Transcript Three Classical Persian States

THE PERSIANS
THE HEIGHT OF SOUTHWEST ASIA’S CLASSICAL SOCIETIES
THREE DYNASTIES
• Achaemenids: 650 – 330 BCE
• Seleucid Interlude: 330 – 63 BCE
• Parthians: 248 BCE – 224 CE
• Sassanids: 224 – 651 CE
THE ACHAEMENID EMPIRE
• Persians, Medes: steppe nomads, Indo-Iranians
• The Medes: Semi-Nomadic Empire
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Destroyed the Assyrian Empire and became great power
Indo-European speakers, sharing cultural traits with the Aryans
Tribes and clans bound to the strongest, the leader
Persians were one of the tribes of Medes
• Cyrus the Great (reigned 558-530 B.C.E.)
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A tough, wily leader, military strategist
Became the king of the Persians in 558 B.C.E., all Medes in 548 BCE
Conquered Lydia, Chaldean Empires
Established vast empire stretching from India to Mediterranean
Viewed favorably in the Old Testament: allowed Jews to return home
• Cambyses, son of Cyrus (re. 530-522 B.C.E.)
• Son of Cyrus – known for being harsh, despotic ruler
• Conquered Egypt in 525 and then was murdered
• Darius (re. 521-486 B.C.E.)
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A young kinsman of Cyrus
Built the largest empire in world history: conquered Indus Valley
Ruled more than 70 ethnic groups
Built new capital at Persepolis, 520 B.C.E.
ADMINISTRATION
• Divided the empire into 23 satrapies
• Satraps (governors)
• Appointed by the central government
• Local officials were drawn from local peoples
• Local policies included self-government, toleration
• Satraps' power
• Represent Emperor, maintain defense, collect taxes
• Checked by military officers and "imperial spies“
• Checked by Zoroastrianism, codes of honor, fear of Emperor
• Standardization of laws and policies
• Standardized laws, common law codes based on Zoroaster, Hammurabi
• Replaced irregular tribute payments with formal taxes, coinages
• Military: largest in history until Romans, Chinese
• Common levies from each province
• Persian cavalry; Persian Immortals: elite shock troops
• Mercenaries included Greeks
• Communication systems
• Persian Royal Road links Susa (Asia Minor, Lydia to Susa, in Persia)
• Postal stations with postal relay riders
THE PERSIAN EMPIRE
PERSEPOLIS
THE WARS WITH GREECE
• The Persian Wars (500-479 B.C.E.)
• Ionian Greeks rebelled
• Greek free city states sent aid to rebels
• Persian rulers put down rebellion
• Darius invaded Greece to punish Greeks
• Won battle of Thermopolyae
• Did not live long enough to finish job
• Xerxes (reigned 486-465 B.C.E.)
• Retreated from the policy of cultural toleration
• Caused ill will and rebellions among subject peoples
• Lost both land and sea battles to Greeks
• Battles of Marathon
• Battle of Salamis
• After 465 BCE
• Rise of Athens, Sparta, Thebes, Macedon
• All make it a policy of minimalizing Persian influence
• Persia weakened by civil wars, weak rulers
ALEXANDER
AND HIS HEIRS
• Alexander of Macedon
• Invaded Persia in 334 B.C.E.
• Battle of Gaugamela, ended Achaemenid empire, 331 B.C.E.
• Alexander burned the city of Persepolis, conquered whole empire
• The Diadoche
• Successor states to Alexander
• Divided his empire between them
• The Seleucids as tormentors of Persians
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Inherited largest part of the former Achaemenid empire
Retained Achaemenid system of administration
Ruled through Greek colonists
Established Greek cities in area
Sought to assimilate locals
Met opposition from Persians and the Parthians
Lost control over northern India and Iran
THE PARTHIAN AND
SASSANID WORLDS
INDO-EUROPEAN PARTHIANS
• The Parthians
• Indo-European people related to Bactrians, Kushans
• Gradually overthrew Selecuids in 238 BCE
• Based in Iran, extended to Mesopotamia
• Established mighty empire through East SW Asia by conquests
• Culture
• Blend of Persian, Babylonian, Greek, Aramaic
• Retained some traditions of nomadic people especially clans
• State Apparatus
• Portrayed themselves as restorers of the Persian tradition
• Followed the example of the Achaemenids in administration
• Clan leaders as satraps: potential threats for central government
• Tended to allow Babylonians, Greeks to administer empire as bureaucrats
• No standing army but easily assembled massive cavalry force
• Interactions
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Heavily involved in regional politics – allied with Armenia
Supported opposition to Romans, tolerated the Jews
Opposed expanding Roman empire, 1st century C.E.
