600 B.C.E. – 500 C.E.

Unit 1 – Pre-Classical Era 8,000 B.C.E. – 600 B.C.E.
Unit 2 - The Classical Era 600 B.C.E. – 500 C.E.
Unit 3 500 C.E. – 1450 C.E.
Unit 4 1450 C.E. – 1750 C.E.
Unit 5 1750 C.E. – 1900 C.E.
Unit 6 1900 C.E. – 1990s

from pre-Classical to the Classical
Pre-Classical
8,000 B.C.E. – 600 C.E.
Classical
600 – 500 C.E.
1. Societies continue to be agriculturally-based.
2. Social stratification continues to exist in each society.
3. The relationship between men and women continues to be patriarchal(dominated by men).
4. Monarchy (rule by a king) continues to be the dominant form of government.

that make the Classical Era unique from pre-Classical are known as the
1. The centralization and expansion of governments.
What does it mean for a government to be centralized?
2. The development of an inter-regional trade network. (aka The Silk Roads)
3. The creation of social, political & economic integration systems within empires.
Societies become on a large-scale.
integrated when they are organized
What are some examples of how Classical societies accomplish this integration?

Political Centralization
• Under Cyrus & Darius
- capital at Persepolis
• Divided empire into 23 satrapies
- satraps appointed
- “eyes and ears of the king”
• Built Persian Royal road
- facilitated tax collection

Economics of the Empire
• Royal Road facilitated trade
- trade with Egypt and India
• Conquering of Lydia
- standardized coinage
• Construction of qanats
- agricultural basis of society

Social Structure of the Empire
• Imperial Bureaucrats
• Nobles
• Free Classes
• Slaves

Religion in the Persian Empire
• Zoroastrianism - faith embraced by Persian leadership and spread through trade.

PART 1 – Questions for Analysis
1. Compare and contrast the political organization of the
Achaemenid Empire under Darius to the Zhou Dynasty of China as explained in chapters 5 & 8.
2. It has been suggested that Classical societies were more complex and more sophisticated than pre-Classical societies of
Egypt, Mesopotamia, and South Asia. What evidence of this is apparent in the development of the Persian Empire?
PART 2 – Making Connections
Explain the relationship between each of the following pairs. How does one lead to or foster the other? Be specific in your response.
a. The Persian Road & Zoroastrianism b. Satraps and standardized coinage