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PersianEmpire
BackgroundGuide
Chair:
EagleMUNC
BostonCollegeModel
UnitedNations
Conference
AnnaRingheiser
[email protected]
Website:
www.EagleMUNC.org
March18-202016
PersianEmpire
PERSIANEMPIREBACKGROUNDGUIDE Introduction
DelegatesofthePersianEmpire,
MynameisAnnaRingheiserandIamthrilledtobeyourchairforthiscommitteeinthe
fourthannualsessionofEagleMUNC.IamasophomoreatBostonCollege,majoringin
internationalstudieswithaconcentrationinethicsandinternationalsocialjustice.Iamalso
minoringinIslamiccivilizationsandsocieties.OutsideofModelUN,IenjoytheEaglePolitical
Society,theRealFoodClub,andfangirlingthenotoriousRuthBaderGinsburg.
IhavebeendeeplyinvolvedinModelUNsincemyfreshmanyearofhighschool,going
toconferencesatnearbycollegeshereinBostonandservingasPresidentofmyschool’sclub.
AsasophomorehereatBC,hereformysecondEagleMUNC,Iamhonoredtoserveasyour
chairforthisexcitingcommittee.
Inthiscommittee,wewillbeworkingthroughoneofthemostimpactfuleventsof
ancienthistory-thePeloponnesianWars.Whilemanyknowthesewarsasbeingbetween
AthensandSparta,thePersianEmpirehadadecisiveroleinshapingtheoutcome.Whilethe
PeloponnesianWarsareoftenseentobeofancienttimes,theycertainlyaffectedthemodern
divisionsofEastandWest.Iencourageallofyoutocomepreparedwithabackgroundinthe
historysurroundingthiscommitteeandwithstrongpositions.Thisguideistoserveasa
backgroundforyourownresearchandpreparations.Pleasefeelfreetoreachouttomewith
anyquestionsregardingthecommittee.Ilookforwardtoworkingwithyouallandmakingthis
EagleMUNCaphenomenalexperienceforeachandeveryoneofyou!
AnnaRingheiser
BCClassof2018
PersianEmpire
HistoricalBackground TheoriginsofthePersianEmpirecanbetracedbackfrom2000B.C.,withthepeoples
ofnorthernandcentralAsia.Fromthesepeople,theAryansturnedeasttowardstheIndus
Rivervalleyandbeganacivilizationoftheirown,astheMedesturnedwestwardtoward
Elamites.ThePersians,apeopleofnomadicculturaltradition,remainedonthefringesofthe
neareast.ThePersianEmpirebecamethelargestempireinantiquityintermofsquaremiles,
andeventheGreeksrecallthetreasuresofPersiankingsas“moregoodthingsthenalltherest
oftheworldputtogether.”
Atitsheight,thePersianEmpirestretchedasFarEastasBactria,Sattagydiaandthe
Indus.AccordingtoHerodotus,thenomadicPersianshadonlythreesimplegoalsineducating
theirsons:“torideahorse,todrawabow,andtospeakthetruth.”ThePersiansare
rememberedbyhistoryasanoble,anti-intellectual,andmartialpeople.Withitssystemof
localrulers,orsatraps,eachrulingoversatrapies,localculturescouldmaintaintheircustoms
andpeacewouldbekeptsolongastheycontinuedtopaytheirduestothekingandrebellion
didnotbreakout.However,Persia’sweaknesslaynotinitsscaleofgovernment,butinits
choiceofenemies.
PersianEmpire
PersianEmpire,500B.C.E.
ThePersianEmpirewasitselfformedwhenCyrustheGreatovertookKingAstyagesof
Media,whodominatedmuchofIranandeasternAnatolia.Cyrusthegreat,bornin580B.C.,
hadmilitarysavvycombinedwithhumanistpolitics.Accordingtolegend,KingCyrusof
Anshanwassentencedtodeathbyaformerkingnervousaboutthechild’sdestiny,butwas
abletomakehiswaybackintothecourtafterbeingraisedbyfarmerssincehehadboth
MedianandPersianheritage.CyrusledarevoltagainsttheMedesandoverthrewthemaround
550B.C.,beforeturningagainstLydiainthewestin546B.C.,followedbyBabyloninthesouth
in539B.C.
PersianEmpire
Cyrusishailedasgreatnotjustbecauseofhismilitarysavvy,butalsobecauseofhis
politicalandhumanistappeal.InLydiahewasgreetedasanenlightenedconqueror.InBabylon
hewasrememberedasasaviorforfreeingtheJewsandsettlingtheminJerusalem.Wherever
heconquered,herespectedlocaltraditionsandreligionsenoughtoletthemcontinue,leaving
anexampleforfuturePersianrulersthatallowedthewidespreadempiretolastaslongasit
did.ThoughCyrusdiedinbattlein530B.C.,hestartedtheAchameniddynastyonastrong
course.
