Persian Empire

Moof counries

He was assassinated on the eve of his departure on the campaign. His son Alexander carried out his plan.

His ambition was limitless and it was the greatest challenge around. He said it was reparation for the Persian invasion of Greece a hundred and fifty years earlier.

From the Levant to Central Asia

The conflict between Persia and Athens culminated in several key battles during the Greco-Persian Wars, with Athens emerging victorious at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE. This victory was significant in boosting Athenian morale and influence. Later, during the Persian invasion led by Xerxes, the Athenians again triumphed at the naval Battle of Salamis in 480 BCE, further solidifying their dominance over Persia. Ultimately, these victories marked a turning point in the wars, leading to the decline of Persian power in the region.

This depends on the time period. For the vast majority of Persian history, the Persian people actively supported their rulers, especially during the Achaemenid Empire, which is often seen as the Golden Age of Persia. The main criticism of the Persian rulers came during the Imperialist Period where the Qajjar Shahs had a policy of selling business concessions to Europeans. This angered the Persian population because it led to a diminishing of national Persian culture and an influx of Western influence and ideals.

Persia's natural resources

Xerxes, his successor as king, who carried out Darius' plan to control the Greek cities in Europe after his death.

They divided it into 20 provinces (satrapies) with a Persian provincial governor (Satrap) in control supervised by the king and his council.

As part of a Greek blocking force, they helped hold the pass for three days to make the Persians try to break through by turning the bottleneck by sea. The Greek navies were waiting offshore to pounce on the Persian navy to try to eliminate it and its threat to the Greek cities. As it turned out, the Greek navies were defeated and withdrew to try again at Salamis. The land blocking force at Thermopylae, its mission now invalidated, withdrew. The Spartan contingent of 300 heavy infantry and 2,100 light infantry, together with the Thespian contingent, remained holding the pass to allow the other city contingents to escape to the walls of friendly cities before the Persian cavalry broke through and rode them down in open countryside. They were killed to a man, a noble sacrifice to save their comrades.

the mongols tolerated Persian religions but suppressed Chinese religions

Darius didn't fill the capital city with riches; he received tribute (taxes). As money did not exist, this came as produce, goods and valuables. Some of this was used to provide a high living standard for his court, some for defense of his empire, and some for local improvement in the provinces.

they adopted the customs of other cultures, which made it easier to maintain control of their vast empire.

The Greeks ware not a cohesive nation - there were hundred of independent Greek city-states in eastern Europe, Asia Minor and the Islands, almost continuously at war with each other. They bought off a group of these Greek cities onto their side, and had a large navy drawn from Phoenicia, the Asia Minor Greek cities and Egypt. This navy threatened the Greek cities with amphibious invasion so they y kept their armies at home defending their own city.

It was only after the Greeks defeated the Persian navy at Salamis, and that threat was lifted, that the cities were prepared to send out their armies the following year to unite at Plataea for the decisive land battle.

Sparta's serf population revolted and Athens sent a force to help the Spartans put it down. Then the Athenian soldiers started to sympathise with the serfs , so the Spartans sent them home. Relations froze.

When the Athenians made an empire out of the Delian League cities it had led against the persians, it became adventurous and interfered in the affairs of the cities of the Peloponnesian League which Sparta led. Sparta asked Athens to back off, an overconfident Athens persisted and war ensued.

No, it arose in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia two and a half thousand years ago.

It remained intact covering central and western Asia, and lasted for another century until taken over by Alexander the Great.

KING CYRUS THE GREAT brought Persia onto the global scene by defeating the Medes and incorporating them into a Greater Persia.

Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Isreal, Jordan, Lebanon and many other countries control land that used to be the Persian Empire.

The Persian Empire (also known as the Achaemenid Empire) existed 550 to 330 BCE.

The Persians had been dominated by the Medes, but king Cyrus took over Media and joined their forces together which enabled him to take over the Babylonian Empire. With this even greater power, he was able to expand through Western Asia, and into Central Asia.

The peoples within the Empire continued to practice their own religions. - the Greeks, the Phoenicians, the Egyptians, etc. The upper class Persians had a cult of Zoroastrianism, but this was a small minority compared with the others.

It continued until the empire was taken over by Alexander the Great who attempted to introduce Greek culture. Later empires allowed local customs and governance, but this was disrupted by wars and takeovers by invasions and wars.