achaemenid persian empire krzysztof nawotka. persian empire
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Achaemenid Persian Empire
Krzysztof Nawotka
Persian empire
Rise of Persia 1
• Indoeuropean Aryans formed in stepps to the north of Black Sea and Caspian Sea
• Ca. 2000 BC: conquest of India and Iran
• In Iran:
- nomadic and semi-nomadic society
- 3 classes: priests, warriors, producers (i.e. peasants)
- Clans, tribes and countries (dahyu)
Rise of Persia 2
• Various Iranian states: Manna, Medes, Parsua (Zagros and Fars)
• Trade with Babylonia and Assyria (Great Khorasan Road: forrunner of Silk Road)
• From 9th c. BC Assyrian inroads in Zagros
• 7th-mid 6th c. BC Media
• 615-605 Kyaxares (Umakištar/ Huvaχštra) conquest of Assyria
Cyrus II (the Great)
• Kurush king of Anshan (Elamite city in Zagros)
• Achaemenian dynasty: Hakhamanich (Achaemenes), Chishpish (Teispes), Kurush I, Kambujiya (Cambyses)
• Allied with Nabonidus of Babylon, defeated and conquered Media 550
• Conquered Lydia 546 (?) or after 539• Conquered Babylon 539
Persian empire
• Cambyses II: conquered Egypt 525• Fiscal crisis, rebellion of Gaumata 522• Darius I (the Great):- Persian aristocrat, allegedly from collateral
branch of Achaemenians- Supported by Persian aristocracy and army of
Cyrus the Great- Reconquest of all provinces- Reorganization of empire
Persian Empire under Darius I
Persian empire (of Darius I the Great)
• First universal empire
• Area: from Thrace to Indus valey
• Population: 30-50 million
• Divided into ca. 26 satrapies
• Four capital cities: Persepolis, Susa, Ecbatana, Babylon
• Itinerant court: tradition of nomadic lifestyle, necessity to feed court and army
Persia of Darius I: Susa palace
Persia of Darius I: Persepolis
Great King and his country 1
• Monarchy: Great King, King of Asia
• King: elaborate costume, strict ritual, seclusion
• POWs at Damascus (331 BC): 329 female musicians, 46 wreath makers, 277 cooks, 29 cooking specialists, 13 dairy specialists, 17 drinks specialists, 70 pourers of wine and 40 perfumers
Great King and his country 2
• King’s banquets:- 1000 animals slaughtered every day- PF: food for 12,000 people• Luxury of King:- to Greeks: unmanly decadence- in fact: demonstration of King’s wealth,
happiness and grace of gods, redistribution of wealth among courtiers and soldiers
Persepolis - servants of the Great King
Perisan servant on a Greek vase
Great King and his country 3
• Roads: King’s Road Susa to Sardis (2400 km), good surface, postal stations, security
• Elaborate administration:- known from Fars (PF, PT), to a lesser degree
from Egypt, Palestine, Bactria- collecting taxes (mostly in kind)- issuing rations to aristocrats, officials,
labourers- gift based economy
Great King and his country 4
• To Greeks: King/ despot and slaves• To Persians: King and bandaka (vasals)• King: warrior, hunter, builder• Monarchy based on feudal principles of
loyalty and life-long service for land grants• Satraps:- Iranian aristocrats with full power- Imitating King’s court and behaviour
Persian army
• 10,000 immortals (companions)• Garrisons in a few major fortresses• Mercenary force: superior Greek infantry,
commanded by Persians, Greek officers incorporated to Persian nobility
• Iranian: military settlers, aristocratic cavalry
• Navy: Phoenician, Cypriot, Greek• War: mostly fought by satraps
Immortals
Persepolis – guard soldiers
Persian religion 1
• Two epochs of Aryan religion : pagan (before Zarathustra) and Zarathushtrian
• Pagan Iranian religion:
- gods: of nature (e.g. Vata – brought rain), of cult (e.g. Fire - Atar, Water - Apo, Haoma)
- Ritual purity- Cult of Fire: yasna with animal sacrifice, zaorta 3 times a
day fuel added to fire• Mithra and Varuna- Hyposthases (personified abstracts) linked with Asha- Two types of obligation: *mithra – covenent, *varuna –
solemn oath
Persian religion 2
• Asha/aša:- Law of nature: „truth”, righteuosness”- Sustained by prayer and sacrifice- Should guide our behaviour- Virtue: fundament of normal world order- Social virtues: truth, loyalty, courage• Druj (lie) – opposite of asha• People: ashavan (righteous), drujvant
(base, liers)
Persian religion 3
• Aryan religion reformed by Zaratushtra c. 10th c. BC following revelation by Vohu Manah
• Holy book Avesta (6th c. AD)
• Cosmic conflict between aša (truth) and druj (lie); aim of life: to sustain aša through good thoughts, words and deeds
• Religion of choice and responsibility
Magi
Persian religion 4
• Ahura Mazda (Lord Wisdom): creator, god of aša, light, good, assisted by Amesha Spentas ("Bounteous Immortals") and by yazatas
• Cosmic conflict with Angra Mainyu• King by grace of Ahura Mazda• Fire (atar): not god but agent of ritual purity,
worshipped (fire altars and temples)• Priests – magi• Corpses exposed in towers of silence
Fire worshippers in a relief of Gandhara
Yazd: fire temple
Ateshkade-e Ardashir: Sassanian fire temple
Persian wars
• Rebellion of Greek cities in Asia Minor 499-494 BC
• Invasion of Greece by Xerxes 480-479• Great battles: Thermopylae, Salamis,
Plataea, Mycale• End in 447: Greeks of Asia Minor free• Tradition of Persian barbarity (destruction
of Greek temples) and superior Greek military prowess
Persian empire of the late 5th-4th c. BC
• Successful Persian envolvement in Peloponnesian and Corinthian Wars: restoring Persian rule in Asia Minor
• Independence of Egypt and great satrap revolt of 1st half of 4th c. BC
• Artaxerxes III (358-338): suppresion of revolt of Phoenicia, pacification of Asia Minor, reconquest of Egypt
Iranians in Asia Minor
• Numerous aristocratic families endowed by the Great King with land for their services
• Some gave origin to royal families in Hellenistic times: Pontus, Cappadocia, Commagene
• Military colonists, e.g. in Cappadocia• Iranian cults:- Zaratushtrians well into 3rd c. AD- Iranian deities assimilated with indigenous gods of
Asia Minor, especially Anahita with local goddesses
- Mithra