Persian Empire Notes

The Persians

Building and Maintaining the Persian Empire

  • The Persians built and maintained a tremendous empire through tolerance and diplomacy, backed by a strong military.
  • The empire began in what is now modern Iran.

Important Leaders

  • Key leaders include Cyrus the Great, Cambyses, and Darius.

Contributions to History

  • The Persians' contributions include their administrative organization, tolerance of local customs and religions, and infrastructure development.

The Rise of Persia

  • The Persian Empire was founded on principles of tolerance and diplomacy.
  • A strong military was used to enforce policies.

Extent of the Persian Empire

  • The Persian Empire spanned a vast territory, as shown on the map, including parts of modern-day Iran, the Middle East, and beyond.

Cyrus The Great

  • Reigned from 550 BC.
  • Conquered several neighboring kingdoms through military genius.
  • Controlled an empire spanning 2000 miles.

The Empire under Cyrus

  • Cyrus conquered Lydia in 547 BC and the Babylonian Empire in 539 BC.
  • His son Cambyses later conquered Egypt in 525 BC.
  • The empire included regions such as Media and Persia.

Cyrus The Great: Kindness and Tolerance

  • Cyrus showed kindness towards conquered peoples.
  • He honored local customs and religions.
  • In 538 BC, he allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem.
  • The Jews considered him one of God’s anointed ones.

Cyrus The Great: Tolerance as a Tool

  • Cyrus used tolerance to maintain peace and appear as a liberator.
  • He allowed people to keep their local customs and religions.
  • He displayed consistent kindness towards conquered peoples.

Cambyses: Son Of Cyrus the Great

  • Named after Cyrus’ father.
  • Expanded the kingdom by conquering Egypt.
  • Was not as tolerant as his father.

Cambyses: Intolerance and Instability

  • Cambyses disliked the Egyptian religion.
  • He ordered the destruction of images of Egyptian gods.
  • His rule lasted only 8 years.
  • Rebellions broke out across the empire, leading to instability.

Darius: Rise to Power

  • Darius was a member of a noble ruling family.
  • He began as a king's bodyguard.
  • With the help of the Ten Thousand Immortals, he seized the throne in 522 BC.
  • He spent 3 years quelling revolts and establishing an organized administration.

Darius the Great: Administration and Governance

  • Brought peace and stability.
  • Divided the empire into 20 provinces, similar to the original homelands of the people.
  • Under Persian rule, people practiced their own religions, spoke their languages, and followed their laws.
  • Darius appointed governors called Satraps to rule locally.
  • To ensure loyalty, inspectors known as the “king's eyes and ears” were sent out.

Cyrus's Decree

  • Cyrus declared that God had given him all the kingdoms of the earth and charged him to build a house at Jerusalem.
  • He allowed the people of Judah to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the house of God.

Analysis of Cyrus as a Ruler

  • Based on the quote Cyrus was a tolerant and respected ruler.