Pace - Ancient Civ - Phoenicians and Persians

Phoenicians

A maritime people who lived on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean near modern Lebanon. They created colonies throughout the Mediterranean and earned their name from the purple dye they exported.

Tyrian Purple

Famed Phoenician dye made of sea shells through a.labor-intensive process that was extraordinarily expensive.

Cedar

A species of tree found in Phoenicia, which was a source of timer for other regions in the Middle East.

Alphabet

This was created by the Phoenicians, with some influence from Cuneiform. This influenced Greek, Latin, and later English. There were 22 letters in the Phoenician version of this.

Carthage

A colony founded by the Phoenicians in North Africa that later became a rival of Rome.

Zoroastrianism

A religion that developed in early Persia and stressed the fight between the forces of good and the forces of evil and how eventually the forces of good would prevail.

Cyrus the Great

King of Persia and founder of the Persian empire (circa 600-529 BC). He freed Persia from the control of the Medes and conquered much of the Middle East. He ended the Jews' captivity in Babylon and ruled through tolerance.

Satrap

A governor of a province in ancient Persia, first appointed by Darius I to rule over conquered territories on behalf of the King of Persia.

Satrapy

A territory conquered by the Persians that were ruled by a governor appointed by the Persian king.

Ahura Mazda

In Zoroastrianism, the good god who created the world and would triumph over the forces of evil.

Angra Mainyu

In Zoroastrianism, the evil god, engaged in a cosmic struggle with Ahura Mazda. He is aided by daevas but was expected to be ultimately defeated.

Darius I

Third ruler of the Persian Empire (r. 521-486 B.C.E.). He crushed the widespread initial resistance to his rule and is credited with creating the Royal road, building Persepolis, connecting the Nile and the Red sea through a canal, and reorganizing the empire into 20 satrapies.

Cambyses II

530-522 BC The son of Cyrus who became the King of Persia, led an invasion of Egypt which he conquered and was then crowned Pharoah.

Tolerance

This was the general approach taken by Cyrus the Great in ruling over conquered regions. Cyrus treated conquered groups with respect, allowing them to practice their religion and allowing them some autonomy.

Achaemenid Persia

The first and arguably greatest Persian empire that ruled over Egypt, Mesopotamia, Phoenicia, Asia Minor and parts of Southeastern Europe.

Persepolis

City built by Darius I and later capital of the Persian empire. It featured artistic contributions from every part of the Persian empire, helping unify it.

Qanats

Underground canals built by the Persians to carry fresh water to cities and for irrigation. These are similar in purpose to Roman aqueducts.

Daevas

The various demonic deities aligned with Angra Mainyu.

Ahuras

Minor deities aligned with Ahura Mazda and the forces of good.

Zaruthustra

A Persian prophet and founder of Zoroastrianism who lived between 1400 and 900 BCE.

Royal Road

This 1500 mile road connected the Persian city of Susa to the city of Sardis in Western Anatolia (Turkey) in the former Greek kingdom of Lydia.

Raw materials

Unprocessed natural products used in production. Examples include timber, metals, and agricultural products. The Phoenicians imported these and transformed them into expensive, luxuries manufactured goods.

The Medes

An empire in what is now northern Persia/Iran that ruled the Persians before Cyrus the Great liberated the Persian people.