The Empires of Persia

Flashcards about the Empires of Persia

Herodotus

A Greek historian who wrote many tales about the Persian empire and its conflicts.

Croesus

Ruler of the powerful and wealthy kingdom of Lydia in southwestern Anatolia who struggled against Cyrus.

Cyrus

Leader of the expanding Persian realm who conquered Lydia.

Battle of Lydia (546 B.C.E.)

The battle where Cyrus defeated Croesus by using camels to spook the Lydian horses.

Sardis

The capital of Lydia, besieged and taken by Cyrus.

Lydia

Kingdom known for its fabulous wealth and the first to use standardized coins.

Achaemenids

Dynasty that maintained a continuous tradition of imperial rule in much of southwest Asia from 558-330 B.C.E.

Seleucids

Dynasty that maintained a continuous tradition of imperial rule in much of southwest Asia from 323-83 B.C.E.

Parthians

Dynasty that maintained a continuous tradition of imperial rule in much of southwest Asia from 247 B.C.E.-224 C.E.

Sasanids

Dynasty that maintained a continuous tradition of imperial rule in much of southwest Asia from 224-651 C.E.

Medes and Persians

Closely related peoples who migrated from central Asia to Persia.

Cyrus the Achaemenid

The king of the Persian tribes who initiated a rebellion against his Median overlord and founded the Achaemenid empire.

Pasargadae

The mountain fortress and initial capital of Cyrus.

Cambyses

Son of Cyrus who conquered Egypt.

Darius

The greatest of the Achaemenid emperors, who extended the empire to the Indus River and southeastern Europe.

Persepolis

The administrative and monumental capital of the Achaemenid empire built by Darius.

Satrapy

Administrative and taxation districts governed by satraps in the Achaemenid empire.

Eyes and ears of the king

Imperial spies who traveled throughout the Achaemenid empire to conduct audits and collect intelligence.

Persian Royal Road

A road that stretched some 2,575 kilometers from Ephesus to Susa, facilitating communication and trade.

Xerxes

Successor of Darius who retreated from the policy of toleration and caused resentment among conquered lands.

Persian Wars (500-479 B.C.E.)

Conflicts launched by the rebellion of the Ionian Greeks against Persian rule.

Alexander of Macedon

King of Macedon who invaded Persia and defeated the Achaemenid empire.

Battle of Gaugamela

Battle in 331 B.C.E. where Alexander shattered Achaemenid forces.

Seleucus

General who received the choicest realm of Alexander's empire, including most of the former Achaemenid empire.

Parthians

Seminomadic people who progressively took over Iran during the third century B.C.E.

Mithradates I

The Parthians' greatest conqueror, who transformed his state into a mighty empire.

Ctesiphon

Capital city of the Parthian empire, located on the Euphrates River.

Sasanids

Dynasty that claimed direct descent from the Achaemenids and recreated much of their splendor.

Shapur I

Sasanid ruler who defeated several Roman armies and settled the prisoners in Iran.

Qanat

Underground canals that allowed cultivators to distribute water to fields without losing large quantities to evaporation.

Gimillu

A slave who served the temple community of Eanna in Uruk and appeared in numerous legal cases for defrauding his masters.

Zarathustra

Religious teacher who founded Zoroastrianism.

Ahura Mazda

Supreme god in Zoroastrianism, representing good.

Angra Mainyu

Evil and malign spirit in Zoroastrianism, the adversary of Ahura Mazda.

Gathas

Zarathustra's works, hymns composed in honor of the various deities.

Avesta

Holy book of Zoroastrianism.

Parsis

Descendants of Zoroastrians who fled to India during the Islamic conquest.