Persian Flashcards

the medes and the persians

Indo-Europeans who migrated from central Asia to Persia; Originally organized in clans, not formal political institutions; possessed a strong military

cyrus the great

king of Persia and founder of the Persian empire (circa 600-529 BC)

darius the great

king of Persia who expanded the empire and invaded Greece but was defeated at the Battle of Marathon (550-486 BC)

persepolis

A complex of palaces, reception halls, and treasury buildings erected by the Persian kings Darius I and Xerxes in the Persian homelan (119)

achaemenid administration: the satrapies

Government relied of a balance between central administration and locally appointed governors. Darius divided the empire into twenty-three satrapies--administrative and taxation districts governed by satraps--in which he regularized tax levies and standardized laws (he did not push direct rule on the subjects). To ensure local provinces did not become too powerful, each satrapy was assigned a group of military officers and tax collectors who checked the satrap's power and independence; imperial spies, trained as watchdogs for the king, conducted surprise audits. Darius built extensive roads: Persian Royal Road (1,600 miles)--from Ephesus on the Aegean to Sardis in Antolia to Susa in Iran--facilitated trade.

the persian wars

A series of wars where the Greek city-states united against Persia, and managed to maintain control of the Aegean Sea and push the Persian Empire back

alexander of macedon

The son of King Philip who inherited all of his father's army. A very powerful and successful leader. He and his army conquered all of Persia and into India. He neglected to appoint a successor so all his conquered land was split up and distributed.

the seleucids

largest realm from Alexander's empire; maintained Achaemenid systems of administration; lost hold of India; enemies of Parthians

the parthians

Settled area south of the Aral Sea and Oxus. Contro of Parthia by Arsacids dates from 247 B.C.E. Empires stretched across the Iranian plateau from Mesopotamia to Arachosia.

parthian conquests

3rd century BCE, Parthians began to west their independence from the Seleucids;parthian satrap revolted against the Seleucid overlord in 238 BCE and his successors gradually enlarged their holdings

parthian government

enemies of the foreign Seleucids; restorers of the Persian traditions; governed satraps, employed Achaemenid techniques of administration and taxation, capital city at Ctesiphon (on Euphrates River); retained steppe traditions as well; not as centralized regime, great authority in their clan leaders (satraps, worked to build independent bases of power in their regions); frequent rebellions against imperial government; roman armies captured Ctesiphon, internal rebellion from satraps; early 3rd century CE internal rebellion brought down the Parthian Empire

the sasanids

Began in 224 CE and ruled until 651 CE (direct descendants of Achaemenids). King lived extravagant lifestyles in the palaces of Ctesiphon and provided strong rule from Parthia to Mesopotamia. During Shapur's reign, they created a series of buffer states btw themselves and Rome. He continued Persian roads thus increasing trade. After Shapur, army was weak and king was killed (Persia absorbed into large Islam empire).

imperial bureaucrats

new class of educated bureaucrats who undermined the position of the old warrior elite; did not challenge the patriarchal warriors; crucial role in running day-to-day affairs guaranteed a comfortable place in Persian society; administrators, tax collectors, record keepers, translators

persian slaves

often owned by temple communities, self enslavement to pay off debt, worked in cities and countries

persian trade

Commercial contacts maintained with countries to the east, north and west using extensive road system- protected by king

zarathrustra

Founder of Zoroastrinism after revelation by Ahura Mazd

the gathas

the holy books of the Zoroastrian religion; revelations receives from teh zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda

zoroastrian teachings

the words "good words, good thoughts, good deeds" were used to sum up the view of morality of the?

popularity of zoroastrianism

material world is a blessing; good words, thoughts, and deeds; gained followers in 6th century BCE- Persian aristocrats and elites; observed but not supported= Parthians; revived=Sasanid; islamic conquerers= political and financial pressure on the magi and Zoroastrian temples