Supported trade across regions: helped establish Silk Road
• Revolts, Roman Wars brought Parthians down
THE SASSANIDS
• The Sasanids
• Beginnings
• From Persia, claimed direct descent from the Achaemenids
• Toppled the Parthians in 224 C.E. new capital at Ctesiphon
• Retained nomadic traditions but lived within an urbanized world
• Government
• Borrowed from original Persians, Hellenistic in organization
• Stronger, better organized, more absolute than Parthian
• Economics
• Strong agriculture in Mesopotamia, Iranian plateau
• Traded throughout Arabia, SW Asia, Indian Ocean, Central Asia
• Religion
• Devout Zoroastrians: helped create a dogma, hierarchy
• Much opposed to spread of Christianity
• Tolerant of heretical Christian sects, Jews
• Interactions
• Battled the Kushan Empire in the east, nomads of Central Asia
• Battled the Roman and Byzantine empires in the West for 400 years.
• Active in Arabian Peninsula but In 651 C.E. conquered by Arabs
IMPERIAL SOCIETY
• Social Development in Classical Persia
• Nomadic character of early Persian society
• Similar to the Aryans in India
• Importance of family and clan relationships
• Women had considerable influence
• Imperial bureaucrats
• Needed educated bureaucrats
• Shared power with warriors and clan leaders
• Indo-Aryan free classes in city and countryside
• Non-Aryan unfree peasants, slaves in countryside
• Sassanid Society
• Very Hierarchical and Complex; probably was a caste system
• Wuzurgan = Ruling Elite
• At top was Shahanshah who ruled all nobles
• Royal princes, nobles, petty princes, great landlords, priests
• Azatan: four free classes were all descended of Indo-Iranian invaders
• Warriors and Priests
• Secretaries and commoners
• Grand School: was a palace school similar to a university for bureaucrats
IMPERIAL ECONOMY
• Economics of Classical Persia
• Agriculture was the economic foundation
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Main crops: Barley and wheat
Supplemental crops: peas, lentils, mustard, garlic, onions, cucumber
Large agricultural surplus
Relied heavily on irrigated agriculture
• Industry
• Guilds common and numerous
• Government built infrastructure to support trade, commerce
• Rich minerals and large manufacturer of iron, weaponry
• Trade
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Commercial zone spanning Europe, Asia, N & E Africa
Merchants ranged from Egypt, SW Asia to Central Asia, India
Political stability promoted growth of trade
Standardized coins (Gold Darics were first in world), good trade routes
Specialization of production in different regions
Heavy export trade in luxury trades to Rome, India, Central Asia
Critical part in the Silk Road Trade
QANATS
IMPERIAL TECHNOLOGY
CARAVANSERAI:
CAMEL HOTELS ON TRADE ROUTES
PERSIAN CULTURE: “TO RIDE A HORSE, TO DRAW A
BOW, AND TO SPEAK THE TRUTH”
• Ultimate pinnacle of Cuneiform culture
• Borrowed from Assyrians, Babylonians
• Separate cultures: elite and conquered
• Languages
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Empires are frequently multi-lingual
Original court language was Elamite, Old Persian
Akkadian Cuneiform was written language
“Lingua franca” became Aramaic
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Large, masterful cities and buildings for rule
Specialized in temples, altars, mausoleums for prominent people
Exquisite metallurgical skills, intricate inlaid metal objects of gold, silver
Carpets, silks, luxury goods for export
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Greco-Persian-Mesopotamian
Supporters of arts, literature
Supported philosophy
Music and poetry
• Art and Architecture
• Sassanid Arts and Sciences
PERSIAN RELIGION
• Zarathustra and his faith
• Earliest Persian religion resembled that of the Aryans
• Zoroastrianism, emerged from teachings of Zarathustra
• Seems to have been an itinerant preacher in Central Asia
• The Gathas
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Zoroastrian teachings, transmitted orally, many perished
Preserved later in writing, by magi
Compilation of the holy scriptures, Zend Avesta, under Sasanid dynasty
Zarathustra's own writing survived, known as Gathas
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Ahura Mazda as a supreme deity, with six lesser deities
Cosmic conflict between Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu (Ahriman, Shaitan)
Heavenly paradise and hellish realm as reward and punishment
The material world as a blessing
Moral formula: good words, good thoughts, good deeds
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Attracted Persian aristocrats and ruling elites
Darius regarded Ahura Mazda as supreme God
The faith was most popular in Iran
Sizable followings in Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Egypt, and other regions
• Zoroastrian teachings = Monotheistic Polytheism
• Popularity of Zoroastrianism
PERSIAN RELIGIONS OF SALVATION
• Zoroastrian community suffered during Alexander's invasion
• Zoroastrianism was the official religion during Sasanid rule
• The Zoroastrians' difficulties
• Extreme rivalries with Christianity
• Orthodox, Zoroastrians were official state religion
• Rivalry between states extended to faiths
• Monophysite Christians were tolerated by Persians
• Arabs conquered Sassanid empire, seventh century C.E.
• Some Zoroastrians fled to India
• Remaining Zoroastrians converted to Islam
• Few faithful Zoroastrians still exist in modern day Iran
• Manichean Heresy: Dualist struggle persecuted
• Good, light spiritual world
• Evil, dark material world
• Spread westward to Rome, too: St. Augustine
• Influence of Zoroastrians
• Influence on Jewish religion: belief in future reward and punishment
• Influence on Christianity: concepts of heaven and hell
• Later influenced Islam; one of Muhammad’s protected faiths