Chapter 7 Term Identifications

Pasargadae

Cyrus curled form the mountain fortress in Pasargadae from 558 BCE. Darius built the new capital of Persepolis near Pasargadae

Ctesiphon

Mithradates I built a capital city at Ctesiphon on the Euphrates River near modern Baghdad. On three occasions in the second century CE, Roman armies captured the Parthian capital at Ctesiphon.

Battle of Gaugamela

Occurred in 331 BCE when Alexander shattered Achaemenid forces and dissolved the empire within a year.

The Royal Road

Persian Royal Road, 1,600 miles, through empire from Ephesus to Sardis, through Mesopotamia along the Tigris River, to Susa Iran. Extension to Pasargadae and Persepolis. There was a postal service along Persian Royal Road, and roads facilitated trade, helping to integrate empire's various regions into larger economy

Angra Mainyu

Zarathustra believed that Ahura Mazda engaged in a cosmic conflict with an independent adversary, an evil and malign spirit known as Angra Mainyu (the "destructive spirit" or the "hostile spirit").

The Gathas

Zarathustra's works were hymns that he composed in honor of the various deities that he recognized

Zarathustra

Zoroastrianism emerged form the teachings of Zarathustra who was undoubtedly a historical person and the subject of many early stories. He came from an aristocratic family, and he probably was a priest who became disenchanted with the traditional religion and its concentration on bloody sacrifices and mechanical rituals. About twenty years old, Zarathustra left his family and home in search of wisdom. After 10 years, he experienced visions in which Ahura Mazda, the supreme god, had chosen him to be his prophet and spread his message.

Qanat

underground water canals

Devas

A lesser god to Ahura Mazda; lesser deities. Served Ahura Mazda.

Alexander the Great

Alexander of Macedon invaded Persia with a small army that had heavier arms and more sophisticated military tactics in 334 BCE. . In 331 BCE, he shattered the Achaemenid forces at the battle of Gaugamela, led forces into Persepolis, and ignited a blaze, destroying Persepolis. He died in 323 BCE after effort to extend empire to India. He had portrayed himself as a legitimate successor of the Achaemenids.

Satraps

Appointed governors to oversee administrative and tax affairs.

Persepolis

Became the new capital of the Achaemenid Empire in 520 BCE when Darius built it. It was the administrative center and a monument to the Achaemenid dynasty. It was also the center of the Persian Empire.

Battle of Marathon

Darius wanted to absorb Greece into power but had to contend with the fragile line of supply and hostile environment when trying to invade. The Persians suffered a rout at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE and they returned home without achieving their goals.

Xerxes

Darius's successor who reigned from 486-465 BCE. He sought to impose his values on the conquered land. He continued the expansionistic policies of his predecessors. Xerxes sent an expedition to the Battle of Marathon but it failed.

Satrapies

Division of empire into twenty-three satrapies, which governed affairs. These were administrative and taxation districts governed by satraps.

Tribute

During the Achaemenid administration, irregular tribute payments were replaced with formal taxes.

Cyrus Cylinder

First charter of Human rights which dates back from 539 BCE.

Darius

Greatest of Achaemenid emperors, ruling from 521 to 486 BCE. He was the distant cousin of Cambyses and the son of the governor of Parthia. He extended the empire east and west from Indus River to Aegean Sea and Armenia in the north to the first cataract of the Nile River in the south; his expansionistic policies continued until his empire consisted of 35 million people. He created a new capital at Persepolis. In the Persian Wars, Ionian cities rebelled and asserted their independent. They sent fleets to help kinsmen in Ionia but Darius put down the conflicts.

Herodotus

Greek historian with a tale about Persian Empire and their conflicts with others.

"The eyes and ears of the king"

Imperial spies who checked on satrapies to make sure that they were loyal to the emperor

Cyrus

Leader of the Persian Realm in 558-530 BCE. He was known as "Cyrus the Shepherd." Became king of Persian tribes, ruling from mountain fortress at Pasargadae; brought all Iran under Cyrus's country; conquered Lydia in Anatolia— Cyrus pursued Croesus to Sardis and conquered Lydia; Cyrus campaigned in Babylonia, leading to a conquest whose vassal states recognized him as lord; During the reign of Cyrus, Ionian Greeks fell under Persian rule; and would have mounted campaign against Egypt but died. Within twenty years, Cyrus had raised his standard from king to ruler of the largest seen empire ever. Cyrus's last conquest was over the Scythians, a group of nomads. While in battle, he died and was not able to conquer Egypt.

Behiston Rock

Located on the side of a rock on the Royal Road. Describes what the kings wanted to be seen as. A monument of Darius that showed divine selection (he was selected by the gods to rule). Everything Darius has done: accomplishments, especially conquests. Constructed in the 6th century BCE around 521 BCE-486 BCE. Shows acceptance of Zoroastrianism.

Magi

Many of the earliest Zoroastrian teachings have perished, because the priests, known as magi, at first transmitted them orally. Only during the Seleucid dynasty did magi begin to preserve religious texts in writing, and only under the Sasanids did they compile their scriptures in a holy book known as the Avesta. During his Persian campaign, Alexander's forces burned many temples and killed numerous magi. Because at that time the magi still transmitted Zoroastrian doctrines orally, an untold number of hymns and holy verses disappeared. The Zoroastrian faith survived, however, and the Parthians cultivated it to rally support against the Seleucids.

Shapur I

Reigned from 239-272 CE. Sasanids stabilized their western frontier and created a series of buffer states between themselves and the Roman Empire. After Shapur, the Sasanids did not expand militarily, but entered into a standoff relationship with the Kushan Empire in the east and the Roman and Byzantine empires in the west.

Medes

Ruled by the grandfather of Cyrus, king of the Medes

Mithradates I

The Parthians' greatest conqueror who came to the throne about 171 BCE and transformed his state into an empire. He defeated the Seleucid ruler, Demetrius Nicator. He extend Parthian rule to Mesopotamia by 155 BCE. Upon his death, a large empire was bequeathed to his son.

Seleucus

The Persian victor who fought to take over Alexander's realm when he died. Former commander of elite guard corps in Alexander's army, who dominated the territories of the former Achaemenid Empire and ruled them from 305 to 281 BCE. Seleucus maintained Achaemenid systems of administration and taxation as well as the imperial roads and postal service. Seleucus soon lost his holdings in northern India, and the semi-nomadic Parthians progressively took over Iran during the third century BCE. He continued to rule a truncated empire until 83 BCE, when Roman conquerors put an end to the empire.

Ahura Mazda

The supreme god whom Zarathustra called Ahura Mazda (the wise lord), had chosen him to serve as his prophet and spread his message.

Persian courier service

way stations along the royal road. The Persian Royal Road was 1,600 miles through the empire from Ephesus and Sardis to Susa.