CyrustheGreat(c.580-530B.C.)
Cambyses,sonofCyrus,succeededhimforashorttimebeforehisson-in-lawtookthe
throne.In525B.C.CambysesinvadedEgypt.WhilehewasawaycontrollingEgypt,hisbrother
Smerdistookcontrolofthethrone.Darius,holdingthatthemanclaimingtobeSmerdiswasin
factanimposter,killedhimandassumedthethrone.DuringthereignofDarius,Persepolis
becamethenewcapital.WhilethewayDariusassumedthethronespawnedsomerevolts
acrosstheempire,DariuscontinuedtheworkofCyrustoconnect,consolidate,anddevelop
theempire.
PersianEmpire
Intheyear515B.C.,hebegantheconstructionofastonehighwayfromNorthAfricato
India,stretchingover1500milesthatwastobecalledtheroyalroad.Partofthisplanto
connectthefar-flungreachesoftheempireincludedbuildingagatewaytoNorthAfricaanda
130-milelongcanaltolinktheMediterraneantotheRedSea.Dariusalsoreformedthemilitary
intermsofconscriptionandtraining.HestandardizedtheEmpire’sweightsandmeasures,and
sponsoredamissiontoexploretheIndianOcean.Dariusformedtwentylargeprovinces,called
satrapies,whereprovincialtreasuryofficials,secretaries,andgarrisonsanswereddirectlyto
him,insteadofthesatraps,inordertopreventrebellions.
PersianEmpirelocalities,c.500B.C.E.
Thestrength,continuedgrowth,andproximityofthePersianEmpirebegantofrighten
thecity-statesofGreece.In478B.C.,theIonianrebellionbeganthedirectconflictbetween
GreeceandthePersianEmpire.Inparticular,theregionofIoniawasseenasdangerous
becauseofitscapacitytodrawmainlandGreeceintothefray.Geographically,Ioniaseemeda
PersianEmpire
naturalextensionofPersia’svastlandempire,howeverculturallytheIonianswerelinkedtothe
Greek-speakingpeopleoftheAegeanSea.TheIoniansturnedtotheSpartansandAthenians
forhelp.EventhoughtheAtheniansagreedtoaidthem,therebellionfailedandDariuswanted
topunishtheAthenianswhoaidedthetreacherousIonians.
TheGreekWorldDuringthePersianWars(500-479B.C.E.)
In492B.C.and490B.C.DariusmadeattemptsontheAtheniansandfailed.In492
B.C.,DariusattemptedtoinvademainlandGreece,butreturnedbecauseofastormthat
ruinedmostofhisfleet.In490B.C.,thePersiansmeetAthensandCorinthattheBattleof
Marathon.TheGreekswereoutnumberedtentoone,howevertheywonadecisivevictory,
endingintheretreatofthePersians.AlthoughtheGreeksweresmallerinnumber,their
PersianEmpire
martialtradition,familiaritywiththelocalland,relianceonduplicity,andarefusaltojoin
combatunlessidealconditionsweremethelpedthemovercomethePersians.
WiththedeathofDariusin486B.C.,KingXerxesassumedthethronewithintentionsto
avengehisfatherinGreece.TheGreekshadalsobeenpreparing,withthecreationofthe
GreekLeagueagainstPersiain481B.C.CommandofthearmywasgiventoSparta,whilethat
ofthenavytoAthens.TheGreekfleetnumberedaround350vesselsandwasthusonlyabout
one-thirdthesizeofthePersianfleet.In480B.C.,XerxesattackedGreecevialandandsea,
defeatingtheSpartansatthebattleofThermopylaeandsacksAthens.However,alsoin480
B.C.,thePersiansweredefeatedatthebattleofSalamis,andwithwinterapproachinganda
rebellioninBabyloniastirringtheyretreat.WhilethePersiansmovedout,theyleftbehinda
memoryofhatewiththeGreekpeople.
“In479B.C.atthebattleofPlataea,thePersiansendedtheirinvasions,although
fightingbetweenGreeceandPersiacontinuedforanother30years.LedbytheAthenians,the
newlyformedDelianLeaguewentontheoffensivetofreetheIoniancity-statesonthe
Anatoliancoast.Theleaguehadmixedsuccess,andin449B.C.,thePeaceofKalliasexcluded
thePersianfleetfromtheAegeanandguaranteedtheindependenceoftheGreekstatesof
AsiaMinor”(Brittanica).
CurrentIssues
WhilethesedirectbattlesbetweenGreeceandPersiahadbeenhappening,troublewas
alsobrewingbetweentherivalpowersofSpartaandAthenswithinGreece.ThePeloponnesian
Warsoccurredintwostages:thefirstfrom460-466B.C.,thesecondfrom432-404B.C.The
PersianEmpire
secondstageisconsideredtobethemostsignificant.Thesewarsaroseoutoftheoverlapping
spheresofinfluencebetweenSpartaandAthens.Spartabecamealarmedatthegrowing
powerofthefleetofAthens,itsprojecttorebuildawallprotectingitsharbor,andthe
possibilityofCorinthjoiningtheAthenianside.
