Download Name: Date:______ Block:______ Ancient Persia

Name:___________________________________ Date:____________ Block:__________
Ancient Persia- Reading Key
1. Why do historians call King Cyrus of Persia, “Cyrus the Great”?
Cyrus was able to conquer much of Southwest Asia and many Greek cities. When he died, Cyrus ruled the largest empire
the world had ever seen. Cyrus also let the people he conquered keep their customs which would make them less likely
to rebel.
2. Why was Cyrus able to create and rule the largest empire the world had ever seen?
He did not force his conquered people to adopt Persian customs, and he did not mistreat them.
3. Who created the Persian Empire? How was he able to create the Persian Empire?
Cyrus the Great created the Persian Empire through using a strong army. The army was well organized and loyal. The
cavalry and Immortals worked together to defeat the enemy.
4. How did Darius I organize the Persian Empire politically? How is this different from the way the Empire was organized
under Cyrus the Great?
Darius I organized the empire by dividing it into 20 provinces. Then he chose governors called satraps to rule the
provinces for him. The satraps collected taxes, served as judges, and put down rebellions in their territory. Cyrus ran his
empire by using a military and then treating people fairly as opposed to using a government.
5. What is your opinion about Darius’s use of satraps and his system of roads and messengers as ways to govern his
empire? Do you think his methods were effective in making his empire successful, why or why not?
Yes, there were clear expectations and communication could travel easily so that people could be protected. What may
make using the satraps better would be if the people of each province got to select their satrap as opposed to him being
appointed by Darius. The satrap could be a reason for the people to rebel.
6. True or False. Write out TRUE or FALSE and if the statement is FALSE explain why.
- The Immortals were a group of 10,000 soldiers mounted on horses.
False, they were 10,000 soldiers who were selected for their bravery and skill
- Darius I, Cyrus’s son, claimed the throne and killed all his rivals for power.
Darius I was not Cyrus’ son. Cambyses was.
7. Why did Darius I swear to get revenge on the Greeks?
Some of the Greeks had given the others in Greece which were a part of Persian rule, help to fight the Persians.
8. What was the name of the place near Athens where the Persian Wars began?
Marathon
9. Explain the job of a satrap in Darius I’s Persian Empire.
The satrap collected taxes for Darius, served as judges, and put down rebellions within their territories. The
satraps had a lot of power in their territories but were still under Darius (king of kings).
Name:___________________________________ Date:____________ Block:__________
10. What were the names of the three battles in Persia’s second invasion of Greece?
Thermopylae, Salamis, and Plataea were the three battles in Persia’s second invasion of Greece
11. Why did Darius and Xerxes want to conquer Greece?
Darius and Xerxes wanted to expand the Persian empire and take revenge on Greece for helping the Persian areas of
Greece rebel.
12. Fill out the following chart using the three leaders that you read about in the text and information from the text.
Leader
Military Accomplishments
Other Accomplishments
Cyrus the Great
Expanded Persian empire with organized
military
Allowed the people he conquered to
keep their customs and traditions
Darius I
Improved roads
Built a new capital with works of art and
statues
Conquered Indus Valley
Put down rebellion in Greece
Combined the use of the army and navy to
attack Greece
Burned Athens
Greece won Persian Wars
Restored order in Persia
New religion- Zoroastrianism (good v.
evil)
Xerxes I
A large navy with many ships
Won battle of Thermopylae
13. Using the chart below, list the battles you have identified in the first column. In the other columns identify
who fought, who won, and what happened as a result of each battle.
Battle
Armies
Winner
Result
Marathon
Persians and Greek
(Darius)
(Athenians)
Greece
Smaller army with better
weapons won
Thermopylae
Persians and Greeks
(navy and army) (Xerxes)
(Spartans and Athenians
worked together for
Greece)
Persians and Greeks
(Athenians)
Persians
Persians caught Spartans
in a narrow mountain
pass
Athenians (Greeks)
Persians and Greeks
Greeks
Athenian navy led Persian
navy into a narrow straittoo many ships
This ended the Persian
Wars. Persians left
Greece. Greece saved
their homeland.
Salamis
Plataea
Name:___________________________________ Date:____________ Block:__________