, the
entire city of Persepolis was a monument to
Persia’s glory.
•
At the center of the city was a high-ceilinged
audience hall unlike anything else in the
Ancient Near East.
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/08/iran-archaeology/iran-photography
Audience Hall
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/08/iran-archaeology/iran-photography
Theme 6: Trade
• Coin money issued
• Encouraged trade
by building roads
throughout the
Persian Empire
• As a result of this
increased trade, the
empire grew richer.