Download Empire - Spring Branch ISD

What is the reason most historians cite as the cause of
the Agricultural Revolution?
• Empire; a state formed through conquest
and maintained through the extraction of
resources from conquered states and
peoples.
• All classical empires were powerful states
capable of coercing resources from
subjects.
• Founded (539
B.C.E.) by Cyrus the
Great.
• Allowed Jews to
return home
(Babylonian exile).
• Conquered lands
from the Aegean Sea
(west of Turkey) to
the borders of India.
• Succeeded by son
Cambyses, who
conquered Egypt and
parts of southeast
Europe.
• Known as the Achaemenid Empire.
• The size of the United States.
• Included more than 70 distinct ethnic groups.
• Persian allowed local government to be run by lower-level officials drawn
from local authorities.
• Empire was also divided into twenty provinces.
• Created a new position, satrap, a ruler of a province who was
responsible to the emperor, not to local leaders.
• Inspectors, called “The
Eyes and Ears of the
King,” traveled to each
province and reported to
the king on the behavior of
the satraps.
• Darius instituted regular
tax payments.
• Persepolis featured an
impressive royal palace.
• The Royal
Road, famous
network of
roads built to
encourage
trade.
• A courier
service with
postal stations
along this
road.
• Caravanserai, combination inns and markets for people
traveling the Royal Road by camel caravan.
• Underground
canals (Qanat)
for water
distribution
and irrigation.
• Did not try to
enforce religious
and cultural
uniformity.
• Respect and
tolerate for nonPersian traditions.
• Xerxes (519-465 B.C.E.), built a “Gate of All Nations.”
• Entrance to Persepolis showing honor to all subjects.
• Tolerance policy made the Persians unlike other empires of the
time.
• Persian prophet Zarathustra (c. 660583 B.C.E.) began new faith,
Zoroastrianism.
• Based on belief in only one god, Ahura
Mazda, or the “wise lord” who is in a
cosmic struggle with a god of darkness,
Angra Mainyu.
• Concept of heaven
and hell.
• “Magi” = Priest.
• “Avestas,” sacred
text.
• Teachings may have
shaped development
of Judaism,
Christianity and
Islam, reflected in its
concepts of heaven
and hell.
• social stratification.
• But had a larger
Priest
class of educated,
well-paid
Aristocracy
government
Military
High honor; provided with special
workers
benefits
King &
Royal Family
Traders
Businesspersons who trade in
commodities throughout the empire.
Craftsmen
Manuel workers with specialized skills.
Peasants
Peasants
Farmers, either laborers or owners of small farms.
• Patriarchal society
Rights of Women:
•
Free to choose their spouse.
•
Represent husband in court.
•
Owned property.
•
Could work and earned
wages.
•
Not much slavery.
Forbidden by
Zoroastrianism.
• Persians and
Greeks were
both expansive
civilizations,
leading to the
Persian Wars.
• Battle of
Marathon,
outnumbered
Athenian army
defeated the
Persian (490
B.C.E.).
• Persians defeat 300 Spartans at Battle of Thermopylae (486
B.C.E.).
• Persians captured and burned Athens.
• Greek alliance
won naval
victory at
Battle of
Salamis.
• A
consequence
of the GrecoPersian Wars
was the
development
of the notion of
an East/West
divide.
• Athens’ leadership
during the GrecoPersian Wars launched
her on a path to
dominance over other
city-states.
• Formed the Delian
League.
• In fear, Sparta formed
the Peloponnesian
League.
• Peloponnesian War
(431-404 B.C.E.), Sparta
defeated Athens.
• Peloponnesian War left Greece weakened.
• Macedonia (a region on the northern edge of the Greek world)
led by Phillip II conquered and unite the Greek city-states.
• His son, Alexander, began the conquest of Persia earning him
the title “Alexander The Great.”
• Picking native residents to help rule.
• Married several Persian women and urging his leading
generals to do the same.
• Founded the city of Alexandria (Egypt), which became a center of
Hellenistic culture and a major seaport.
• Ptolemy Dynasty built;
1. Library of Alexandria, the largest library of the ancient world
2. Alexandria museum, a place where scholars did research.
• Alexander's conquest led to a
Hellenistic era, where Greek
culture throughout most of the
ancient world.
• Cities, founded by Alexander,
became the main avenue for
the spread of Greek culture in
his empire.
• Greek influence can
be seen in Buddhist
art in South Asia.
• Artists began to
portray the Buddha in
human in Greek
clothing.
•
Greek
Indian
• Alexander’s death led to chaos (323 B.C.E.).
• Instead of one powerful empire, the Greek-influenced lands
became divided into several kingdoms.
That concludes
The Persian Empire.
Any questions before the quiz on the next
slide?