The Ancient Near East Section 4
Preview
• Main Idea / Reading Focus
• Growth and Organization
• Map: The Persian Empire
• Quick Facts: Cyrus and Darius
• Zoroastrianism
• Faces of History: Zoroaster
• Persian Achievements
The Persian Empire
The Ancient Near East Section 4
Preview, continued
• Visual Study Guide / Quick Facts
• Video: The Impact of Judaism throughout the World
The Persian Empire
The Ancient Near East Section 4
Reading Focus
Who shaped the growth and organization of the Persian Empire?
• What were the main teachings of Zoroastrianism?
• What were the most significant Persian achievements?
Main Idea
1. The Persians formed one of the largest and best governed empires in the ancient world and made great cultural achievements.
The Persian Empire
The Ancient Near East Section 4
Persia under the Medes• Both Indo-European tribes
• Medes conquered Persians
• Persians allowed to keep their own leaders as long as they did not rebel
Darius I• Crushed rebellion after death of
Cyrus’s son
• Strengthened army, empire
• Ceremony and ritual
• Created satraps to help govern
Cyrus the Great • Defeated Medes in 559 BC
• Expanded Persian Empire
• Freed Jews in Babylon
• Respected by those he conquered
Persia in Decline• Rule of Darius high point of
Persian culture
• Son, Xerxes, failed to conquer Greece
• Last strong ruler of Persia
Growth and Organization
The Ancient Near East Section 4
The Ancient Near East Section 4
The Ancient Near East Section 4
Analyze
How did Persia grow and change under Cyrus and Darius?
Answer(s): expanded rapidly under Cyrus; Darius also expanded the empire, organized empire into satraps, minted coins, built roads
The Ancient Near East Section 4
2. During the reigns of Cyrus and Darius, a new religion called Zoroastrianism took hold, based on the teachings of Zoroaster.
• Ahura Mazda, source of good
• Ahriman, evil spirit
• Dualism = good and evil
• Free will
• The Avesta
• End of time
Teachings
• Much of Persian Empire
• Darius worshipped Ahura Mazda
• Other religions discouraged
• The Greeks converted the Persians
• Zoroastrianism never completely disappeared
Spread
Zoroastrianism
The Ancient Near East Section 4
The Ancient Near East Section 4
Analyze
What does Zoroastrianism teach about good and evil?
Answer(s): that the world is controlled by dueling forces of good and evil; those who live good lives will be rewarded; the wicked will be punished
The Ancient Near East Section 4
Blended Culture• Cyrus and Darius encouraged cultural unity• Shared culture led to peace• People worked together to improve empire
Art and Architecture• Animals a common subject• Persepolis, monument to Persia’s glory• Greatest example of Persian architecture
3. Communication• Network of high quality roads• Royal Road = world’s first long highway• Horseback messengers in shifts
Persian Achievements
The Ancient Near East Section 4
Analyze
How did Persian roads make communication faster and easier?
Answer(s): roads linked cities; messengers could travel across empire in a few days
The Ancient Near East Section 4
The Ancient Near East Section 4
Video
The Impact of Judaism throughout the World
Click above to play the video.