ThePeloponnesianleague(505-365B.C.)wascreatedoppositetheDelianLeague
(Corinth,Elis,Tegea,etc.).Thefirstwarwaslessintensethanthesecondandwasmostly
betweenAthensandCorinth.Then,therewas30yearsofrelativepeacebeforewarbrokeout
againin431B.C.PersiahadtheoptionofgivingmoneytoSparta,soitcouldbuildafleetto
challengetheAthenians,inreturnforSpartarecognizingsovereigntyoverAsiaMinor.In405
B.C.,LysanderdefeatedtheAtheniansatAegospotamineartheHellespontwhere170
Athenianshipsarecapturedandatleast3000Atheniancaptiveswereexecuted.The
PeloponnesianwarsarerememberedbyGreeceasoneofthemostbloodiedtimesoftheir
history.AsThucydideswrites,“neverhadsomanyhumanbeingsbeenexiled,orsomuch
humanbloodbeenshed.”In396B.C.through387B.C.,continuedSpartanambitionsdraginto
newconflict,asCorinthianwarswithAthensandThebes,CorinthandPersiafinallyreacha
“king’speace,”whereSpartacededitsempiretoPersia,butSpartawaslefttodominate
Greece.
PersianEmpire
TheDelianLeague(Athens)andThePeloponnesianLeague(Sparta):TheDelianLeagueisin
Yellow.ThePeloponnesianLeagueisinRed.
BlocPositions
ThisbodywillbeconsideringthePeloponnesianconflictfromtheperspectiveofthe
PersianEmpire.SomemaywanttofocusonanyinternaldisruptionsinthePersianEmpire.
Withitssystemofsatrapies,thoughgenerallystable,thereisalwayspossibilityofrebellionin
anyofthewidereachingprovincesofthekingdom.Itmaybebesttoforgetabouttheconflict
intheAegeanandfocusonstabilizingtheempireofPersiafromwithin.Somemaywantto
sideexclusivelywiththeAthenians,whomayproveabetterpartnerthantheSpartans.Some
maywanttosideexclusivelywiththeSpartans,whomayseemtobetakingaleadinthewar.
Somemaysayitisbetternottotakesidesexclusivelyandtoactintheinterestsincontinuing
PersianEmpire
thewar,eventhoughthisrunstheriskofinstabilityspreadingintoPersiaandcloudingtrade
ontheAegeanSea.
QuestionstoConsider LookingattheconflictsbetweenSpartaandAthens,thisbodymustconsiderwhatisin
thebestinterestsofPersia.Thiscommitteeoughttoconsiderthehistoriesbetweenitselfand
SpartaaswellasAthens,respectively.Iencourageeachdelegatetocloselyconsiderwhenitis
appropriatetoact,andwhenitisinthebestinterestsofPersiatotendtoanyissueswithinthe
empire.WhilePersiacouldacttoprolongtheconflictintheAegean,thiscommitteemust
seriouslyconsiderwhetherthisisthebestcourseofactionforPersiaandtheregioninthelong
term.
Alldelegatesareencouragedtodoadditionalresearchontheirindividualpositionsand
considerwhattheymightdointheirpowerfortheprolongedsuccessofthePersianEmpire.If
anydelegateshaveadditionalquestionsregardingtheirpositionsorthecommitteeingeneral,
pleasedonothesitatetoemail.Ilookforwardtoanenjoyableandproductivecommittee,as
werepresentoneofthemostpowerfulempiresofAntiquity.
PersianEmpire
WorksCited
AncientPersia:AdvancedTechnologythePersianEmpire(FullDocumentary).2013.
DepartmentofAncientNearEasternArt."TheAchaemenidPersianEmpire(550–330B.C.)".In
HeilbrunnTimelineofArtHistory.NewYork:TheMetropolitanMuseumofArt,2000–.
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/acha/hd_acha.htm(October2004)
EncyclopædiaBritannicaOnline,s.v."Greco-PersianWars",accessedSeptember07,2015,
http://www.britannica.com/event/Greco-Persian-Wars.
Gascoigne,Bamber.“TheGreco-PersianWars”HistoryWorld.From2001,ongoing.
http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?ParagraphID=cee
Cartwright,Mark."PeloponnesianWar."AncientHistoryEncyclopedia.Vox,1June2013.Web.6
Sept.2015.<http://www.ancient.eu/Peloponnesian_War/>.
O'Brien,Cormac."AchaemenidPersia."TheFallofEmpires:FromGlorytoRuin,anEpicAccount
ofHistory'sAncientCivilization.NewYork:FallRiver,2009.104-21.Print.