Download Darius the Great (526 – 485 BCE)

The Persian Empire
Cyrus the Great
* A tolerant ruler  he
allowed different cultures
within his empire to keep
their own institutions.
*The Greeks called him a
“Law-Giver.”
580 – 529 B. C. E.
* The Jews called him “the
anointed of the Lord.” In
537 he allowed over 40,000
people to return to
Palestine
The Immortals
•Cyrus’s strong, wellorganized army
•10,000 soldiers
chosen for bravery
and skill
•Cavalry: Unit of
soldiers who ride
horses
Darius the Great
(526 – 485 B. C. E.)
 Built
Persepolis.
 He extended the
Persian Empire to
the Indus River in
northern India. (2
mil. s.q. mi.)
Darius the Great
(526 – 485 B. C. E.)
 Established a tax-collecting
system.
 Divided the empire into districts
called SATRAPIES.
 Satraps are governors who:
Collect taxes
Serve as judges
Put down rebellions
Built the great Royal Road from
Susa to Sardis
 Established a complex postal
system.
 Created a network of spies
called “the kings eyes and ears”
ears
Established a complex postal
system.
Daius established a complex postal system.
Nothing on earth travels faster than do these messengers as the Persians
have organized them…Neither snow, nor rain, heat nor darkness prevents
these riders from covering the distance allotted to them at full speed.”
Herodotus, The Histories
“Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers
from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”
“Nothing on earth travels faster
than do these messengers as the
Persians have organized
them…Neither snow, nor rain, heat
nor darkness prevents these riders
from covering the distance allotted
to them at full speed.” Herodotus,
The Histories
The Pony Express, established
in 1860, operated from Missouri
to California, across a 1,966
mile trail, could deliver mail in
10 days or less. A day’s trip was
75 miles, and riders mounted a
fresh horse at every station.
Ancient Persepolis
Persian “Royal Road”
Persian Archers & Soldiers
Zoroaster (Zarathustra)
•Founded
Zoroastrianism
•Struggle between good
and evil
•Good thoughts, good
deeds, and good words
•Judgement at death
• Hymns called “The
Gathas” collected into a
book called Avesta
Ahura Mazda: The One Creator
Spenta Mainyu: Good
Anga Mainyu:
Evil
Extent of Zoroastrianism
Persian Wars: 499 BCE – 480 BCE
Persian Wars: Famous Battles
Marathon (490 BCE)
26 miles from Athens
Thermopylae (480 BCE)
300 Spartans at the
Mountain pass
Salamis (480 BCE)
Athenian navy victorious
Why Fight?
• Greeks settled on the west coast of
Asia Minor
• Persia conquered these colonies
• In 499 B.C. Greeks revolted
against Persian rule
• Athens sent troops to support the
revolt
Crushing the Revolt
• Emperor Darius of Persia crushed
the revolt
• He decided to punish Athens for
helping the colonies
• After training for a few years Darius
sent troops to invade Greece
• Sailed on to the Bay of Marathon
The Battle of Marathon
• Athens asked Sparta to help, but
Spartan troops would not arrive for
9 days (they were in the middle of
religious festivals)
• Other jealous city-states decided
not to help Athens against the
Persian Empire
• Athens took on the mighty Persian
Empire by themselves
Marathon 490 BCE
A Serious Mismatch
• Persian troops—100,000
• Athenian troops—20,000
• Did Athens really have any
hope against these odds?
Victory
• The Athenian army was well-trained and
did not break formation as they charged
the Persian lines
• The organized charge surprised the
large but scattered (and poorly
organized) Persian army
• The Persian soldiers turned and ran
from the oncoming Athenians
Greek Hoplites
Greek Phalanx
A Slaughter
• The Athenian army almost
drove the Persians back to the
sea
• Final tally
–Persians—6, 400 dead
–Athens—192 dead
–Darius returned to Persia never
to return to Greece
Connection to the Past
• The modern marathon has
its roots in the Battle of
Marathon
• Phidippides, ran from
Marathon to Athens (26
miles) to tell the Athenians
of the Greek victory
• Phidippides died from
exhaustion after delivering
his message
Today’s 26 mile marathon races remember his heroic act
of martyrdom
Back for Revenge
• The Persian Emperor
Darius never returned,
but his son Emperor
Xerxes did
• In 480 B.C. the Persians
returned to Greece
• They brought even more
men this time around
The Battle of Thermopylae
• Persians met a force
of Greeks at
Thermopylae
• This was a small
mountain pass that
controlled access to
all of Greece
• For two days 7,000
Greeks held the
Persians back, but…
The Downfall
• A Greek traitor showed
the Persians a secret
passageway
• This allowed the
Persians to sneak up
from behind and attack
the Greeks
• Most of the Greek
defenders ran away
A Heroic Act
• About 300
Spartans stayed
behind and
fought to their
deaths
•This allowed the other Greeks to
escape capture or certain death
Here come the Persians
• The Persians poured into
Greece
• They got their revenge by
wreaking havoc
• They even burned Athens to the
ground
• What were the Greeks to do?
The Battle of Salamis
• As their city-state burned the
Athenian people and the army
escaped to the island of
Salamis
• The Persians were quick to
follow the retreating Greeks to
Salamis
Themistocles’ Wooden Wall
•Athenian Admiral and
Statesman
•Oracle of Delphi consulted
•“Wooden wall that alone
remains intact, to the
benefit of you and your
sons”
•Wall= hull of ships
Those Clever Athenians
• The Greeks ships
first sailed from
shore like they
were fleeing the
island
• They then turned
quickly around
and began
ramming the
Persian ships
• Before the
Persians knew
what had
happened half of
their fleet was on
the ocean floor
• The Persians once
again retreated
back to Persia
Hollywood’s
version of
Xerxes
The Final Battle
• The Battle of Plataea
• The Greeks and Persians at equal
strength
• Athens and Sparta fought side by
side
• Greek military superiority won out
and Persia retreated for good
How did the Greeks do it?
• Three reasons:
– Inherent
advantage of
the defender
– They were
better soldiers
– They used the
element of
surprise